As Albuquerque students head back to class on Aug. 7, many will face the same uncomfortable reality that has plagued the district for years: classrooms that can reach 80 degrees or higher, even when air conditioning systems are working properly.
With just days until school starts, Albuquerque Public Schools cannot guarantee comfortable temperatures in the majority of its 153 schools and office buildings, according to the district. Only 28% of APS classrooms have modern refrigerated air conditioning, while the remaining 72% rely on aging evaporative coolers that become ineffective during extreme heat.
The infrastructure challenge affects all 65,000 APS students and comes as voters will decide in November whether to approve a $40.2 million bond to convert 20 schools to refrigerated air conditioning. The bond is part of broader efforts to address what officials acknowledge is a critical need across the district’s 19 million square feet of facilities.
The cooling crisis reflects a broader climate challenge facing Albuquerque. In 1990, the city typically experienced about seven days above 97 degrees Fahrenheit per year. By 2050, residents are projected to endure about 45 such days annually, according to ClimateCheck, a climate risk analysis company that uses internationally accepted climate models.
“At best, evaporative coolers can reduce temperatures by 20 degrees, which means that on a 100-degree day, the best you’re going to get inside that classroom is 80 degrees,” according to the district’s statement. “And when you add a teacher and 20 students, that classroom is going to get hotter than 80 degrees.”
Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey, who became APS superintendent on July 1, 2024, has overseen facilities management as the district’s former chief operations officer. Throughout her 20-plus years with APS, she has directed investments of millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements, including overseeing rebuilds of five schools and construction of two transportation centers.
Converting all APS learning spaces to refrigerated air would cost an estimated $165 million to $175 million, according to district officials. The price tag reflects the complexity of retrofitting buildings constructed 50 or more years ago, when evaporative coolers were standard in Albuquerque’s climate.
“Converting a school from evaporative cooling to refrigerated air is a complicated process that involves not only replacing the units themselves but also installing ductwork,” the district explained. “In many cases, it can even require upgrading electrical systems, replacing some roofs and windows, and reinsulating a building.”
These cost estimates align with national data showing school HVAC retrofits typically range from $5 million to $15 million per school, according to reporting from multiple sources, including government accountability studies and district cost analyses.
If approved by voters in November, the $40.2 million bond would fund refrigerated air conversions at 20 schools, including New Futures High School, Mary Ann Binford Elementary, Barcelona Elementary, and 17 others. Technical evaluations determined these schools based on factors including the age and condition of existing systems and the feasibility of conversion.
New Mexico voters have historically supported infrastructure bonds, approving 96.8% of bond measures between 2006 and 2022. Most recently, in November 2024, voters approved $230 million in higher education bonds with 66% support, including multiple projects for heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements at state colleges and universities.
The cooling problems affect daily learning conditions, according to educators and families.
“Teaching conditions are learning conditions,” Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, told KOB-TV in August 2024. “We need to make sure we have a way to modernize our school buildings. So that no matter what the season, we can all be comfortable. It really helps learning, it really matters.”
Some teachers have purchased their own portable air conditioning units with personal fund.
Parents also express frustration. “They really need to get the A/C and swamp coolers working, their ducks in a row before school,” Matthew Pratt, a parent, told KOB-TV last year.
Students feel the impact directly. Kyle Bailey, a fifth-grader at Petroglyph Elementary, described the classroom conditions to KOB-TV: “Being in the classroom was pretty hard because I was sweating a lot.”
APS technicians and contractors have worked since May to service the district’s more than 20,000 evaporative and refrigerated air cooling units across 153 facilities. The district spends $51,000 daily on electricity to operate these systems.
Recent years have seen some improvement. Officials report fewer cooling complaints in 2024 compared to previous years, and the district has invested millions in HVAC upgrades using federal COVID-19 relief funds and other sources. Contractors replaced evaporative coolers with refrigerated air units at most Bel-Air portables and at Coronado Dual Language Magnet School’s new campus.
However, problems persist. In August 2024, there were cooling unit failures at seven APS schools, with some teachers saying classroom temperatures reached the 90s.
The timing of the school’s Aug. 7 start date adds urgency to cooling concerns. APS surveyed more than 13,000 families and staff about potentially starting school later to avoid peak heat, but 78% preferred keeping the early August start with a May finish.
When cooling units fail, the district moves affected classes to cooler parts of buildings and deploys portable refrigerated air units while repairs are made. The district maintains crews working seven days a week during peak periods to address malfunctions.
Refrigerated air conditioning has become the standard for all new APS construction projects, and the district has committed to converting existing schools as funding becomes available. The Nov. bond represents the most immediate opportunity for significant progress.
“We recognize that hot classrooms interfere with learning,” according to the district’s statement. “We know we need to provide students and teachers with good learning environments and that, given the steady rise in temperatures in recent years, refrigerated air in our classrooms is a necessity.”