Education

died · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 185: PED SECRETARY & LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

HB 185 authorizes New Mexico's Public Education Secretary to require local school board members to correct failures in performing legally required duties, such as adhering to school laws or regulations. If a board member doesn't fix the issue within 30 days of written notice, the Secretary may suspend them, with the member able to request a hearing under administrative procedures. During suspension, the Secretary (or a designee) can temporarily vote to break budget deadlocks in the school district. The bill directly affects school board members who neglect statutory duties under the Public School Code.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnforces school board compliance with education laws, preventing regulatory failures to protect educational operations and governance.85% confidence

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 171: NORTHERN NM STATE SCHOOL DOCUMENTARY

SB 171 appropriates $200,000 from the state general fund to the Board of Regents of Northern New Mexico State School for producing an educational documentary about historical figure Padre Antonio Jose Martinez. The funds must be spent by fiscal year 2027, with any unexpended balance reverting to the general fund. This bill directly affects the Northern New Mexico State School and the state budget, providing specific funding for a historical documentary project. It does not change existing laws or create new programs, but allocates resources for a defined educational media project. The bill is currently under review by Senate committees.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $200,000 for an educational documentary project at Northern NM State School, directly funding an educational content initiative per bill summary.90% confidence

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 84: SCHOOL WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

SB 84 creates a two-year pilot program offering a one-credit high school course on water management and conservation, directly affecting participating schools and students in New Mexico. The Public Education Department will develop the curriculum with partners like higher education and tribal nations, select three schools (one from each of three specific county types), and report annually on program effectiveness. The bill appropriates $5 million for fiscal years 2027-2028 to cover curriculum development, teacher salaries, and operational costs, with unspent funds reverting to the general fund. The program aims to provide practical environmental education preparing students for water-related careers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $5 million for a new educational program, directly increasing state spending on public education as part of fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $5M for new high school water management course, expanding curriculum and student programs within public schools per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates mandatory water conservation curriculum in schools, promoting environmental stewardship through education and conservation-focused coursework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Curriculum K-12 Education Teachers Conservation

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signed · New Mexico · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 29: MATH REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING LICENSE

SB 29 increases mathematics requirements for teachers seeking New Mexico teaching licenses or math endorsements. It mandates nine semester hours of college-level math (up from six) for all teaching licenses and requires six hours of specialized math teaching courses for those seeking a math endorsement, effective July 2027. The bill also establishes a Mathematics and Science Bureau to implement new frameworks, including mandatory math screening assessments for students and district-level math professional learning plans. These changes directly affect educators pursuing initial licensure or math endorsements, aiming to strengthen math instruction through standardized teacher preparation and school-level support systems.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases teacher math requirements, mandates specialized training, and establishes a bureau to strengthen educator qualifications and student math standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Teachers

signed · New Mexico · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 248: GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS

HB 248 authorizes New Mexico to issue $500 million in general obligation bonds to fund capital projects including senior centers statewide, higher education facilities, and public libraries. The bonds would be paid through a new property tax levy on all taxable property in the state, with principal and interest due over a maximum 10-year term. Voter approval via a statewide referendum at the 2026 general election is required before the bonds can be issued. This bill creates a new state debt obligation backed by the full faith and credit of New Mexico, directly affecting taxpayers through the property tax mechanism.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes new property tax to fund public infrastructure (libraries, education) via $500M bonds, increasing state debt and taxation to advance public services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds higher education facilities as a specific capital project category, directly advancing educational infrastructure within the topic scope.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Debt & Bonds Property Tax

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 117: HIGHER ED DEMOGRAPHIC DATA REPORTING

HB 117 requires New Mexico's public colleges and universities to collect and report voluntary data about students' parents' or guardians' educational attainment, including extended family caregivers (fictive kin). The data must be aggregated at the state or local level to protect privacy and shared with the state's Higher Education Department. This aggregated information will be used to identify demographic gaps, improve educational services, support research, and meet federal grant requirements. The bill does not mandate data collection but sets standards for how institutions must handle it if they choose to gather such information.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires higher ed data collection to identify demographic gaps and improve educational services, aligning with enhancing equity and access in post-secondary education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Tags Data Reporting

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 240: EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACCOUNT ACT

HB 240 creates the Education Opportunity Account Act, allowing eligible New Mexico students (residents without a high school diploma or equivalent) to access state-funded accounts for education expenses. The program deposits state funds - calculated based on average public school spending per grade, adjusted for special needs - into accounts managed by the state education department. Parents can use these funds for approved costs at qualifying private schools (not online schools), tutoring, textbooks, assessments, and transportation, but funds cannot be refunded to families and unspent balances revert to the state treasury after two years or upon graduation. The bill specifies strict usage rules, prohibits personal deposits into accounts, and requires annual contracts detailing approved expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds to education accounts, increasing public education spending from state budget per legislative funding mechanism.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state-funded accounts for eligible students' education expenses, expanding access and funding for K-12 and post-secondary education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice

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died · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 219: ATTENDANCE FOR SUCCESS ACT CHANGES

HB 219 modifies New Mexico's Attendance for Success Act to require schools and juvenile probation services to collaborate on addressing student absenteeism. It defines "chronic absence" as missing 10% or more school days (whether excused or not), and mandates juvenile probation to review attendance records, initiate interventions, and refer cases to court for students who remain excessively absent after school-level efforts. Schools must document outreach to families, differentiate between absence types, and prohibit out-of-school suspensions for absenteeism. The bill also requires children's court attorneys to start legal proceedings under the Family In Need of Court-Ordered Services Act for chronically absent students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates interventions for chronic absenteeism (10%+ absences) to improve school attendance, directly supporting educational outcomes by addressing a key barrier to student success.95% confidence

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 28: ADVANCE ELECTION FOR ED. FREEDOM TAX PROGRAM

This House Memorial (HM 28) is a non-binding request to New Mexico's governor, asking them to formally opt the state into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program. It does not create new state law but urges the governor to submit an "advance election" to the IRS, allowing New Mexico residents to claim federal tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations supporting K-12 students. The program, enacted by federal law, enables dollar-for-dollar tax credits for charitable contributions to scholarship-granting groups, with no cost to New Mexico’s state budget. The memorial emphasizes that delaying this decision could redirect private donations to other states, potentially reducing educational funding opportunities for New Mexico families.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill requests state opt-in to federal tax credit program, enabling dollar-for-dollar tax relief for education donations, aligning with tax relief indicators.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill urges state to opt into federal tax credit program enabling K-12 scholarship donations, expanding educational access via tax incentives for private school funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Tax Credits Tax Incentives K-12 Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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signed · New Mexico · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 30: TEACHER RESIDENCY ACT CHANGES

HB 30 modifies New Mexico's Teacher Residency Act by setting stipends for teaching residents as a percentage of the minimum salary for entry-level teachers (35% for undergraduates, 80% for those with bachelor's degrees). It allows teaching residents to work at any public school after completing their residency, not just the sponsoring district, and requires partner districts or charter schools to offer employment based on staffing needs and performance. This directly affects teaching residents, public school districts, and charter schools participating in the residency program. The bill updates payment structures and employment rules to increase flexibility for residents and districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationSets stipends (35-80% of entry-level salary) for teaching residents and expands post-residency employment options, directly supporting teacher recruitment and mobility in public schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers