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Two new laws governing education have been signed into law by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), with three bills awaiting signature on her desk.

The 2024 legislative session was 30-days, with a total of 777 bills introduced. Of these, 54 bills were related to K-12 education, but only 24 were eligible for debate. Only five of these bills were passed by the whole legislature and made it to the governor’s desk for signature.

Education Bills Signed into Law

House Bill 2, General Appropriation Act of 2024, sponsored by Representative Rep. Nathan Small (D – Las Cruces).

House Bill 171, School Graduation Requirements, sponsored by Representative G. Andres Romero (D – Bernalillo).

Bills Awaiting a Signature

House Bill 207, Public School Capital Outlay Grants, sponsored by Representative Joy Garratt (D – Bernalillo).

Senate Bill 76, School Local Share Adjustment Waiver, sponsored by Senator Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo).

Senate Bill 137, School Board Training, sponsored by Senator Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo).

Bills that Died

HB 39, Yazzie Lawsuit Educational Funding, sponsored by Representative Yanira Gurrola (D – Bernalillo).

HB 134, Tribal Education Trust Fund, sponsored by Representative Derrick Lente (D – Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan).

HB 135, Indian Education Trust Fund Distributions, sponsored by Representative Derrick Lente (D – Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan).

HB 142, Reimbursement for Pre-SAT Test Scores, sponsored by Representative Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D – Bernalillo).

HB 199, Educational Assistant Salary, sponsored by Representative Susan Herrera (D – Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Taos).

HM 20, Study Class Size Reduction, sponsored by Representative G. Andres Romero (D – Bernalillo).

SB 171, Teacher-Purchased Supplies Tax Credit, sponsored by Senator Craig Brandt (R – Sandoval).

SB 180, Student Mentoring Program, sponsored by Senator Michael Padilla (D – Bernalillo).

SB 193, Reading Materials Fund, sponsored by Senator Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo).

SB 209, Las Cruces School Services, sponsored by Senator William Soules (D – Dona Ana).

SJR 9, State School Board, CA, sponsored by Senator Steven P. Neville (R – San Juan).

Bills that Died Without Being Heard

HB 75, Electric School Buses, sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 100, Adult Online Learner Scholarship Act, sponsored by Representative Ambrose Castellano (D – San Miguel, Torrance.

HB 105, Education Scholarship Tax Credit, sponsored by Representative Ryan Lane (R – San Juan).

HB 136, Pre-Service Computer Science Ed. Program, sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 277, Teacher License Computer Science Endorsement, sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 278, Computer Science Embedded in Schools, sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 279, STEM Technology Labs, sponsored by Representative Tanya Mirabal Moya (R – Valencia).

HB 294, Education Enrichment Tax Credit, sponsored by Representative Ryan Lane (R – San Juan).

HJR 6, State Board of Education, sponsored by Representative John Block (R – Otero).

HM 11, School Absenteeism Work Group, sponsored by Representative Luis Terrazas (R – Catron, Grants, Hidalgo).

SB 42, School Safety Communications System, sponsored by Senator Siah Correa Hemphill (D – Catron, Grant, Sierra).

SB 48, Tuition Scholarships and Tax Credits, sponsored by Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D – Bernalillo).

SB 67, Career Development Success Program, sponsored by Senator Craig Brandt (R – Sandoval).

SB 85, Seizure Safe Schools Act, sponsored by Senator Harold Pope (D – Bernalillo).

SB 86, Graduate Scholarship Act, sponsored by Senator Harold Pope (D – Bernalillo).

SB 132, Special Education Support Services, sponsored by Senator Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo).

SB 143, School Programs for Deaf Students, sponsored by Senator Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo).

SB 214, Student Achievement and Innovation Leaders, sponsored by Senator William E. Sharer (R – San Juan).

SB 220, School District Budget Growth, sponsored by Senator Shannon Pinto (D – McKinley, San Juan).

SB 231, School Drug Education, sponsored by Senator Leo Jaramillo (D – Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandobval, Santa Fe).

SB 264, Adult High School Diploma Pilot Project, sponsored by Senator Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo).

SB 273, General and Land Funds for Schools, sponsored by Senator William Soules (D – Dona Ana).

Bills that Did Not Receive a Message

HB 21, Charter School Oversight, sponsored by Representative Joy Garratt (D – Bernalillo).

HB 22, School Admin Prep. Program Requirements, sponsored by Representative Joy Garratt (D – Bernalillo).

HB 49, Public School Safety Communications System, sponsored by Representative Ambrose Castellano (D – San Miguel, Torrance.

HB 63, Cannabis School Use Prevention Resource Act, sponsored by Representative Andrea Reeb (R – Chaves, Curry, Roosevelt).

HB 74, School Boards Determine Instructional Days, sponsored by Representative Gail Armstrong (R – Catron, Sierra, Socorro, Valencia).

HB 244, Career School Courses as a Series, sponsored by Representative Cathryn Brown (R – Eddy, Lea).

HB 246, Financial Literacy for Graduation, sponsored by Representative Cathryn Brown (R – Eddy, Lea).

HB 256, Higher Ed Teacher Preparation, sponsored by Representative Tara Jaramillo (D – Dona Ana, Sierra, Socorro).

HB 132, School Absenteeism Enforcement, sponsored by Representative Luis Terrazas (R – Catron, Grants, Hidalgo).

HB 157, School Teachers On-Site Protection Act, sponsored by Representative Martin Zamora (R – Curry, DeBaca Guadalupe, Roosevelt, San Miguel).

