Rio Rancho Schools Seek Community Input for Improvements

New superintendent hosts listening sessions to gather feedback from families on priorities for the district.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:34am

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A bold, colorful silkscreen-style illustration featuring a repeating icon of a school bus in a grid pattern, representing the community's desire to upgrade the district's transportation and infrastructure.Rio Rancho schools seek community input to improve transportation, facilities, and curriculum for a growing student population.Rio Rancho Today

Rio Rancho Public Schools' new superintendent, Dr. Robert Dodd, is holding a series of listening sessions to ask families what they like about the district and what they want improved. Dodd, who has been on the job for about a month, is gathering feedback on topics like safety, infrastructure, and overcrowding as the district prepares its next long-term strategic plan.

Why it matters

As Rio Rancho continues to grow, the school district needs to ensure its facilities and programs are keeping pace with the community's needs. Engaging families directly helps the new superintendent understand the district's strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of those it serves.

The details

During the listening sessions, parents have raised concerns about aging school buildings, the need for HVAC and other infrastructure upgrades, and ensuring classrooms don't become overcrowded as the city expands. Some parents also want the district to work more closely with local tribal leaders to better incorporate New Mexico's Native American history into the curriculum.

  • Dodd has been the superintendent for about a month.
  • The first listening sessions were held this week.
  • Dodd plans to hold another session next Wednesday, April 23, 2026 at 6 p.m. at Rio Rancho High School.
  • Dodd will present his findings to the school board sometime in June 2026.

The players

Dr. Robert Dodd

The new superintendent of Rio Rancho Public Schools, who has been in the role for about a month and is gathering community feedback through listening sessions.

Carmen Lopez

A parent in the Rio Rancho school district who wants to ensure the schools grow along with the community and that Native American history is better incorporated into the curriculum.

Ramon Montano

A parent in the Rio Rancho school district who wants to see the district focus on transparency and upgrading aging school facilities like HVAC systems.

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What they’re saying

“We have amazing teachers here.”

— Carmen Lopez, Parent

“The biggest ticket thing was transparency.”

— Ramon Montano, Parent

“We have some older buildings that eventually are going to need some upgrades. Facilities for me is we want a healthy learning environment for students to come to. So I know those are big ticket item prices. HVAC, the things that you don't see right? Make sure it's nice and warm in the winter, and then the temperatures aren't so hot that our kids are falling asleep.”

— Ramon Montano, Parent

“When it comes to sovereignty, self determination, being good neighbors here to the local community in Rio Rancho, those are the types of things that we need to raise up.”

— Carmen Lopez, Parent

What’s next

Dodd plans to hold another listening session next Wednesday, April 23, 2026 at 6 p.m. at Rio Rancho High School. He will then present his findings from the listening sessions and other community conversations to the school board sometime in June 2026.

The takeaway

By directly engaging families, the new Rio Rancho schools superintendent is taking an important first step in understanding the district's strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of the community. This feedback will help shape the district's strategic priorities around issues like aging infrastructure, overcrowding, and incorporating local history and culture.