Albuquerque Public Schools board passes largest budget to date despite enrollment decline

May 8—The Albuquerque Public Schools is set to spend more than ever despite an enrollment decline of more than 20,000 students over the past decade after its budget for the upcoming school year was approved Wednesday.

The district’s Board of Education approved a $2.25 billion budget for the upcoming school year on a unanimous vote, marking a roughly $104 million increase from the previous year and topping the $2.16 billion approved for the 2023-24 school year, which previously held the record for APS’ largest budget.

“I really have to give credit to our budget team, primarily for getting this work done at the same time as schools were planning, and I think it’s one of the first times I’ve seen that really work in conjunction,” APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey said during Wednesday’s board meeting. “I think this might be the earliest we’ve ever submitted a budget to the Public Education Department.”

The budget now goes to the PED for approval.

Operational costs, which cover day-to-day needs such as teacher and faculty salaries, supplies and the costs to operate schools, accounted for $1.08 billion — nearly half the budget. Capital outlay, covering construction and building maintenance costs, is allocated some $660 million, the second-highest expense in the budget.

“Just like for families, inflation has also hit school districts,” Mandi Torrez, education reform director for the self-described bipartisan think tank Think New Mexico, told the Journal. “It’s not a bad thing when budgets see a growth to meet those needs, because the last thing anyone wants to see are essential student services like counseling or special education support being cut to make up that difference.”

The cost per pupil is jumping from around $32,000 during the 2024-25 school year to $35,000 for the upcoming year as the district faces a $4.7 million deficit and projects student enrollment below 65,000. But that deficit is covered by reserve funds, according to the district.

“The budget has continued, as it has in recent years, to be bloated. They’re still not delivering the outcomes that students need, the quality of education, which is the primary objective of the existence of Albuquerque Public Schools,” Patrick Brenner, president and founder of the Libertarian think tank Southwest Public Policy Institute, said. “Students continue to leave, enrollment is down, they’re educating less students for more than ever before.”

The national average cost per pupil was around $17,700 according to a February study from the Education Data Initiative, which also found New Mexico was spending around $14,687 per pupil.

While APS enrollment has dropped since the pandemic, the trend isn’t out of line with districts across the country. Since the pandemic, enrollment in U.S. public schools has gone from 50.8 million in 2019 to 49.6 million in 2025.

“One question to ask is if student enrollment is declining, are districts in turn decreasing their administration numbers,” Torrez said. “So getting as many dollars down to the classroom level, where daily instruction takes place, should be a priority.”