Corrales Elementary School could become a K-8 school under a “right-sizing†effort undertaken by Albuquerque Public Schools.
A committee made up of APS administrators released its recommendations to the school board Jan. 9 after a months-long evaluation of the district’s 88 elementary schools, 27 middle schools and two K-8 schools. The right-sizing effort is in response to declining enrollment over the past decade. The district’s enrollment has dropped about 18,000 students since the 2012-13 school year to just over 71,000, according to an APS news release.
The plan wouldn’t close any schools but would repurpose a handful of them. Turning Corrales Elementary into a K-8 school is mentioned as an “option.â€
Corrales Elementary School Principal Liv Baca-Hochhausler did not immediately return a phone call from Corrales Comment.
The committee recommended that Duranes, La Luz and Kirtland elementary schools be repurposed as early childhood centers. Los Padillas Elementary would be converted to a K-8, absorbing students from Polk Middle School, which would also become an early childhood center. Taft Middle School would become a bilingual magnet school.
APS’s news release says that the plan dovetails with the state’s efforts to provide universal kindergarten to all 3- and 4-year-olds.
The committee considered several factors in making its recommendations, including current enrollment at the schools, financial viability, recent capital investments, academic outcomes and proficiency, and equity issues, among others.
If adopted, the changes could begin occurring as early as 2024 and continue over the next several years.