The longest-serving superintendent in New Mexico announced her retirement Wednesday morning after more than three decades leading Rio Rancho Public Schools since its founding.
Dr. V. Sue Cleveland will step down later this school year, with a leadership transition expected in spring 2026, the Rio Rancho Board of Education announced in a joint statement. The board will begin searching for her successor in the coming weeks.
Cleveland has led the district since February 1994, making her the only superintendent Rio Rancho Public Schools has ever known. Under her leadership, the district grew from 5,900 students in seven schools to more than 16,000 students across 20-plus campuses.
In a letter to families in the district, Cleveland called the retirement decision “heartfelt” but not easy, saying RRPS “has been so much more than just my place of work—it has been my home, my passion and my greatest professional calling.”
“When I came to Rio Rancho in 1994 to help open a brand-new school district, none of us could have imagined the incredible journey ahead,” Cleveland wrote.
The district now includes a preschool, 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools and a career-technical center. Rio Rancho Public Schools has earned statewide and national recognition for student achievement in academics, fine arts, athletics and career-technical education.
Cleveland said she is most proud of the district’s culture rather than its accolades.
“What I am most proud of, though, is not the awards or the growth, but the culture of care and teamwork that has defined RRPS,” she wrote to families. “Education is truly a team effort, and our students succeed because they are surrounded by caring families, dedicated professionals, and a community that believes in them.”
Board President Amanda Galbraith praised Cleveland’s impact on the district.
“Dr. Cleveland’s vision and dedication have shaped Rio Rancho Public Schools from the very beginning,” Galbraith said. “Her leadership, stability, and unwavering commitment to students have created a strong foundation that will serve our community for generations.”
Cleveland, a native New Mexican and Sandia High School graduate, began her career teaching at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces. She later worked in Texas and South Carolina before returning to New Mexico.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico, a master’s from New Mexico State University and a doctorate from the University of Houston.
Cleveland has served as the past president of the New Mexico School Superintendents’ Association and the New Mexico Activities Association. She recently chaired the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors and serves on the Presbyterian Central New Mexico Community Board.
Her honors include being named an AASA National Superintendent of the Year finalist, receiving the Governor’s Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women, and induction into the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders Hall of Fame in 2020.
In her letter to families, Cleveland described leading the district as “an amazing journey and a rare privilege,” noting that “starting a new school district was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and, honestly, you only want to do it once!”
Cleveland said she looks forward to spending time with family and traveling in retirement.