Dear Neighbors,
For the past four years, Albuquerque Public School Board, District 3 has been represented by Danielle Gonzales, the board president who has repeatedly failed our students — prioritizing corporate interests, silencing community voices, and aligning herself with board members who align with extremist agendas like book bans. Her actions have undermined public trust and sold out the future of Albuquerque’s children.
I entered this race to fight for equity, transparency, and a better future for our community — and that fight is far from over. I’ve had the privilege to meet so many passionate, dedicated community members who believe — as I do — that when we come together, we can transform our schools.
Running for APS Board has been one of the greatest honors of my life. After deep reflection and with unwavering commitment to our students, educators, and community, I am suspending my campaign for School Board — not in retreat, but in unity. We have a mountain to move, and we don’t have time to wait.
I did not make this decision lightly. Today, I’m choosing to keep to my beliefs and truly help bring our community together, by putting the needs of our students and educators first by helping consolidate our collective effort behind a single, qualified, and community-rooted candidate.
Because we deserve better. We deserve unity. We deserve a voice we can trust.
That’s why I am proud to endorse Rebecca Betzen for APS District 3. Rebecca is a proven leader who shares our values, listens to our communities, and will fight every single day for students, teachers, and transparency. I urge you to join me in rallying behind her campaign — not just to unseat an unfit incumbent, but to reclaim our schools for the people they’re meant to serve.
I want to thank everyone who has stood with me in this journey — your support and belief in change means everything to me. This is not the end. It’s the beginning of a united step forward for our community.
Let’s move this mountain — together.
In Unity,
Isaac Flores
MEET ISAAC
Meet Isaac Flores – he was born and raised in Albuquerque and attended Albuquerque Public Schools as a child. Now, he’s running to represent District 3 on the APS Board to make sure every student – no matter their background – feels seen, supported, and heard. Isaac knows our schools aren’t just institutions, they’re anchors for families, culture, and opportunity. While others have made decisions behind closed doors, Isaac believes in opening them. He wants to bring students, parents, and teachers into the conversation. He’s worked directly with youth impacted by incarceration, helping them build paths forward, and he’s not afraid to speak up when the system leaves students behind. Isaac is running to bring transparency, equity, and real solutions to our schools.
ABQ ROOTS
Isaac’s experience as a student in APS grounds everything he fights for today. From equitable funding to student voice. As someone who has walked the same hallways as those he hopes to represent, Isaac understands firsthand the gaps in the system and the promise our schools hold when they’re truly supported.
YOUTH ADVOCATE
Isaac has spent his adult life working with young people in the juvenile corrections system, helping rebuild their lives and find stability after incarceration. He’s seen up close how students fall through the cracks. He’s committed to changing the systems that failed them. His work isn’t theoretical – it’s personal, practical, and rooted in compassion.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Isaac has served in leadership roles within local political organizations, where he’s helped shape budgets, platform priorities, and neighborhood-level outreach. He’s worked behind the scenes to elevate underrepresented voices and advocate for policies that put people first. That experience gives him the tools to navigate complex systems, build coalitions, and turn community priorities into action.
ISAAC’S VISION
Isaac Flores is running for APS Board because families and students deserve bold, transparent leadership – not corporate-style decision-making behind closed doors. He’s ready to bring fresh energy, deep community roots, and a student-first mindset to the board.
EQUITY
Isaac supports a weighted and allocated funding model that direct resources to the students and schools that need them most. He believes that public education dollars should stay in public classrooms, supporting educators, school staff, and most importantly APS students.
He also supports expanding career and technical education pathways, including building trades and vocational programs, to ensure every student has access to more opportunities beyond graduation. As someone whose family owned a construction company, Isaac knows the value of hands-on skills and job-ready learning.
TRUST
APS families deserve transparency, not top-down decisions. Isaac will work to open up board meetings for meaningful public input, making it easier for parents, students, and educators to be heard. He supports the creation of a Student Bill of Rights, formally adopted via resolution by the board, to guarantee students have a role in shaping district decisions.
He believes APS must move away from impersonal corporate-style leadership and toward a system rooted in community, collaboration, and accountability.
SAFETY
Student’s can’t learn if they don’t feel safe, physically or emotionally. Isaac supports a stronger district-wide effort to track and address school safety concerns, including firearm-related incidents, with transparency and timely follow-through.
He is firmly against any effort to ban books or restrict inclusive curricula. Classrooms should be spaces where all students feel represented and respected, free from censorship and fear. Isaac will stand up for the right to learn, explore, and be seen.
HELP RESTORE INTEGRITY TO APS DISTRICT 3
PREFER BOOTS ON THE GROUND?
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