HB 215, School Class Loads, sponsored by Representative Yanira Gurrola (D – Bernalillo).

HB 227, Phase in Class Load Limits, sponsored by Representative Raymundo Lara (D – Dona Ana).

HB 228, Programs for Deaf Students, sponsored by Representative Raymundo Lara (D – Dona Ana).

HB 229, Special Education Support Services, sponsored by Representative Raymundo Lara (D – Dona Ana).

HB 296, Parental Bill of Rights Act, sponsored by Representative Mark Duncan (R – San Juan).

To learn more about bills that passed in the 2024 Legislative Session click here.

To learn more about the bills that died in the 2024 Legislative Session click here.

During the 2024 legislative session in New

News

The 2024 Legislative Session came to an end with two new laws governing education on the books, and three awaiting a signature from the governor. But what about the bills that didn’t pass?

In a 30-day session of the New Mexico Legislature, only bills which get a special message from the governor, or are related to the budget are allowed to be debated. In this session, 777 bills were proposed, with 54 of those relating to education. Of the 54, only 24 education bills were eligible for debate. Of those 24, only five were approved by both chambers of the legislature.

Bills that Were Debated and Did Not Pass 

HB 39, named Yazzie Lawsuit Educational Funding intended to allocate over $27 million to help the state comply with the Martinez and Yazzie v. New Mexico lawsuit for education workforce, health, and indigenous access initiatives. The bill was passed by the House Education Committee, before moving to the House Finance Committee where it was never heard. The bill was sponsored by Representative Yanira Gurrola (D – Bernalillo).

HB 134, Tribal Education Trust Fund, would have created a fund and task force for Tribal Education, and made a $100 million appropriation to the fund. The bill passed through various stages, including the House floor in a vote of 68-0, and Senate committees, but failed to receive a vote on the Senate Floor. It was sponsored by Representative Derrick Lente (D – Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan).

HB 135, Indian Education Trust Fund Distributions, would have amended distributions from the Indian Education Fund, reflecting content from HB 134. The bill advanced through the House Education Committee but was never heard in the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. It was sponsored by  Representative Derrick Lente (D – Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan).

HB 142, Reimbursement for Pre-SAT Test Scores, would have provided test fee reimbursements for high school juniors scoring 1,000 or above on the PSAT. The bill passed the House Education Committee but stalled in the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. It was sponsored by Representative Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D – Bernalillo).

HB 199, Educational Assistant Salary, would have increased the minimum annual salary for educational assistants and established a minimum wage for public school employees. The bill passed the House Education Committee but stalled in the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. The bill was sponsored by Representative Susan Herrera (D – Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Taos).

HM 20,Study Class Size Reduction, passed the House floor in a 70-0 vote on the final day of the legislature. The memorial was sponsored by Representative G. Andres Romero (D – Bernalillo).

SB 171, Teacher-Purchased Supplies Tax Credit, would have offered a tax deduction for public school teachers purchasing supplies. The bill was approved for debate by the Senate Committees Committee but was never heard in the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee. The bill was sponsored by Senator Craig Brandt (R – Sandoval).

SB 180, Student Mentoring Program, would have appropriated funds for mentoring programs for high school and minority students. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee but was not heard in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was sponsored by Senator Michael Padilla (D – Bernalillo).

SB 193, Reading Materials Fund, would have made a $12.5 million appropriation to the Reading Materials Fund. The bill passed through the Senate Education Committee but was not heard in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was sponsored by Senator Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo).

SB 209, Las Cruces School Services, would have appropriated funds for parenting support services in Las Cruces Public School District. This bill passed the Senate Education Committee but stalled in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was sponsored by Senator William Soules (D – Dona Ana).

SJR 9, State School Board, Constitutional Amendment. This proposed constitutional amendment would have replaced the Public Education Commission with a new State Board of Education and would have dissolved the position of Secretary of Education, removing K-12 education from the Governor’s cabinet. This bill passed a vote on the Senate Floor in a vote of 34-1. The resolution was not voted on in the House Education Committee. This resolution was sponsored by Senator Steven P. Neville (R – San Juan).

HB 100, Adult Online Learner Scholarship Act, was never heard by the House Education Committee. The bill was sponsored by Representative Ambrose Castellano (D – San Miguel, Torrance).

HB 105, Education Scholarship Tax Credit, would have created a scholarship for low-income students at private schools, creating income and corporate tax credits. This bill was never heard in the House Education Committee. It was sponsored by Representative Ryan Lane (R – San Juan).

HB 136, Pre-Service Computer Science Ed. Program, bill stalled without being heard in the House Education Committee. It was sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 277, Teacher License Computer Science Endorsement, stalled without being heard in the House Education Committee. It was sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 278, Computer Science Embedded in Schools, stalled without being heard in the House Education Committee. This bill was sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

HB 279, STEM Technology Labs, stalled without being heard in the House Education Committee. This bill was sponsored by Representative Tanya Mirabal Moya (R – Valencia).

HB 294, Education Enrichment Tax Credit, bill stalled without being heard in the House Education committee. The bill was sponsored by Representative Ryan Lane (R – San Juan).

HJR 6,State Board of Education,proposed to replace the Public Education Commission with a State Board of Education in the state constitution. This resolution was similar but not identical to Senate Joint Resolution 9. The resolution was sponsored by Representative John Block (R – Otero).

HM 11,School Absenteeism Work Group, stalled in the House Education Committee. The bill was sponsored by Representative Luis Terrazas (R – Catron, Grants, Hidalgo).

Bills that Were Not Eligible for Debate 

The following pieces of legislation did not receive a message from the Governor and were not related to the budget, making them ineligible for debate. 

