New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez

POLITICAL News:

SANTA FE – Last night, a bill to ensure more efficiency in school budgets was signed by Gov. Susana Martinez.

House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. George Dodge (D-Santa Rosa), amends the Public School Finance Act to allocate funds more equitably among schools.

“We need to ensure that every child has access to a quality education, regardless of their background or their zip code,” Rep. George Dodge said. “This bill gives more funding to schools with higher numbers of at-risk students, and to schools with more experienced staff. Making sure the budget reflects the expertise of educators and the needs of our communities will have positive impacts on our public schools. I am pleased that the Governor saw the benefits of this important legislation.”

Compared with other states, New Mexico directs a relatively small amount of formula funding to at-risk students. In 2017, about 4 percent of formula funding was based on a school district’s at-risk population. Students living in poverty and English language learners may face more barriers and may need more resources to achieve success.