SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s latest oil bust and the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic have gutted the state's coffers.
While education has always been a priority for lawmakers, the Legislature now faces an impossible challenge of boosting teacher pay and preserving the funding pipeline for landmark efforts to expand learning opportunities for more students.
The legislative special session begins Thursday. The stakes are enormous for New Mexico children, who are grappling with coronavirus shutdown and endemic poverty in a state that ranks near-last in most academic achievement measures.
The state also is under a court order to ensure adequate resources for all students.