HB 75, Electric School Buses, was sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana (D – Bernalillo).

SB 42, School Safety Communications System, was sponsored by Senator Siah Correa Hemphill (D – Catron, Grant, Sierra).

SB 48, Tuition Scholarships and Tax Credits,was sponsored by Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D – Bernalillo).

SB 67, Career Development Success Program,was sponsored by Senator Craig Brandt (R – Sandoval).

SB 85, the Seizure Safe Schools Act,was sponsored by Senator Harold Pope (D – Bernalillo).

SB 86, the Graduate Scholarship Act, was sponsored by Senator Harold Pope (D – Bernalillo).

SB 132, Special Education Support Services, was sponsored by Senator Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo).

SB 143, School Programs for Deaf Students, sponsored by Senator Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo).

SB 214, Student Achievement and Innovation Leaders, was sponsored by Senator William E. Sharer (R – San Juan).

SB 220, School District Budget Growth, was sponsored by Senator Shannon Pinto (D – McKinley, San Juan).

SB 231, School Drug Education, was sponsored by Senator Leo Jaramillo (D – Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandobval, Santa Fe).

SB 264, Adult High School Diploma Pilot Project, was sponsored by Senator Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo).

SB 273, General and Land Funds for Schools, was sponsored by Senator William Soules (D – Dona Ana).

HB 21, named Charter School Oversight, was sponsored by Representative Joy Garratt (D – Bernalillo).

HB 22, named School Admin Prep. Program Requirements, was sponsored by Representative Joy Garratt (D – Bernalillo).

HB 49, Public School Safety Communications System, was sponsored by Representative Ambrose Castellano (D – San Miguel, Torrance.

HB 63, Cannabis School Use Prevention Resource Act, was sponsored by Representative Andrea Reeb (R – Chaves, Curry, Roosevelt).

HB 74, School Boards Determine Instructional Days, was sponsored by Representatives Gail Armstrong (R – Catron, Sierra, Socorro, Valencia).

HB 244, Career School Courses as a Series, was sponsored by Representative Cathryn Brown (R – Eddy, Lea).

HB 246, Financial Literacy for Graduation, was sponsored by Representative Cathryn Brown (R – Eddy, Lea).

HB 256, Higher Ed Teacher Preparation, was sponsored by Representative Tara Jaramillo (D – Dona Ana, Sierra, Socorro).

HB 132, School Absenteeism Enforcement, was sponsored by Representative Luis Terrazas (R – Catron, Grants, Hidalgo).

HB 157, School Teachers On-Site Protection Act, was sponsored by Representative Martin Zamora (R – Curry, DeBaca Guadalupe, Roosevelt, San Miguel).

HB 215, School Class Loads, was sponsored by Representative Yanira Gurrola (D – Bernalillo).

HB 227, Phase in Class Load Limits, was sponsored by Representative Raymundo Lara (D – Dona Ana).

HB 228, Programs for Deaf Students,was sponsored by Representative Raymundo Lara (D – Dona Ana).

HB 229, Special Education Support Services, was sponsored by Representative Raymundo Lara (D – Dona Ana).

HB 296, Parental Bill of Rights Act, was sponsored by Representative Mark Duncan (R – San Juan).

To see a list of education bills that were passed by the legislature sent to the governor for her signature, click here. 

During the 2024 New Mexico Legislative Session

News

In a move toward transparent and community-inclusive financial planning, the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education held a budget hearing with the community to help them understand the budgeting process for the 2024-2025 fiscal year..

Last year, the APS Board of Education approved a $2.16 billion budget, $76 million more than the City of Albuquerque’s budget for the same year.

The hearing, led by Board Member Courtney Jackson of District 7, and co-host Josephina Dominguez of District 6, emphasized the district’s transition to a “Student Outcomes Focused Governance,” referred to by the board as the SOFG model. This model aims to ensure that every decision, from the boardroom to the classroom, prioritizes student outcomes.

Over the past year, APS has been laying the groundwork for what it expects to be a transformative journey, with the district aligning all its activities towards improving student outcomes. This includes not only the work and evaluation of the Superintendent but also the budgeting for the district and schools, as well as legislative agendas.

A significant portion of the hearing was dedicated to presenting and discussing the APS budget, which Chief Financial Officer Renee Apodaca and Budget Executive Director Rosalinda Montoya, dubbed the “budget queen,” detailed. The budget for the upcoming fiscal year is estimated at $1.9 billion, down from the current $2.2 billion, largely due to the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds.

Apodaca laid out four major points the district is considering when discussing their budget.

Budget Realities and Challenges

  • ESSER Funds Expiration: The district is facing the expiration of $242 million in ESSER funds (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund), which were likely provided to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The expiration of these funds means the district must adjust its budget to account for the loss of this significant financial support.
  • Student Enrollment Decline: A decrease in student enrollment can lead to reduced funding from state and local sources, which is typically based on per-pupil allocations. This creates additional financial pressure.
  • Inflation: Rising costs for goods, services, and salaries must be managed within the constraints of the budget, affecting purchasing power and operational efficiencies. In the 2025 state budget, the state requires a three percent pay raise for teachers. 
  • Restricted Funds: The budget includes funds that are restricted in their use, such as capital funds for building projects, federal money for specific programs, and funds allocated for transportation and buses. These restrictions limit flexibility in budget allocation.

