Voters in Albuquerque will soon decide on a proposed $350 million bond for Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) as part of this fall’s ballot, which also includes mayoral, city council, and school board races. The measure is intended to fund construction and infrastructure projects across the district.
Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, has raised concerns about the necessity of such a large bond at a time when APS student enrollment continues to decline. "The student population at Albuquerque Public Schools continues to plummet. Student enrollment has dropped by more than 20,000 since 2016, going from approximately 85,336 in the 2016 fiscal year to an estimated 64,995 in the 2025 fiscal year. Along with spending growth at the state level, the decline in its student population has led to massive spending growth on a per-pupil basis which now sits at around $35,000 per student per year," Gessing wrote.
He pointed out that demographic trends do not indicate any imminent increase in school-aged children in New Mexico or within APS specifically. He cited data showing that New Mexico experienced one of the largest declines among U.S. states in its youth population between 2020 and 2024 according to Census Bureau statistics.
Gessing acknowledged improvements made under current superintendent Gabrielle Blakey but noted ongoing challenges with academic performance have led many families to seek alternatives such as homeschooling.
"We applaud the efforts being made by the superintendent and school board to turn APS around, it is high time for the district to get serious about consolidating and closing old and unneeded schools. After all, a 20% drop (with a further decline expected) should free up buildings and other infrastructure to repurposing at great savings to taxpayers," he said.
The bond proposal includes funding for new facilities such as a $40 million special needs education center on the West Side and a career technical education training facility. It also allocates another $40 million for upgrades like improved HVAC systems and refrigerated air units in schools.
"That’s not a bad idea, but why are we spending millions of dollars to add fancy new air-conditioning units on half-empty schools? The same is true for security upgrades and numerous other items contained in this bond," Gessing questioned.
He emphasized that decisions about school closures can be unpopular among parents but stressed that property taxes are paid by all community members who will be voting on this measure. "Whether you think APS is heading in the right direction overall or whether you think they have a long way to go, the district will only act to more efficiently use its capital dollars if voters (especially taxpayers) push them to do so," he stated. "This isn’t about harming students or preventing them from putting air conditioning in schools, it is about common sense stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Voters should be very skeptical of APS’ $350 million bond request."
Gessing concluded by reiterating his organization’s mission: "The Rio Grande Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan, tax-exempt research and educational organization dedicated to promoting prosperity for New Mexico based on principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual responsibility."
