Security Measures Discussed for Albuquerque Schools; Updates on Classroom Temperatures: Critical Information for Parents and Students
In an interview with the Albuquerque Journal on Tuesday, Superintendent Raquel Gonzales emphasized the importance of having students in school every day. As the new school year approaches, the district is facing several challenges, including ongoing air conditioning issues and concerns about campus safety.
Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) has been actively addressing air conditioning issues by moving from maintenance of aging evaporative coolers towards installing modern refrigerated air systems. Over the summer, technicians worked tirelessly since May to service and test existing cooling systems, replacing evaporative coolers with refrigerated units at some portable classrooms and new campuses. However, only about 28% of classrooms have reliable refrigerated air conditioning, leaving most classrooms reliant on less effective evaporative coolers, which struggle in high heat and humidity.
To tackle the long-term cooling infrastructure problem, APS is asking voters in November to approve a $40.2 million bond to upgrade air conditioning at 20 schools. This would be a first step toward replacing evaporative cooling in many more schools over the next six to seven years.
Regarding campus safety and possible involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Albuquerque Journal could not find any verified details on measures taken by APS in these areas for the new school year.
Chronic absenteeism is the most prevalent challenge facing APS, as cited by both Gonzales and Superintendent Gabriella Blakey in separate interviews with the Journal this week. A Stanford University study found a 22% increase in daily student absences at schools in California's Central Valley due to fear of federal policy changes and increased attention on deporting undocumented immigrants. With an estimated 20,000 undocumented immigrants in Albuquerque, this could potentially be a concern for APS as well.
Despite these challenges, APS has plans in place to deal with situations related to HVAC, security, or ICE. If federal agents come onto an APS campus, school police are to be called first. APS also has procedures in place for staff to shield undocumented students if federal agents come onto campus.
As temperatures on the first day of school are anticipated to reach the high 90s, many schools' cooling mechanisms have been kept on during the summer to prevent systems from failing on the first couple of days of school. At least one campus, Adobe Acres Elementary School, has cooling issues. Portable coolers have been deployed there in the meantime.
The district is also facing an officer shortage in its police department. However, APS campus officers are trained to seek legal advice before taking action regarding federal agents.
School starts for most Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) students on Thursday. During the 2024-25 school year, 15 guns were recovered on campuses across the district. For the latest news and updates, sign up for the Albuquerque Journal's free news email newsletter.
- The ongoing air conditioning issues in Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) are a significant concern, with only about 28% of classrooms having reliable refrigerated air conditioning, according to the district's latest reports.
- Health and safety concerns are also pressing issues for APS, as chronic absenteeism due to fear of immigration policies has been identified as a major challenge, as evidenced by a Stanford University study.
- In an effort to address these challenges, APS has planned for various situations, such as involving federal agents, by having school police be the first point of contact and having procedures in place for staff to shield undocumented students if necessary.
- As for general news, sign up for the Albuquerque Journal's free news email newsletter to stay updated on the latest developments and events in education, politics, weather, arts, health, and general news within the district.