Budget Planning Process                           

  • The budget planning process is just beginning, Apodaca said, influenced by the outcomes of the recent legislative session, which includes an increase for all salaries. This process involves gathering input and planning based on known financial constraints and projections.
  • Input and Planning: The district aims to gather input from various stakeholders to inform the budget planning process. This includes understanding the different types of funding and budgetary constraints.
  • Budget Process for Schools: Apodaca explained the budget timeline, saying that budget templates are sent to each of the schools in March for principals to work on their individual budgets. Apodaca said this is a big test because there are 142 schools that will be submitting their financial asks and needs.
  • Budget Process for the District’s Departments: Departments within the district, like Human Relations and the Budget Office also receive templates to plan their budgets. The compiled budgets from both schools and departments form the basis of the district’s budget planning, accounting for approximately 80 percent of the overall budget.

Budget Steering Committee

  • The district has a budget steering committee composed of various community members and APS staff, not limited to the finance team, to review and make decisions on the budget. Apodaca said this committee considers input from different departments and schools, prioritizing based on the district’s overall needs and goals. The diverse expertise of the committee members ensures that decisions are informed by a broad range of perspectives, from educational programming to financial management.

In light of the declining enrollment and the challenges of inflation, Apodaca said APS’ budgeting process is an endeavor that seeks to balance various needs and priorities within the constraints of available resources.

Approximately 80 percent of the budget is allocated directly to schools, Apodaca said, with a significant portion covering salaries and benefits for teachers and educational assistants, underscoring the district’s commitment to direct instruction and student support.

The meeting featured an interactive budget trade-off game, inviting community members to engage in the budgeting process by making tough decisions on program funding. This exercise aimed to illuminate the complexities of budgeting and the importance of community input in prioritizing educational investments. The community was presented with fictional numbers, closely aligning with expectations from the district’s finance options. In particular, the community was tasked with deciding what programs paid for with COVID funds they would continue to fund and what part of the budget they would cut to continue these programs.

Despite the constructive nature of the hearing, community feedback highlighted a desire for more specific data and a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of district programs. Concerns were raised about the adequacy of state funding, with calls for advocacy at the state level to address funding shortfalls. Jackson said the district would provide more specific information about the budget during the next community hearing..

APS is asking the community to weigh in on this conversation in a survey, here.

The next community budget hearing is scheduled for Feb. 28 at Lyndon B. Johnson Middle School, 6811 Taylor Ranch Road NW in Albuquerque.

The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education

News

The 2024 Legislative Session in New Mexico ended at noon on February 15 with two education bills signed into law and three others awaiting the governor’s signature or veto.

Along with the two new laws, one of which is the state budget, three other bills affecting education passed both chambers and are currently awaiting a signature from the governor. In all, 777 bills were proposed this legislative session, with 54 of those relating to education. In a 30 day legislative session, only bills dealing with the state budget, or messaged by the Governor are eligible to be debated. Of the 54, only 21 education bills were budget related and three were green lit by the governor to be debated. Of those 24, only these five were approved by both chambers of the legislature.

The lack of education initiatives in this legislative session comes after the state celebrated what they called a four percent increase in student reading proficiency. This celebration was based on data from the 2022-2023 school year showing that only a third, 34 percent, of New Mexico students can read at grade level. Literacy data was not reported consistent with the previous year’s data and should not be compared. . While student literacy rates grew in state data, the state glossed over the fact that students saw a one percent slip in mathematics proficiency. Over the last year, the legislative education study committee has been looking into ways to address these proficiencies, especially in light of the 2018 landmark Yazzie/Martinez decision, which said the state was failing to provide an “adequate” education to its students, which is a requirement under Article XII, Section I of the New Mexico State Constitution.

Just as the 2024 legislative session began, in her state of the state address, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said that this time would be used to address crime in the state.

In her address, the govenror requested $30 million in capital funds to build a statewide literacy institute to help improve student reading proficiency, funding she received in the budget. She also told legislators that she wanted to see a statewide effort to increase every school district’s instructional time to at least 180 instructional days. Rebuking this request, in a budget amendment, legislators placed a restriction on the executive branch ordering that the NMPED cannot use their budget to implement any rule related to requiring 180 days of instruction  The governor could line item veto this language when she approves the budget.

Education Bills Signed into Law

General Appropriation Act of 2024, House Bill 2, makes general appropriations and authorizes expenditures by state agencies. For education, the budget appropriates $4.7 billion for public education. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Nathan Small (D – Las Cruces). 

School Graduation Requirements, House Bill 171, changes graduation requirements for students entering ninth grade in the 2025-2028 school years. The bill eliminates requirements for Algebra II, advanced placement, honors, and dual credit courses, which were previously mandatory for graduation. Instead, the legislation emphasizes flexibility by allowing students to choose from a broader range of courses, including those in Career Technical Education, internships, or project-based learning. This bill was signed by the governor on February 9, it was sponsored by Rep. G. Andres Romero (D – Bernalillo), Rep. Ryan Lane (R – San Juan), and Senator Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo).

Education Bills Awaiting a Signature

Public School Capital Outlay Grants, House Bill 207, requires the Public School Capital Outlay Council to provide grants for lease assistance from the Public School Capital Outlay Fund to public charter schools, allowing funds to be used for construction of buildings and school sites. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Joy Garratt (D – Bernalillo) and passed the House with a 64-1 vote and unanimously in the Senate.

School Local Share Adjustment Waiver, Senate Bill 76, relates to public school capital outlay by amending local share adjustment waiver requirements for school districts. This bill was passed by the Senate with a 38-0 vote and was sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo).

