Introduction, Trends & Considerations
The mission of the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) is to partner with educators, communities, and families to ensure all students are healthy, secure in their identity, and holistically prepared for college, career, and life. NMPED’s vision is that all students in New Mexico are engaged in aculturally and linguistically responsive educational system that meets the social, emotional, and academic needs of all students. NMPED administers state and federal education laws, allocates state and federal resources, and provides guidance to over 877 schools in 89 districts and 52 state-authorized charter schools.
Governor Lujan Grisham and PED have ushered into law key public and higher education reforms including: significant funding increases for evidence-based programs like K-5 Plus and Extended Learning Time; raising educator salary levels in the state’s three-tier licensure system; instituting an assets-oriented accountability system; enacting free college tution through the Opportunity Scholarship; developing a new teacher evaluation system; and establishing a framework for community schools across New Mexico to provide crucial wraparound health and wellbeing services to children and families.