New Mexico continues to struggle to upgrade the state’s educational systems, and outcomes, which are amongst the worst statistically in the nation. While poverty, very high numbers of ESL students, and the isolated rural communities that dot the state are huge challenges to overcome, increased funding for education has been ongoing in the last three years.
Enormous amounts of Oil/Gas royalties have been boosting the NM state budgets, which have seen large increases in teacher salaries, and other educational budget items. The Nov. 22 election approved amendments to the state constitution increasing the annually available funds from the NM Land Grant Permanent Fund, as well as funding exceptions to allow the state to support infrastructure projects, such as affordable access.
This WaPo article below reports on the impacts, and examples for other states, of NM state expenditures for early child education that voters approved on Nov. 8th.
In N.M. child-care funding win, providers nationwide see road map - The Washington Post