School Board Training, Senate Bill 137, increases mandatory training for local school boards and governing bodies of charter schools and requires training in certain areas including budget and the board’s role in improving student achievement. New school board and governing board members must complete ten hours of training. Returning members must complete five hours of annual training. . This bill restricts a school board from firing a superintendent between a school board election and 60 days after the new board has taken office.  The bill also amends the campaign reporting act as it applies to local school board candidates requiring that all school board candidates publicly report their campaign contribution. Additionally, it requires local school board or governing body meetings to be webcast and archived. This bill was sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart and Sen. William Soules (D – Dona Ana), it passed the Senate with a 30-9 vote, and in the House with a 42-17 vote.

While these five bills managed to receive approval of both chambers, 30 education bills were not heard and 18 died along the way.

The 2024 Legislative Session in New Mexico

News

Albuquerque Public Schools needs community input for the 2024-2025 budget process. To gather thoughts and opinions from APS families and community members, two public events about the budget have been scheduled to give stakeholders the opportunity to express their budgetary priorities.

The school district is preparing for significant financial adjustments, including the end of federal pandemic relief funds.

In his weekly message to the APS community, Superintendent Scott Elder highlighted the importance of the budget process in ensuring the district meets its educational goals, including improving literacy and math proficiency rates and preparing students for future careers or college.

Elder recognized the efforts of APS’ legislative team, and the support from the state legislature who recently passed a $10.6 billion state budget. This budget includes $4.7 billion for public schools and proposes a three percent raise for school employees, along with $40 million in one-time funds for career technical education and $30 million for literacy interventions.

“Speaking of the budget,” Elder wrote, “there’s another big thing happening in the coming fiscal year. The federal pandemic relief funds we’ve relied on for the last few years will be going away. We’ve tried to avoid spending these one-time funds on recurring expenses, but it’s clear that we’re going to have to absorb some of these items into our regular budget. That work is already underway.”

The APS Board of Education is actively seeking input from the community to ensure the budget aligns with the district’s vision and values. Two public forums have been scheduled, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

·       The first meeting, scheduled for February 26, will take place at the Berna Facio Professional Development Center at 3315 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM.

·       The second meeting, scheduled for February 28, will take place at Lyndon B. Johnson Middle School at 6811 Taylor Ranch Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM.

These forums come at a critical time as the district faces the challenge of incorporating items funded by one-time federal pandemic relief into the regular budget. Since 2020, APS has received approximately $378 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. 

In the 2023-2024 school year, APS had a budget of $2.2 billion, larger than the City of Albuquerque’s $1.4 billion budget. This was historic funding for the district which has experienced declining enrollment, losing 16,434 students since 2016. During last year’s budget discussions, on May 30, Chief Financial Officer Rennette Apodaca said the district loses approximately $11,000 per lost student.

Last year, the APS Board of Education approved a nearly $2.2 billion budget, marking a 12 percent increase in spending, largely to cover salary raises for teachers and educational staff. The district’s budgetary growth has been supported by legislative appropriations and an increase in funding per student from the state, despite a decline in enrollment.

This community-centered budgeting approach is informed by the district’s “Emerging Better” strategic plan, which aims to align resources with ambitious educational goals, including enhancing literacy and math proficiency, and preparing students for post-secondary success.

The APS Board of Education is calling on families, educators, and community members to participate in the upcoming forums, highlighting the importance of collective input in creating a financial blueprint that supports student achievement and responds to the needs of a changing educational landscape.

Albuquerque Public Schools is seeking community input

News

The 30-day 2024 legislative session has come to an end, with legislators approving a $10.2 billion state budget for fiscal year 2025 that is now awaiting approval from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The final version of the budget totals $10.22 billion, marking a 6.8 percent increase from the previous year, while maintaining a 31 percent reserve. The passage of the budget was preceded by extensive deliberations in both the House and Senate, with lawmakers from across the political spectrum voicing their perspectives and concerns. The General Appropriations Act, known as House Bill 2, received concurrence from the House of Representatives on Feb. 13, following amendments made by the Senate.

Funding Education

The FY25 budget allocates $4.76 billion to education, about 47 percent of the total budget, an increase of $580 million from FY24.

Making up the total amount is $4.2 billion in State Equalization Guarantee Funds (SEG), which are distributed to school districts via the funding formula and are used at the discretion of the district. The SEG includes $94 million in funding for a three percent raise for all school staff, $60 million to support schools with extended calendars, and $30 million in flexible funding to support CTE, literacy and community schools.

In middle of the line funding, the budget allocates $299 million. Middle of the line funding is distributed to school districts but must be used for specific purposes. The appropriation includes $133 million for transportation expenses, and $10 million for state assessments.

Below the line funding, which is distributed at the discretion of the Public Education Department, totals $320 million. These distributions include $30 million for summer reading interventions, $40 million for CTE, $20 million for educator fellows, and $5 million for attendance success initiatives.

The budget sets aside $41 million in recurring funding for the Public Education Department to fully fund universal school meals.

School district salary increases are also addressed in the budget, with a three percent raise earmarked for public and higher education employees to aid in educator recruitment and retention.

This budget was the outcome of bipartisan efforts to address the needs of New Mexicans across various sectors, including education, workforce development, public safety, infrastructure, and environmental conservation.

How Does this Budget Stack Up?

With a large $10.22 billion budget, and a historic $4.7 billion allocated to education – approximately 47 percent of expenditures, how does this budget stack up with previous budgets?

In Fiscal Year 2024, the state budget was $9.4 billion, with $4.17 billion going to education. That is approximately 44.3 percent of the budget.

