APS superintendent gets contract extension, declines bonus pay again

Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Gabriella Blakey will oversee the state’s largest public school district until at least 2028, declining a bonus to her paycheck and instead getting the contract extension she requested.

The APS Board of Education voted 5-0 on Wednesday evening to approve the two-year extension of the contract, which was set to end in June 2026, following almost two hours of closed-door deliberations. Board President Danielle Gonzales and board member Ronalda Tome-Warito were not present for the vote.

The contract reflects the superintendent’s request last summer to an ad hoc committee of the board that initially considered raising Blakey’s pay from $250,000 per year if she made measurable progress on the board’s goals on improving student outcomes.

But Blakey, who has served in the top role since July 1 after serving APS off and on for 20 years, declined the raise over an extension, citing “continuity” as critical to “implementing systematic change in an organization as large and complex” as APS, according to a district document. The district has approximately 68,000 students and 12,000 employees.

Following the Wednesday vote, Blakey said in an interview that the board’s decision “means a lot” that she is able to “give more time back to giving my community” and “continue to see changes for our students.”

Her comments followed a board meeting in which Blakey and board members heard from district administrators on students’ progress on math proficiency.

Wednesday marked the first contract re-approval for Blakey, an APS alumna, who declared at a pep rally in August 2024: “The status quo is no longer an option. ... Because our students are struggling — and they need us.

Blakey said when she was selected by the board that her agenda included a 90-day plan, including assessing the district’s academic programs, reviewing its current financial position and strengthening relationships in the community and with educators. Blakey also pledged to the community to “listen, to respond, to lead and to deliver.”

APS Board Vice President Courtney Jackson told the Journal she was limited in what she could say about the superintendent’s performance, since it was discussed in executive session, but said the board “voted with confidence” in Blakey and her administration, who are “working diligently” toward improving student outcomes.