Several school districts in New Mexico, including APS, are making drastic budget decisions before a budget has even been signed by Governor Martinez. Paul Aguilar with the Public Education Department says people seem to be comparing the financial struggles from the past year with the budget appropriation in Santa Fe now. He says it’s causing consternation for people in a number of districts.
And Aguilar tells us APS created its own problems. He says APS has chosen to cut programs that benefit students before considering other options to make the budget work. The as graduation rates and third-grade reading rates at APS are down. And Aguilar says that’s as schools in the rest of New Mexico are showing academic improvements.
