WHAT TO EXPECT: Despite budget cuts, APS board to discuss pay raise for employees

As Albuquerque Public Schools nears a budget deadline, district officials will discuss progress with the Board of Education at Wednesday’s meeting. One known line item is a 3% raise for APS employees.

Chief budget architects Rennette Apodaca and Rosalinda Montoya will present the outlook for career-connected learning, curriculum and instruction and operational areas of the budget.

Due largely to declining enrollment and the expiration of COVID grants, the budget for fiscal year 2025 is expected to be $1.9 billion, down from $2.17 billion the previous year.

Operational funds, according to the agenda, are used to “meet the district’s obligations to provide a uniform and sufficient education to all school-age children.”

That budget category is proposed to rise 1% to $908.5 million from $902.1 million. Key items under operational spending include the pay raises and the last phase of APS’ fine arts expansion, which would have music and art programs at all of its 88 elementary schools.

Continuation of the district’s Transformational Opportunity Pilot Schools is also planned. That program is aimed at helping struggling schools through extra instructional time.

The budget for career-connected learning is expected to remain flat at $3.9 million, according to the agenda. However, it says APS is poised to apply for additional state grants as they become available.

Community survey on deck

Apodaca and Montoya’s planned presentation also includes the results of a community survey that sought to gather information on the public’s priorities for the budget.

The survey polled 533 community members, of whom 84.6% listed instruction and class size as an area of importance. Health and safety was named by 45.2% of respondents, followed by counseling services (42.8%), facilities (37.7%) and high-quality instructional materials (33.2%).