Legislative Session Archives - New Mexico Education https://nmeducation.org/tag/legislative-session/ Your home for all things education in The Land of Enchantment Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:44:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://nmeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/11-29-2021_NewMexico_NMEducationLogo_V1-08-150x150.png Legislative Session Archives - New Mexico Education https://nmeducation.org/tag/legislative-session/ 32 32 202004729 A View of the 2024 Legislative Session: All Proposed Education Bills https://nmeducation.org/a-view-of-the-2024-legislative-session-all-proposed-education-bills/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:44:28 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5498 During the 2024 legislative session in New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed two new education laws while four bills await her signature. Out of the 777 bills introduced, only five related to education were passed and sent for the governor's approval, including the state budget and school graduation requirements.

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]]> 5498 A View of the 2024 Legislative Session: Bills that Died https://nmeducation.org/a-view-of-the-2024-legislative-session-bills-that-died/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 22:29:18 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5496 During the 2024 New Mexico Legislative Session 777 bills were proposed.Only 54 of those were related to K-12 education and of those, only 24 were debated, leading to five being approved by both chambers. Highlighted failures include HB 39, aimed at complying with the Martinez and Yazzie lawsuit, HB 134 which would have created a Tribal Education Trust Fund, and several other bills that stalled or were not heard, reflecting the challenges in getting educational reforms passed in a legislative session dominated by budget and crime reforms.

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]]> 5496 A View of the 2024 Legislative Session: Bills that Passed https://nmeducation.org/a-view-of-the-2024-legislative-session-bills-that-passed/ Sat, 24 Feb 2024 17:01:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5477 The 2024 Legislative Session in New Mexico concluded with two education bills becoming law and three others awaiting the governor's signature. Amidst a total of 777 proposed bills, 54 of which were related to education. The session focused less on education despite previous initiatives to improve student reading proficiency and the landmark Yazzie/Martinez decision demanding adequate education for students. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, emphasizing crime in her state of the state address, may call a special session to address criminal justice reforms, sidelining education further.

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]]> 5477 Overhauling High School Graduation Requirements https://nmeducation.org/overhauling-high-school-graduation-requirements/ Wed, 14 Feb 2024 23:59:59 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5463 New Mexico's House Bill 171, recently signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, marks a significant revision of high school graduation requirements. This revision was aimed at modernizing graduation standards and offering more flexibility to students. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by State Representatives G. Andres Romero and Ryan Lane, along with Senator Mimi Stewart, reflects a collaborative effort between lawmakers, education officials, and the governor's office following a year of deliberation and refinement. The bill eliminates formerly mandatory courses such as Algebra II, while introducing greater flexibility in course selection, and includes provisions for financial literacy education despite debate arguing that it doesn’t go far enough.

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]]> 5463 New Mexico House Passes $10.2 Billion Budget with Historic $4.7 Billion for Public Education https://nmeducation.org/new-mexico-house-passes-10-2-billion-budget-with-historic-4-7-billion-for-public-education/ Thu, 08 Feb 2024 17:49:57 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5449 The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved a nearly $10.2 billion spending plan, with a significant portion allocated to public education, totaling $4.705 billion. Passed on January 31 by a vote of 53-16, the budget aims to address educational challenges highlighted by the Yazzie-Martinez court ruling. The budget is now being considered by the Senate Finance Committee, and will then move to the full Senate for further consideration.

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]]> 5449 Resolution to Return to State School Board Passes Senate, 34-1 https://nmeducation.org/resolution-to-return-to-state-school-board-passes-senate-34-1/ Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:01:51 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5424 Senate Joint Resolution 9, which is primed to change the way education is governed in New Mexico, has passed the state Senate and will now move to the House of Representatives.

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]]> 5424 Proposed Education Overhaul Moves Forward Amid Debate https://nmeducation.org/proposed-education-overhaul-moves-forward-amid-debate/ Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:31:16 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5417 The New Mexico Senate Education Committee passed Senate Joint Resolution 9, a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at overhauling the state's education governance structure. SJR 9, would revert New Mexico back to its previous form of governance, moving from a governor appointed Secretary of Education to a 15 person state school board. The proposed constitutional amendment received a "Do Pass" recommendation during a committee hearing on January 26. This bill has passed two committees and is primed for a Senate floor vote. Supporters argue it will bring stability to education leadership, while opponents express concerns about potential partisanship and the dilution of the Public Education Commission's focus on high-quality charter school authorizing.

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]]> 5417 Education System to Receive Another Significant Boost from Proposed Budget Plans https://nmeducation.org/education-system-to-receive-another-significant-boost-from-proposed-budget-plans/ Thu, 18 Jan 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5402 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's proposed budget for FY25, along with the Legislative Finance Committee's budget recommendations, include substantial investments in education to improve student outcomes. The governor's budget includes totals $10.5 billion, a 9.9 percent increase from the previous fiscal year, with allocations to expand pre-k, lengthen school calendars, and continue structured literacy initiatives. The Legislative Finance Committee's recommendation mirrors the governor's proposal, totaling a $10.1 billion spending plan that includes a 5.8 percent increase in general fund appropriations for public education, addressing issues highlighted in the Yazzie-Martinez education sufficiency lawsuit.

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]]> 5402 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Highlights Plan to Improve Education in State of the State Address https://nmeducation.org/governor-michelle-lujan-grisham-highlights-plan-to-improve-education-in-state-of-the-state-address/ Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:45:06 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5396 In her State of the State address, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham outlined a comprehensive plan for education reform in New Mexico, emphasizing the state's achievements in literacy and the need for further investments. She proposed a $30 million investment for a statewide literacy institute and summer programs, and advocated for extending the school year to 180 days to enhance educational outcomes. Additionally, Lujan Grisham called for $30 million to place “experts” in low-performing schools to address challenges and improve student performance, her speech marked the start of the 2024 legislative session.

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]]> 5396 A View of the 2023 Legislative Session: All Proposed Education Bills https://nmeducation.org/a-view-of-the-2023-legislative-session-all-proposed-education-bills/ Sat, 29 Apr 2023 21:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=4961 The 2023 legislative session came to an end with a total of 71 bills being introduced with the specific intentions of changing education in New Mexico. Of all these bills, 18 became law, 49 bills died, and four were vetoed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

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