Dozens of teachers tell APS board workload, special-education gaps and PE cuts are harming students and staff

Dozens of Albuquerque Public Schools educators used the board’s March 18 public forum to press the district for immediate action on teacher workload, safety in classrooms and cuts to physical-education staffing.

In a packed session with 43 registered speakers, members of the teaching corps described rising paperwork demands, confusing or inconsistent policies and threats to physical safety. “Educators are overwhelmed and exhausted,” said Angelica Vasquez, a first-grade teacher at McCullum Elementary, who urged the board to “recognize this reality and take action because when educators are supported, our students — who are the top priority — are truly able to succeed.”

Why it matters: Teachers said the stresses are not abstract. Several cited findings from the district’s ATF survey — high reported rates of physical harm and inconsistent discipline — and asked for concrete systems changes: a district task force to review responses to chronic disruptive behavior, clearer IEP procedures and protected time for planning and collaboration.

Multiple speakers described incidents of staff assault and long delays to move students to appropriate placements. “It took five months to get him placed in a program that could best meet his needs,” said James Macklin, a music teacher at Kit Carson Elementary, describing a student with persistent aggression. Special-education head teacher Gina Sapierski said she was assaulted last December and still lives with lasting injuries; she cited the survey figure that 34.6% of APS employees report having experienced physical harm from a student.

Instruction, testing and materials also drew sustained criticism. Several elementary teachers said the district’s rollouts of new literacy materials have lacked the promised sustained professional development. “APS invested millions in high-quality instructional material, then failed to provide ongoing PD,” said Courtney Grant of the Teaching and Learning Department. Teachers and coaches urged a clearer, districtwide scope and sequence and on-the-ground coaching so purchased materials are used effectively.

Bilingual and assessment concerns came from classrooms with English-language learners. Sharon Mlin, an elementary music teacher at Coronado, read a statement reporting that an automated reading program misrecognizes accents and underestimates bilingual students’ ability; she urged the district to validate results with traditional assessments when outcomes conflict.

Physical education was another focus. Maya Gorum, a PE teacher, warned that proposed cuts would reduce daily movement and social‑emotional learning for many students, and Laura Gonzalez said reductions already slated for 2026–27 affected dozens of elementary PE positions.

What speakers asked the board to do: common requests included forming an APS ATF task force to develop clearer special-education and behavior protocols; restoring or shielding PE staffing; delivering ongoing, job-embedded literacy PD; protecting collaboration time during the duty day; and prioritizing school-based nurses, counselors and social workers.

Board response and next steps: Board members acknowledged the volume and gravity of testimony and said they would continue to probe the administration’s plans during upcoming agenda items. Several speakers were explicit that public forum is not a dialogue; the board affirmed rules that keep public forum as an opportunity for testimony rather than cross-examination.

The session closed when public comments ended and the meeting moved to the board’s scheduled business, including two formal votes later in the agenda.