DENIAL OF ENROLLMENT TO SCHOOL

HB 245 prohibits New Mexico public schools from denying enrollment to school-age students based on race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, or residential address. It requires school boards to post grade-level vacancy counts every 12 weeks and enroll applicants on a first-come, first-served basis when space is available. The bill also limits school boards' ability to create enrollment preferences beyond specific priorities and mandates annual public reporting of enrollment data to the state education department. This directly affects all public school districts and students seeking enrollment across New Mexico.