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APS board approves MRI/CSI school applications and signs off on 15 charter actions
Summary
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education voted June 17 to approve MRI/CSI applications and related LEA documents for 15 schools and to grant funding and monitoring conditions intended to strengthen interventions for low-graduation-rate campuses.
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education on June 17 voted unanimously to approve more rigorous intervention (MRI) and comprehensive support (CSI) applications and related LEA narrative documents for 15 high schools and charter schools, formalizing district oversight and conditions tied to federal and state monitoring.
The approvals followed a staff presentation that framed the actions as both a compliance obligation and an opportunity to direct targeted interventions for schools with low graduation rates. Dr. Randy Mulholland, deputy superintendent for leadership and learning, told the board: "As the LEA, APS is not merely a passive conduit for federal funds, but the entity legally responsible for ensuring those funds are used to provide a constitutionally sufficient education." He emphasized district responsibilities under ESSA and the Martinez v. Yazzie rulings to monitor subgroup progress and certify data accuracy.
Board members moved through each school application in sequence. Several approvals came with explicit conditions or requests for follow-up information. For example, ACE Leadership High School drew questions about an 85% figure cited for inaccurate credit tracking; district staff and the school described plans to use MRI funds to automate credit tracking and tighten cohort-level monitoring. Gilbert Sena's principal described a rise in graduation rates from roughly 32% to 51.5% and credited individualized learning plans, high-dosage tutoring and an "advocacy" advisory model for improvements.
Votes at a glance (motion mover — seconder — outcome): - Albuquerque Charter Academy (Jackson — Stover) — Approved - Albuquerque Talent Development Academy (Benavidez — Martinez) — Approved - ACE Leadership High School (Jackson — Benavidez) — Approved (board member requested data improvements tied to funding) - Archer Academy (Benavidez — Jackson) — Approved - eAcademy High School (Benavidez — Estrada) — Approved - Freedom High School (Jackson — Astorga) — Approved - Gilbert Sena Charter School (Benavidez — Astorga) — Approved - Gordon Bernal Charter High School (Benavidez — Benavidez [second]) — Approved - Health Leadership High School (Benavidez — Betson) — Approved - La Academia de Esperanza (Benavidez — Bettsin) — Approved - Manzano High School (Bowman — Benavidez) — Approved - New America High School (Benavidez — Jackson) — Approved - New Futures High School (Benavidez — Betson) — Approved - Robert F. Kennedy Charter School (Benavidez — Bettsin) — Approved - School on Wheels High School (Benavidez — Jackson) — Approved
Board members and staff said the approvals will be accompanied by monitoring actions: 90-day plans, budgets aligned to intervention strategies, periodic check-ins with district navigators, and requirements for real-time dashboarding in schools selected for intensive intervention.
Board discussion ranged from technical questions about cohort-level data to requests for more granular breakdowns for Martinez v. Yazzie subgroups (English learners, Native American students, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students). Dr. Melanie Blay (executive director of federal and state programs) and Dr. Douglas Wine (senior director of charter schools) said district staff will require schools to document root-cause analyses and critical actions in their 90-day plans.
What happens next: approved MRI/CSI plans now move into implementation and monitoring cycles overseen by APS. Schools receiving funding are expected to submit 90-day plans, show progress on dashboard measures and comply with reporting and fiscal requirements tied to ESSA and state guidance.
