more than 150 albuquerque public school facility projects get state funding

Projects that will see the upgrading of bathrooms, expansion of science classrooms, and general improvement to school grounds in Albuquerque have secured funding from the State of New Mexico.

That funding is part of a massive $933 million capital outlay bill passed overwhelmingly by the state legislature and approved by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Among the larger appropriations for the Albuquerque Public Schools system is the $450,000 for improvements to the Rio Grande High School at 2300 Arenal Road SW; and $125,000 for grounds improvement work at the Dennis Chavez Elementary School at 7500 Barstow Street.

An upgrade of the HVAC system at the East Mountain High School at 25 La Madera Road is receiving a $130,000 appropriation; while the Chamiza Elementary School at 5401 Homestead Circle NW will get $265,000 for outdoor track work.

Nearly $142,000 is going for parking lot work at the Apache Elementary School at 12800 Copper Avenue NE; with another $106,000 targeting the fine arts facility improvements at the Del Norte High School at 5323 Montgomery Boulevard NE.

The school projects, like all of the projects listed for funding in the capital outlay Senate Bill 280, were vetted for their worth before the legislation was introduced.

According to an analysis of the bill compiled by the Legislative Finance Committee, the projects were based on “criteria, site visits, review of infrastructure capital improvement plans, monthly meetings with major departments, and testimony at hearings held in the interim.”

By Garry Boulard

---