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The Albuquerque Public Schools administrator who changed the grade of a Rio Grande High School senior, allowing him to graduate, has been removed from overseeing the school.

Citing a need for more oversight at Rio Grande, Superintendent Beth Everitt has appointed Deputy Superintendent Tom Savage and Associate Superintendent Linda Sink to watch over the high school, APS spokesman Rigo Chavez said today. Rio Grande Principal Al Sanchez will now report to them, Chavez said.

APS believes "that Rio Grande High School needs extra support," Chavez said. "It's a school where students have not been as successful as we'd like them to be."

While no longer overseeing the high school, Rio Grande Cluster Director of Instruction Elsy Fierro will remain as cluster leader for the middle schools and elementary schools that feed into Rio Grande, Chavez said.

Meanwhile, the school board on Wednesday deferred action on a proposed change in the way school administrators notify parents of failing students.

The teacher whose grade was overturned filed a grievance that is still pending.

On Wednesday, the board approved more than two dozen changes to the student handbook Wednesday, but postponed a wording change on parental notification until the Rio Grande arbitration is complete.

Board member Martin Esquivel has proposed language saying failure to notify parents of a student's absences will not be grounds for a grade change.

The board postponed action on the wording change until a grievance filed by the Rio Grande teacher whose grade was overturned is settled.

In other board news:

Charter school budgets won another year of approval, but the school board says enough is enough.

APS can't handle the expense of additional charter schools, board members said. Calling once again for a moratorium on new charter schools in the district, they said the 36 existing schools create enough choices for families.

The board approved a total budget for the coming year of $58.9 million, but said, if the state wants more charter schools, the state can fund the initial cost to get them up and running.

The shuffling of principals will occur, despite protest from parents, students and teachers.

"Change is hard; change is difficult," Everitt said.

More than a dozen people in the Jefferson Middle School community protested outside Wednesday's board meeting beforehand. Several spoke to the board regarding the transfer of their principal, Ivy Langan, but the board had little reaction.