By Sen. Bill Soules, D-Doña Ana
New Mexico District 37

For too long, the state of education in New Mexico has been judged by a single metric: proficiency. This metric is only a snapshot of literacy rates, and direct comparison of proficiency between states can be misleading. A new white paper on New Mexico student literacy demonstrates that our students are making real, measurable reading gains over time, often matching or exceeding national growth rates.

The white paper, commissioned by New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders and conducted by Evress analytics, uses a common Lexile scale to analyze student performance. The scale is a universal framework that allows us to track student growth over time rather than with a single test in a single year. In fact, over 111,000 New Mexico students were tracked over several years to analyze reading proficiency.

The study concluded that not only are New Mexico students improving consistently every year, they are doing so at rates higher than the national average. That kind of sustained improvement is exactly what strong systems produce. Growth matters because it reflects learning, not labels.

Researchers also found that the explanation for New Mexico’s comparatively low proficiency rates in years past is due to higher institutional standards. That means fewer students are labeled “proficient,” but it also means we are asking more of them. When growth is measured, our students are not behind—they are learning under more rigorous expectations and making gains faster. New Mexico eighth graders are at a 45% proficiency rate by our own standards, but if we use Texas standards, that jumps to 74%, higher than Texas’ own students.

We are also showing progress across all districts. When data are placed on a common scale, we see progress across diverse communities—urban, rural, and charter. This tells us that improvement isn’t isolated. It’s happening statewide, in all student groups, in classrooms led by educators who are adapting instruction to meet student needs. This is indicative of many of the legislative investments paying off in real, tangible ways.

By separating student learning from proficiency cut scores, the state can hold systems accountable without mislabeling students or schools. That leads to more trust, better morale, and better outcomes. The growth documented in this study validates the professional expertise of New Mexico educators. It shows that when teachers focus on skill development and comprehension, students respond.

This new data gives teachers and lawmakers a more comprehensive, accurate picture of New Mexico education. Growth-based measures help us understand what’s working and where support is needed. That allows smarter investments instead of reactive reforms driven by rankings.

Looking towards the future, New Mexico is positioned to lead the nation in growth-based accountability. By emphasizing growth, rigor, and long-term outcomes, the state can model a smarter way to evaluate education. The growth goes beyond education: improved literacy is strengthening the workforce. Strong literacy skills are directly tied to graduation, job training success, and long-term earnings. New Mexico is building human capital, which supports long-term economic development.

In the NM legislature, we are continuing to make strides with structured literacy. Sen. Stewart’s work on the High Quality Literacy Instruction Act has been instrumental in implementing standards that support this growth-based approach. The Math Requirements for Teaching License Act, of which I am the primary sponsor, seeks to standardize math education and instigate growth in math proficiency. Both bills have already passed the Senate. Despite negative and stagnant national statistics, New Mexicans can be proud of teacher and student progress while educators and policymakers now have clearer guidance and hope for the work still ahead.