FY 2023 was similar, with a state budget of $8.48 Billion and $3.8 billion going to education. Spending for education made up 44.8 percent of the budget.

FY 2022 was a much smaller state budget, at $7.45 billion. Here, $3.44 billion was allocated to education, making up approximately 46 percent of the budget.

FY 2021 the state budget was $7.62 billion, and education spending was $3.46 billion. Approximately 45 percent of the budget was allocated for education.

Over the past five years, New Mexico has increased education spending by $1.24 billion dollars, which is approximately $4,100 more per public school student. 

How did we get to $4.7 billion for education?

At the beginning of session, both the governor’s office and the Legislative Finance Committee released their proposed budgets for FY 2025.

Lujan Grisham revealed a large $10.5 billion spending plan, representing a 9.9 percent increase from the previous fiscal year, emphasizing a wide array of educational initiatives. The governor wanted $33 million to expand early pre-kindergarten slots, a $101.2 million increase to assist school districts in adjusting to new 180-day school calendars, and $58.1 million for structured literacy programs, with $30 million in capital outlay funds designated for a new Literacy Institute. Moreover, the proposal included $43.5 million for universal school meals and a three percent pay raise for educators, totaling $96 million.

On the other hand, the Legislative Finance Committee’s recommended $10.1 billion spending plan closely mirrors the governor’s proposal, with a focus on enhancing general fund appropriations for public education to $4.42 billion. This recommendation represented a $243 million or 5.8 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. Notably, the committee’s recommendation also earmarked $243 million in nonrecurring, education-related appropriations to address issues highlighted in the Yazzie-Martinez education sufficiency lawsuit. While the executive recommendation included a three percent raise for educators, the LFC proposal included an average four percent race for educators. 

Other Education Spending

The budget appropriates $959 million for the Higher Education Trust to ensure long-term funding for the Lottery and Opportunity Scholarships.

Addressing early childhood education and care, the budget increases funding for the Early Childhood Education & Care Department by six percent, including significant investments in pre-kindergarten and childcare quality supports. Funding from the Early Childhood Trust Fund includes $75 million for childcare assistance and $12.3 million for various services aimed at supporting infants and families.

Working in bipartisan fashion, the legislature was able to find a medium that both political parties could agree on and approved the total $10.22 billion budget with recommendations from both the governor’s office and the legislative finance committee.

The 2024 legislative session concluded with the

News

New Mexico passed a new law, House Bill 171, a comprehensive overhaul of high school graduation requirements aimed at modernizing curriculum standards and providing greater flexibility for students.

The bill – signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on February 9 – represents a significant departure from previous graduation criteria and reflects a bipartisan collaborative effort between legislators, education officials, and the governor’s office.

The legislation was sponsored by bipartisan legislators State Representatives G. Andres Romero (D – Bernalillo) who chairs the Legislative Education Study Committee, Rep Ryan Lane (R – San Juan) the Republican leader in the state House of Representatives, and Senator Mimi Stewart (D – Bernalillo) who serves as President Pro Tempore of the state Senate.

This bill comes after a year of deliberation and refinement following the governor’s veto of a similar bill last year. According to Senator Mimi Stewart, who spearheaded the effort, extensive revisions were made in consultation with the governor and the Public Education Department to address concerns and fine-tune the bill.

The bill eliminates requirements for Algebra II, advanced placement, honors, and dual credit courses, which were previously mandatory for graduation. Instead, the legislation emphasizes flexibility by allowing students to choose from a broader range of courses, including those in Career Technical Education, internships, or project-based learning.

However, the debate over the inclusion of a standalone financial literacy course sparked contention among lawmakers in both chambers.

What Does this Change?

Graduation requirements will be changed for students who begin high school in the 2025-2026 school year.

Flexibility in Course Offerings

Each local education agency (LEA) will select two credits to be required by the district, in addition to the requirements outlined in the law, to complete a student’s graduation requirements. This means each of New Mexico’s 89 school districts could have different graduation requirements. 

Emphasis on Career Technical Education (CTE)

Electives in Career Technical Education, internships, or project-based classes will count towards core requirements, promoting practical skill development and career readiness.

Algebra II No Longer Mandatory

While Algebra II will still be offered in all high schools, it will no longer be a mandatory requirement for graduation. Students opting out must substitute it with another math class.

Emphasis on Financial Literacy

Financial literacy education will now be required to be offered in every high school, providing students with the opportunity to take a standalone course as one of their math credits.

Removal of Certain Course Requirements

The bill eliminates the requirement for students to take at least one Advanced Placement, honors, dual credit, or distance learning classes.

Maintenance of Total Credit Requirement

Despite the changes, the total number of credits required for graduation remains at 24, ensuring consistency in academic expectations.

Debating the Requirements

In the House of Representatives, members engaged in a debate over the inclusion of a standalone financial literacy course in the bill on February 1. Representative Tanya Mirabal Moya emphasized the need for local communities to determine the educational needs of their students. “The people in that community are the ones that need to determine what their students need to succeed,” she asserted.

However, concerns about financial literacy persisted among some lawmakers. Representative Candy Spence Ezzell voiced apprehension about the lack of financial education provided to students. “I am concerned that we are not teaching children the entire aspect of what’s going to happen to them once they get out of high school,” she expressed.

In response, Representative G. Andres Romero, a sponsor of the bill, highlighted the existing standards for financial literacy education and stressed the importance of local implementation. “It’s definitely required, it is very important and it is reflected in the bill,” he clarified.

Despite differing opinions, the House ultimately passed the bill with a vote of 57-1.

