By Rodd Cayton
Gabriella Durán Blakey Monday spoke of a school district, delivering world-class opportunities for the students it serves, from a rigorous International Baccalaureate program to simulated hospital labs for aspiring nurses to partnerships that put students on a quick path to careers in the building trades to research that stretches the imagination. That district, Blakey said, includes a high school on a college campus, which a student leaves with enough credits to enter a university as a junior.
“This remarkable school district isn’t in Chicago,” she said. “It isn’t in New York. It isn’t in Austin. It is right here in the state of New Mexico, and it is Albuquerque Public Schools.”
In her third State of the District speech as superintendent, Blakey covered a wide range of ways in which APS is working toward its goals. She also ticked off a number of successes, including starting the 2026-2027 school year with its lowest number of teacher vacancies in more than a decade. She said that’s the result of partnering with UNM, CNM and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation to develop a homegrown workforce. Other triumphs, she said, include the opening of Duranes Early Childhood Center, the rebuilt Sandia Base Elementary School, the recently opened APS International High School and expanded dual-language immersion and project-based learning at magnet schools like Coronado and Corrales K-8.
The event also included a video highlighting APS’ profile of a graduate, with students in various school settings discussing the characteristics the district hopes to instill in students during their time on campus. Those 10 traits include critical thinking, problem solving, engaged citizenship, innovation and social and cultural awareness. Blakey said building those skills is essential for the entire community. “We don’t know what every job in the future will look like, but what we do know is the kinds of people that our world needs,” she said. “Those aren’t skills that students only need in high school. These are skills that we need to nurture from preschool through graduation.”
Looking ahead, Blakey said, APS is about to break ground on a new Westside school for students with special needs, which is on track to open in 2028. She said that this will mean shorter bus rides for some of the district’s most vulnerable students, and a school specifically designed around their needs. “But all of these programs, pathways, and buildings mean very little without great people behind them,” Blakey said. “A beautiful school is just a building without a great teacher that is inside of it. A great curriculum is just paper without an educator who knows how to bring it to life in the classroom.”
Other speakers included Ronalda Tome-Warito, president of the APS Board of Education and Henry Newcomb, a 2026 Atrisco Heritage Academy valedictorian now studying business and accounting at the University of New Mexico as a Presidential Scholar. “Tonight, I stand before you because APS invested in me,” Newcomb said. “Now it is my responsibility to carry that same investment forward.”
Blakey challenged those in attendance to take part in shaping the future. “Encourage your student to come to school every day,” she said. If you are a business owner or an employer, help us provide internships, mentorships, and real-world experiences for our students.”
The speakers employed a torch metaphor at various times throughout the afternoon, and Blakey used it again as she closed. “The torch is in our hands, and someday we will place it in the hands of our students, but the question is, what kind of torch will we give them?” she said. “Will it be bright enough to illuminate their path? Will it be strong enough to withstand the challenges ahead? Will it be warm enough to remind them that they do belong? That is our responsibility, and to our parents, your encouragement is the spark. To our business and community partners, your mentorship is the fuel. To our educators and staff, your dedication is the flame, and to our students, the future belongs to you.”