Welcome to the New Mexico Public Education Department Website

Supporting Teachers and Families

Step right up! New Mexico is experiencing a shortage of substitute teachers, and we need you to step up and support our schools by applying to be a substitute teacher. Our goal is to maintain as much in-person instruction as is safely possible, which we know is the best option for our students. We’ve launched Supporting Teachers and Families (STAF) to make sure the application and training process is smooth for potential substitutes and that schools and districts can have access to the support they need. IMPORTANT UPDATE: All application and background check fees will be waived through March!

Learn more and apply here

Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Hotline

Students, families, and community members can report school-based incidents of racial bias by calling the Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Hotline, maintained by the Public Education Department in compliance with the Black Education Act, HB43. The hotline is open to anyone and can be used to report incidents of racism, injustice, or discrimination against anyone in a school setting. The phone number is staffed by a trained department employee from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; after-hours callers can leave a message.

To report an incident:
Call (505) 226-3911
Email ARAO.Hotline@state.nm.us
Fill out the online form at bit.ly/BEAhotline

Social Studies Standards Update

The goal of the updating New Mexico’s Social Studies Standards is to ensure that all of our students see themselves reflected in the classroom, that our learning environments are culturally and linguistically responsive, and that the rich backgrounds and perspectives of all New Mexicans come alive in the classroom. The proposed draft social studies standards have been published and are available here. Public comments on the proposed standards are posted here. We appreciate everyone who spoke at the public hearing on November 12. The standards are currently being revised to incorporate public comments. The final rule will be submitted to the New Mexico Register and published in February 2022. Learn more about the next steps for the draft standards here.

Year of Literacy

The 2021-2022 school year is the Year of Literacy across New Mexico. Check out our #GetCaughtReaching campaign on Twitter and Facebook.

Federal Funding Dashboard

Curious about how districts and charter schools are spending federal COVID-19 relief funding? The ESSER 1 (CARES ACT) Funding Report interactive dashboard shows how districts and state charter schools are spending their portions of the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund). Nearly $13.2 billion was provided to states to support the nation’s schools in safely reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

ARP Act/ESSER III Application, Information, and Resources

NM Student Connect

The New Mexico Public Education Department launched NM Student Connect to help students and teachers who currently lack high-speed broadband internet service or devices get access to the internet. The NM Student Connect Help Desk can help eligible students’ households sign up for the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. For info click here or call 1-888-723-4505.

Martinez and Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit Response Updates

The New Mexico Public Education Department has defined strategies, established timelines, and begun the work of ensuring that all students in New Mexico are engaged in a culturally and linguistically responsive education system that meets their social, emotional, and academic needs. We have much more to do, and to that end, the PED’s Identity, Equity, and Transformation team will soon share updates on how the PED is addressing those needs. To learn more about where we’ve been, where we are now, and what we’re working on for the future, the Martinez and Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit page is packed with resources and information. We will continue to provide updates on this page as these efforts continue.

For information about New Mexico’s COVID-19 Watchlist, please visit NMED here, where you can search by city or school name.