The lone dissenting vote came from Representative Marian Matthews (D – Bernalillo), she argued that the bill did not go far enough in ensuring students go through financial literacy. “I just think it’s imperative that financial literacy be a required course so we can help these young people prepare for life,” she said after recounting a story of a 20 year old woman who was never taught about credit or debt, and managed to create over $50,000 in debt because they were unaware of the consequences of credit.

The debate continued in the Senate on February 7, where senators deliberated on the bill’s implications for student achievement and workforce readiness. Senator Mimi Stewart commended the collaborative effort to refine the legislation, emphasizing its potential to better align high school curriculum with evolving workforce needs.

However, the question of financial literacy resurfaced during Senate deliberations, leading to an amendment attempt. Senator Martin Hickey proposed the Senate should include a standalone financial literacy course, arguing that this is an important skill to prepare New Mexican students for financial responsibility.

In contrast, Soules explained the existing standards for financial literacy education and highlighted the bill’s emphasis on flexibility. “Every student, 100 percent of them will be getting financial literacy through this program,” he asserted.

After debate, the Senate rejected the amendment and passed the bill with overwhelming support, 40-0.

The governor signed the bill into law on Feb. 9.

New Mexico's House Bill 171, recently signed

Commentary

The following Op-Ed was written by Chelsea Granillo, a first-grade teacher at Vista Grande Elementary School in Rio Rancho Public Schools. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in language arts and a 2023-2024 Teach Plus New Mexico Alumni Policy Fellow.

Every day, as a first-grade teacher, I change the trajectory of my students’ lives through one simple act: Teaching them how to read.

As a student teacher, I was fortunate to have been trained by a gifted kindergarten teacher as my mentor.  She taught me impactful literacy strategies, such as guiding children to generate word lists based on spelling patterns and building up their phonemic awareness skills to help them blend sounds together when reading simple words. Now, it is my turn to set my students up for success, as I welcome 24 tiny children into my classroom every day so I can teach them how to read.

These strategies, which I use in my classroom every day, are now especially timely. Three years ago, New Mexico launched a statewide structured literacy initiative  to help students become proficient readers by focusing our teaching on the five important components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Based on a law passed in 2019, all first grade students must be screened for dyslexia within the first 40 days of the school year so kids who need help receive it immediately. Most elementary teachers, like me, are also enrolled in ongoing professional learning called LETRS, which helps bridge reading research to actual literacy instruction in the classroom.

While this legislation is a good start and research shows it takes years to see a significant increase in reading scores, we must do more. On the 2023 NM-MSSA assessment, just 38 percent of students were deemed proficient in language arts, up four percent from the previous year. Here are three solutions our state should consider:

Ensure structured literacy is part of all state teacher preparation programs. According to the National Council on Teacher Quality’s review of how teacher preparation programs are covering the core components of structured literacy, the University of New Mexico, New Mexico’s largest university, received a ‘D’ grade for its undergraduate teacher program and an ‘F’ grade for its graduate teacher program. Embedding the LETRS professional development course into teacher preparation programs would prepare future elementary educators by giving them the tools they need to teach early literacy skills before they step into a classroom, such as developing children’s oral language and linking sounds to letters. If I had received LETRS training during my college career, I would have learned how to adequately plan language arts lessons that balance word recognition and language comprehension, instead of depending on my mentor teacher to teach me the building blocks of reading as a student teacher.

Require every school to adopt a high-quality structured literacy curriculum. Two years ago, I served as a member of my school district’s instructional materials adoption committee. We approached adopting a new curriculum thoughtfully by determining local priorities, using rubrics to evaluate program components, and listening to presentations made by each publisher. I encourage other districts to form teacher-led adoption committees and to choose from the state’s comprehensive list of structured literacy curriculums that have been reviewed by local educators. It is alarming to me, as an educator, that the state does not require local education agencies to adopt a curriculum from this list. This means that school districts could still choose curricula that teach children how to read through instructional practices that are contrary to research, such as guessing at words based on the picture a child sees. Requiring all schools to choose instructional materials from this list would provide students equitable access to materials based on the most recent reading research.

Hire a structured literacy coach at every school. In my school district, every elementary school has its own instructional coach to support teachers by modeling effective instructional practices in early literacy and guiding grade levels in forming data-driven intervention groups during data studies. In her recent State of the State address, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham asked the legislature for $30 million to fund this initiative, particularly for the lowest-performing schools, which would help provide support for students who are not reading on grade level. The legislature should allocate these funds. 

My mentor teacher shaped me into the reading teacher that I am today because of the hundreds of hours I spent observing her lay a foundation in literacy for her students. I teach language arts every day with a strong sense of urgency because reading is a survival skill. I urge our lawmakers and state officials to mirror my sense of urgency when making decisions about how to improve outcomes in reading. Our children’s future success and economic prosperity depends on their ability to read.

Chelsea Granillo’s literacy-friendly first grade classroom at Vista Grande Elementary School
Chelsea Granillo’s literacy-friendly first grade classroom at Vista Grande Elementary School

The following Op-Ed was written by Chelsea

News

The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved a nearly $10.2 billion spending plan, including a $4.705 billion appropriation to public education.

This budget, passed January 31 on a 53-16 bipartisan vote, now advances to the Senate. The bill reflects a significant financial commitment to various sectors, but especially in education, where the state has long been struggling to improve its student results in the face of the Yazzie-Martinez court ruling in 2018 that declared the state was not doing enough for its most disenfranchised students.

