Control of Albuquerque school board at stake as teachers union and business-backed candidates face off

The balance of power on the Albuquerque Public Schools board is on the ballot Nov. 4, when voters will decide four seats that have long divided along two main factions: the teachers union and business-backed candidates.

The Albuquerque Teachers Federation controlled the board until 2021. That year, three business-backed members won four of the seats up for election and took a majority. Those same seats are now up for reelection.

In District 3, Board President Danielle Gonzales is running on her record. She credits the board's goals and strategic plan with refocusing the district on student outcomes. The board adopted a set of goals and guardrails in 2023, developed with community input, and recent monitoring reports indicate the district is on target for most of them. Her union-backed challenger, Rebecca Betzen, said she entered the race because the district "needs a voice on the board that families can trust." She criticized APS's handling of last year's closure of Taft Middle School, saying parents were left feeling "very betrayed." The campus was repurposed this year to house the Coronado Dual Language Magnet School. Gonzales said the process was transparent and pointed to that repurposing. Isaac Flores will still appear on the District 3 ballot even though he suspended his campaign last week.

In District 7, Vice President Courtney Jackson is also seeking another term. She said her work "is not yet done" and that she has aimed to focus the district on students first. Kristin Wood-Hegner, backed by the union, is challenging her, citing her experience as the parent of a student with special needs. She argued the board concentrates heavily on basic proficiency and should also support gifted and advanced students. Jackson said the feedback she receives from constituents is positive.

District 6 was the only seat the union won in 2021. Incumbent Josefina Domínguez is not seeking reelection. Warigia Bowman is running to keep the seat with the federation's backing, saying public schools are where children learn civics, history and values. David Ams, who is challenging her, said a good public education led to his chemistry PhD from Notre Dame and a career with the national labs.

In District 5, the teachers union chose not to endorse anyone. Brian Laurent Jr., a former special education teacher, is the only candidate in any of the races without backing from the union or the business community. He said he did not commit to running until the day before the filing date, and acknowledged an uphill battle. He argues that some academic goals, especially those for underserved students, are set too low. He faces Joshua Martinez, who has the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce's endorsement. Incumbent Crystal Tapia-Romero announced in May that she would not run again and endorsed Martinez.

The candidates also split over Superintendent Gabriella Blakey, whom the board hired in 2024. Gonzales and Jackson, who voted to hire her, said they are happy with her performance. Martinez said "we are seeing improvements," and Ams described himself as "guardedly optimistic." Betzen wants Blakey to involve teachers more in conversations, Wood-Hegner said the board evaluates her using a "very limited set of criteria," and Bowman called for more transparency in the evaluation. Laurent said it is "too soon to tell" and described the board's decision to extend her contract earlier in 2025 as hasty.

District 3 covers the city's north-central corridor and extends across the river to Corrales, bordering Rio Rancho Public Schools. District 5 covers the central and far West Side. District 6 includes the foothills, part of Uptown and the lower Northeast Heights, stretching to the East Mountains. District 7 covers the northern foothills and the north end of the Northeast Heights, bordered on the west by Interstate 25.

Early voting began Oct. 7 and runs through Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 4.