by Maya Anthony
Policy Analyst
July 10, 2026

New Mexico has an opportunity right now to make the school day healthier, safer, and quieter for thousands of children, but only if we take advantage of it. The Community Benefit Fund, known as SB 48, passed during the 2025 legislative session, was created to help communities invest in projects that strengthen local economies, create jobs, and prepare for climate challenges. Today, that investment includes $54 million available for New Mexico school districts to purchase electric school buses, charging infrastructure, and technical assistance. These funds are ready to be put to work, and school districts should seize this opportunity. 

Every child deserves clean air on the way to school. Yet traditional diesel school buses expose students to harmful exhaust containing more than 40 hazardous air pollutants and known carcinogens in the fumes that children breathe. Children breathe these toxic fumes while waiting at bus stops and riding to and from school every day. The consequences are serious: increased asthma attacks, lung damage, higher cancer risks, and impacts on brain development and learning that can last a lifetime. 

Electric school buses eliminate diesel tailpipe pollution, giving students a cleaner, healthier ride while creating quieter environments that support learning and reduce stress for both children and bus drivers, showing improved health and cognitive function. Investing in electric buses is an investment in student health, attendance, and academic success. 

The benefits don’t stop there. 

Electric school buses also save school districts money. They cost up to 60% less to operate and maintain because they have fewer moving parts and lower fuel costs. Some buses can even serve as mobile battery storage, helping strengthen the electric grid and creating additional value for schools and communities during periods of high energy demand or emergencies. 

As for the savings, electric buses cost up to 60% less to operate and maintain because they have fewer moving parts. They can actually be used to store electricity when not in use and sell that energy back to the grid. 

School districts across New Mexico, from rural communities to larger urban districts, are already proving that this transition works. Las Cruces Public Schools recently shared a recent webinar on how state funding has helped expand its electric bus fleet while upgrading charging infrastructure that improves energy resilience. Their experience demonstrates that with the right support, districts can successfully modernize transportation while protecting student health and reducing long-term costs. 

Now it’s time for more districts to follow their lead. 

To access funding for the purchase of electric school buses and charging infrastructure, school districts can apply through the NM Public School Facilities Authority in one of the upcoming open grant cycles:

  • Overview of the grant cycle openings – https://nmpsfa.org/ev-bus-info/
  • Cycle 2: Application opens June 18, 2026; deadline July 17, 2026.
  • Cycle 3: Application opens July 20, 2026; deadline August 19, 2026.

This is more than a transportation decision, it’s a public health investment. Every school district that applies brings us one step closer to cleaner air, healthier children, stronger schools, and more resilient communities. 

New Mexico has already committed these resources. Now we must ensure they reach the students and communities they were intended to serve. We encourage school leaders, school boards, parents, educators, and community members to support applications for these funds and advocate for cleaner school transportation.

Our children shouldn’t have to breathe toxic diesel exhaust just to get an education. The funding is here. The technology is proven. The benefits are clear.  

Let’s make sure every New Mexico student has the opportunity to ride to school in a cleaner, healthier, electric school bus.Â