To the New Mexico Public Education Department, the legislature is considering:

  • Recurring general fund appropriations for public schools: $4.43 billion. This is a 6.1 percent increase over the FY24 budget.
  • Funding for the Public Education Department Operations: $23.94 million, a 1.5 percent increase from FY24. 
  • Non-recurring programmatic funding for department initiatives: $140.13 million. 
  • Transfers from the Education Reform Fund for programs: $54.5 million.

K-12 education spending accounts for more than 46 percent of the proposed state budget.

The House education budget, largely reflecting the Legislative Finance Committee’s recommendations, has diverged from some of the governor’s proposals. Notably, it omits the proposed $30 million Literacy Institute, instead recommending $3 million for planning and design.

The House budget includes two percent salary increases for all school personnel. Additionally, funding is provided for districts to provide additional increases at their discretion, as long as the additional increases average two percent across employees. The cost of these pay increases is the largest line item in the budget, totaling $125.54 million. 

The next largest line items in the budget are: transportation maintenance and operations ($104.84 million), funding for extended learning time ($60 million), Educator Clinical Practice ($60 million), Tribal Education Trust Fund ($50 million) and Career Technical Education ($40 million). 

A one-sentence amendment introduced on the House floor by Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) addressing funding for public education stipulates that money allocated to the New Mexico Public Education Department must not be used to require school districts to meet for 180 days a year. This amendment is in response to concerns raised by rural Democrats and Republicans a proposed administrative rule from the Public Education Department, which would mandate all schools in the state – including those in rural areas that operate four day school weeks– to meet the 180-day minimum requirement.

Armstrong argued that including this language in the budget allowed the Legislature to assert its powers and present a unified voice against the governor’s policy. A bipartisan group of representatives voted to incorporate the amendment into the House budget bill.

With Armstrong’s amendment, the House approved a general fund budget of $10.18 billion, marking a $621 million increase, or 6.5 percent, compared to the previous year. While this allocation falls short of Governor Lujan Grisham’s proposed $10.5 billion budget for the next fiscal year, it slightly exceeds the recommendation of the nonpartisan Legislative Finance Committee.

Representative Nathan Small (D – Las Cruces) described the budget as an effort to prudently allocate the projected $3.4 billion budget surplus while also controlling spending growth to avoid more substantial cuts in the future. He highlighted the extensive public engagement that contributed to what he referred to as the most transparent budget process in history.

The New Mexico House of Representatives has

News

Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey has been selected as the next superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico’s largest school district.

Durán Blakey’s selection is the culmination of a four-month search process launched by the APS board.

“This is not a decision that any of us took lightly,” Board President Danielle Gonales said. “We believe this is the most consequential decision we’re making this year.”

The APS board made the unanimous decision to appoint Durán Blakey following a nationwide search that attracted two dozen applicants. Blakey is poised to lead the district as it works to improve academic outcomes for its 68,000 students.

Durán Blakey will be paid $295,000 per year.

“I want to share my appreciation for the due diligence [the board of education] has shown during this process,” board member Josefina Dominguez said. “We had frank, difficult conversations. But, they were always respectful – I want to stress that. The integrity of this process was informed by the integrity of this board. I’m proud of it – I’m proud of all of us.”

Who is Durán Blakey?

Durán Blakey, a native of Albuquerque who attended local schools, has more than two decades of service to APS, having worked in various roles, including teacher, assistant principal, principal, and associate superintendent.

In her new role as superintendent, Durán Blakey will oversee the daily operations of more than 140 schools, and lead 12,000 employees. 

She will take over the position from Superintendent Scott Elder, whose contract expires on June 30.

Durán Blakey holds a Doctorate of Education and a Master of Arts in educational leadership from the University of New Mexico, as well as a Bachelor of Science in secondary education from New Mexico State University.

Beyond her educational career, she is an accomplished violinist and actively participates in community organizations such as the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque, Explora Children’s Science Museum, United Way of Central New Mexico, and the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program.

“I think the biggest thing is to continue the road that we have worked so hard on over the past year,” Durán Blakey said in response to a question about what she plans on doing when she takes over. “I really do believe that the foundation of the work is set forward for us and that we have a committed team with the Superintendent and the board and the administration to get things moving with the roadmap that we have in front of us.”

Addressing the people of Albuquerque, Durán Blakey said: “I believe in you. Our community is going to do great things and you can do great things and I want our children and my Hispanic brothers and sisters to know that we’re going to accomplish things together.”

The Contract

Durán Blakey signed her contract shortly after the board vote.

It includes a $295,000 salary and will begin July 1 – her first day as superintendent. The contract allows Durán Blakey to have a car the district will be responsible for maintaining, including gasoline and regular maintenance. The contract allows for no more than $200 a month in reimbursements, so long as those expenses are relevant to the job.

There will be regular performance reviews by the school board, and one personal evaluation on how she is handling the goals and guardrails.

The contract calls for Gonzales and Durán Blakey to meet on August 1 to discuss and agree upon the process and procedures of their relationship – how they will work and communicate  with each other.

Durán Blakey’s contract will expire June 30, 2026.

The Process

The selection process involved community forums with more than 3,000 views on YouTube, and written comments from over 450 people during the finalist interviews. More than 7,000 survey participants and numerous outreach sessions contributed to the ultimate decision.

“Our choice is a reflection of what you told us. We heard over and over again that our next superintendent should be someone who believes that all students can learn and succeed, wants to improve students outcomes, and knows how to do it,” Gonzales said. “You wanted someone ready to make real change. That person is Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey.”

Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey has been unanimously