Public Academy for Performing Arts

Major admission prior to the review, here: my wife teaches at this school. She’s finishing her first year as a Special Educator. So there’s that. And obviously the rating must be balanced by this admission. But the place deserves a solid review, and I’m approaching this on two fronts: 1) the reputation of the school at large and 2) my perceptions of the learning environment and kids therein.
Albuquerque has a storied, especially difficult history with public school education. As one of the poorest states in the Union (we’re always battling Mississippi for that crown), our educational system tends to take the brunt of this unfortunate reality. I’ll leave it at that. If you’re new to the city, be especially wary of the system you plan to enroll your child in. We have major issues.
Charter schools aren’t the perfect solution, by any means, but they’re a great start. Most Charters, if not all, choose attendees via a lottery system since they receive far more applicants than they have room to receive. This is a sad truth, and definitely not what our Founding Fathers envisioned regarding universal public education. Our kid won out on the lottery. She attends another stellar Charter. But it isn’t fair. In my personal view, the worth of any populace is best measured by the education of their citizenry. Last I checked the great U.S. of A. was ranked 13^th, behind Cuba, if you can believe it.
Locals call this place PAPA, rightly so. It’s an endearing institution that mentors students in the arts and sciences with a critical eye toward the creative spirit. I’ve walked the «halls» and witnessed the collective talents of these kids, they’re rather extraordinary. Dancers, science geeks and guitarists, singers and mathematicians, all of these kids manifest a fabulous energy that keeps them connected with education, which should be the goal in the first place. Great, amazing kids. So there’s my second point.
The first point, regarding the reputation, plays out in state-​wide rankings. PAPA typically scores at the very top of the Charter school rankings on a yearly basis, as measured by test scores, attendance, and post-​graduate success. It’s one of the best. If not The Best. So enroll your kid in the lottery, take a tour, and let one of the students tell you why PAPA rocks. Charter schools aren’t the ultimate solution; great public schools are. But while we work this stupidity out, schools like this make the grade.
(One star off for the facility itself. At this time, it’s all portable classrooms; I know they’re searching for a new home, but for the moment the place is quirky, just like the kids that attend it.)