New Mexico is certainly consistent when it comes to K-12 education performance. A new study from Wallethub places the State’s education system 51st overall. The map below shows the overall ranking, but the bubble chart below is more important because it highlights the fundamental problem of New Mexico’s education system: moderate spending for abysmal results.
As seen below, New Mexico spending ranks 28th overall, but performance ranks 51st. Clearly, New Mexico’s spending on education hasn’t moved the needle on results. It is time for bold, innovative reforms. We recommend school choice, but there are many ways to do better without spending more.
Something I have noticed for some time is that Albuquerque and Santa Fe seem to forget that there are other towns and cities that exist in New Mexico. They tend to roll their eyes and dismiss or disparage those who live outside of Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Disrespectful. We need to unite as citizens of this beautiful state. We need to acknowledge that all of our villages, towns, and cities are important to the entire state. State department’s, State offices, State officials need to get off their high horses and go to the people they represent instead of expecting the people to go to them. We need to explore school choice and explore options with the established virtual charter schools.
This may be shocking for everyone but the solution is really quite simple attendance attendance attendance. I have watched for eight years in three school districts where principles superintendents and their little minions simply pass students that do not come. In two instances board member presidents children who were absolute and utter truant by any definition were passed at the objections of teachers in Cuba and in Espanola, The amount of fraud and cover-up is mind-boggling. the unions seeming participation is even more mind blowing. Then there’s the pocketing of teacher funds that is allowed when districts hire substitutes instead of a real teacher… this happens in Española frequently …honestly New Mexico doesn’t know how to run schools. For eight years I have watched absolute incompetence nepotism and outright theft …nobody blinks an eye. The only thing that happens is they double down on the same failed policies of a three tier system , common core , rand corporation nonsense and garbage from business schools on how to manage things …none of it works.it’s ridiculous dysfunctional and a farce.