Commentary: U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) welcomed the U.S. Department of Education’s approval of New Mexico’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) plan. New Mexico’s plan details how the state is using and plans to use ARP ESSER funds to safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and equitably expand opportunity for students who need it most, particularly those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The senators announced that New Mexico is receiving more than $979 million total in ARP ESSER funds, and today’s approval of the state’s plan will result in the release of the final $327 million. The American Rescue Plan championed by Senators Heinrich and Luján included a total of $130 billion for K-12 education to support the safe reopening of K-12 schools and meet the needs of all students across the country.
“I’m pleased the U.S. Department of Education approved New Mexico’s ARP ESSER Plan. The pandemic forced many New Mexico students to lose valuable school time and caused social and emotional challenges for our students and teachers,” said Heinrich. “The American Rescue Plan provides unprecedented resources to help us overcome these challenges. New Mexico’s plan will not only ensure that our students can safely return to school full-time in the fall, but will also provide our most vulnerable students with the in- and out-of-school supports they need to succeed, including innovative and evidence-based tutoring and afterschool programming designed to help all our students thrive.”
“The pandemic posed a serious challenge to our students, teachers, and schools, and it’s crucial that students, families, and teachers have the resources and support that they need to learn and succeed,” said Luján. “The American Rescue Plan included robust support for K-12 schools, and I’m glad that the Department of Education approved New Mexico’s plan to respond to students’ needs and ensure that they can safely return to school, accelerate their learning, and address disparities that were exacerbated by the pandemic.”
The ARP ESSER state plans approved by the U.S. Department of Education today, including New Mexico, show how states are using federal pandemic resources to support safe in-person instruction and meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students—with a focus on the students most impacted by the pandemic.
For a New Mexico fact sheet, click here.