OPINION: Revised focus on board’s role in community engagement

Thank you, Albuquerque Journal, for inviting Albuquerque Public Schools board members to respond to recent articles on our governance. In doing so, the Journal plays a vital role in informing the public about the real challenges and responsibilities we face as leaders of the state’s largest school district. Accountability is both timely and essential. Despite 46% of the state budget going to public education, the persistent achievement gaps among our most vulnerable students demand urgent attention. The Yazzie-Martinez decision reminds us of our legal and moral responsibility to act — and act with equity at the center of all we do.

Yet accountability is not just about test scores or contracts — it’s about relationships. It’s about whether the APS board is listening, responding and truly engaging the communities most impacted by our policies. On that front, we must do better.

Yes, we gave ourselves an “F” in unity and trust. But the more important grade is the one our communities give us in terms of meaningful engagement. We’ve fallen short in reaching too many families, but especially those who have long been underserved — those whose voices have been missing from boardrooms, surveys and decision-making tables. We’ve not done enough to ensure every family sees themselves in our goals or our process. That must change. And that change begins with me.

Recently, public discourse has tried to reduce the choices facing the board on June 4 to a false binary: either we continue our focus on student outcomes through the existing framework and our contract with the Council of Great City Schools, or we abandon both. That is simply not true. The student outcomes-focused framework — the goals and guardrails we monitor — belongs to your local board. It was built with the input of more than 2,000 community members, and we will not discard that hard-earned trust.

The June 4 vote is not about whether we continue this work — it’s about who we choose to support and strengthen it. It’s also about how we as a board take full ownership of our role in leading authentic, sustained community engagement.

This is not just the superintendent’s job. Community engagement is our responsibility as elected leaders.

So how do we get better?

We must meet our communities where they are — literally and figuratively. That means holding listening sessions in neighborhoods, schools and with advocacy groups, not just in board members’ comfort zones. It means showing up at school events, faith centers, community centers and cultural gatherings — not to talk, but to listen. It means speaking in plain language, offering interpretation and using channels that reach families who are too often left out — radio, WhatsApp, Facebook groups, local newspapers and again trusted community leaders. It also means building relationships year-round — not just when there’s a vote or a controversy.

We need standing partnerships with grassroots organizations, cultural institutions and neighborhood advocates who can help us understand the lived experiences behind our data. We must focus on two-way communication. Community engagement is not a checkbox or a public comment slot — it’s an ongoing conversation. The board must commit to not just hearing feedback, but responding to it with transparency and action. That includes reporting back on how community voices are tweaking or re-shaping policy decisions and ensuring that families see the impact of their input.

The board must also take a leadership role in rebuilding trust. That means acknowledging where we’ve fallen short and modeling what it looks like to learn, adapt and grow. As a former teacher, I revised lessons constantly based on student and colleague feedback. Our board must now apply that same mindset. Continuous improvement is not just for classrooms — it starts at the top. This is not a moment for shame or blame. It is a moment for honest reflection and purposeful action.

We have a framework. We have a community that cares deeply. What we need now is a renewed commitment — from the board — to outreach that is intentional, inclusive and rooted in equity. If we do that, we will not only meet the expectations set by the Yazzie-Martinez decision — we will exceed them.

If we do that, we will earn — not ask for — the trust and grace of the community we serve.

That is how we move forward. That is how we lead.