OPINION: Budget policy based on student needs and empowering school leaders

I write in response to your Open Letter to APS (May 4). As a school board member, my focus is clear: to improve student outcomes. I’ve learned that my personal experience in school doesn’t make me an expert on improving APS. I am not the superintendent. My role is to approve the district budget, hire and manage the superintendent and develop district policy.

Regarding the budget, as APS finance chair for four years, I leveraged my business background to reshape our budgeting process. We partnered with Edunomics Lab, which advocates for financial transparency and data-driven decision-making. Following their guidance, we’ve moved away from a “copy-and-paste” approach to budgeting, and instead align our budget to the district’s goals and strategies. This includes proactively planning for the expiration of federal pandemic relief funds. I’m proud that APS was able to spend down those emergency funds on time and strategically, and as a result, we’re not facing the same “cliff” as other districts across the nation.

Furthermore, we engaged Education Resource Strategies (ERS), a nonprofit that helps districts strategically utilize resources. They helped us analyze our budget to ensure it aligns with best practices and shift toward a more student-based budgeting process.

These partnerships directly informed the creation of our new budget policy. This policy ensures resources are allocated based on student need, empowering school leaders to make informed decisions. Key elements of this policy include: a detailed timeline; legislation analysis; enrollment, staffing levels and salary projections; revenue and cost analysis; consideration of inflationary factors; reporting of significant issues or concerns; evidence of alignment with the board’s goals and guardrails and the district’s strategic plan; and budget projections and forecasts. The policy also mandates that the superintendent and staff share the community’s budgetary priorities with the board, gathered through various means, and that a draft budget, incorporating public input, is prepared for board review and approval.

Beyond the budget, the board is responsible for the superintendent. When I joined the board in 2022, it was clear we needed a more effective superintendent evaluation process. The previous framework was too subjective and didn’t directly correlate with improved student outcomes. We revised the evaluation tool and process to focus on the superintendent’s performance in improving student outcomes, aligning with the district’s strategic plan. This focus was central to the job description, hiring process and contract renewal for our new superintendent.

Finally, policy. We’ve overhauled our instruction policies to ensure they are laser-focused on improving what students know and are able to do. These policies require the use of high-quality instructional materials that are culturally and linguistically responsive and standards-aligned, and include a comprehensive assessment framework.

We see this as a real chance for honest conversation, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to doing better for our kids. Albuquerque’s future is closely tied to the success of our public schools, and that success depends on all of us working together. Whether you’re a district leader, teacher, parent, union member or community partner, your voice matters. Let’s use this moment to be open, take responsibility and focus on real solutions. We’re looking forward to hearing your responses and keeping this important conversation going.