Policy Brief: Despite Increases, State’s Public Education System Still Underfunded
“Studies show that it costs 40% more to educate a child from a family earning low wages than to educate their more affluent peers. But our highest poverty districts get just 2% to 3% more in funding per student than the average district does.”
New Mexico’s K-12 Schools: Funding the Education System Our Students Deserve
Policy Brief Despite recent increases in K-12 funding and the ruling in the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit, New Mexico still fails to adequately invest in the kind of educational system our students deserve. This policy brief looks at the state's K-12 funding landscape, educator shortage, the pandemics' impact, and more. (State-level data on student demographics, proficiencies, and graduation rates)
NM Voices for Children Thanks Senator Bennet for Introducing Bills to Reform the Antiquated Oil and Gas Leasing System
"Defunct oil and gas producers have littered New Mexico with orphaned wells while taxpayers are forced to foot the bill to clean them up. Those critical funds could be spent supporting our children and schools instead of cleaning up the mess oil and gas companies have left behind."
Kids Count: New Mexico improves to 49th in child wellbeing
Associated Press--“It’s encouraging to see that child wellbeing in New Mexico was improving before the pandemic hit,” said James Jimenez, executive director for New Mexico Voices for Children, which partners with the foundation. He’s cautiously optimistic that state policies “helped offset some of the health and financial problems caused by the pandemic.”
New Mexico moves up to 49th in rank for child welfare
Santa Fe New Mexican--New Mexico traditionally has not done well in the Kids Count rankings, usually swapping the 49th and 50th spots with Mississippi. But Jimenez said there are some reasons for optimism as New Mexico looks to the future, including the expansion of Medicaid several years ago and a just-passed working families tax credit that could reduce child poverty.
NM shows modest improvement in child well-being
Albuquerque Journal--“It’s encouraging to see that child well-being was improving before the pandemic hit,” said James Jimenez, executive director for New Mexico Voices for Children. “We’re cautiously optimistic that investments the state made in children and families beginning in 2019 – as well as throughout the pandemic – helped offset some of the health and financial problems caused by the pandemic."