In total, there were 641 pieces of legislation filed. Of those, about 104 were directly related to public schools and only 15 passed both chambers. Some of these bills will have a direct impact on the current educator shortage crisis and hopefully increase the number of highly qualified teachers in an estimated 1000 classrooms currently with none. It’s a solid start but we need to do more for our public schools and students.

With 5 days remaining before the 30-day session comes to an end, we have tracked 24 education related bills and 3 House Memorials this past week alone. Representatives voted on 18 education related bills and 3 House Memorials while the Senate took-up 6 bills.

In an incredible organizing effort that spans months in the making, our members have delivered over 1,400 letters to legislators and over 3,000 public education advocates have signed our joint NEA-NM/AFT online petition in favor of our “Respect NM Educators” campaign. It is an extraordinary show of Union strength and educator voice. We asked you to speak out and you delivered!

A clarion call to strengthen New Mexico’s Public Schools rang loudly at the Roundhouse this past Sunday, January 23^rd, as over 500 NEA-NM members and public education advocates came together to Rally at the Roundhouse in favor of our public schools. NEA President Becky Pringle and NEA-NM President Mary Parr-Sanchez’ messages for collective action and demands for respect were amplified by hundreds of pieces of creative and evocative art in the form of picket signs, posters and banners inspired by a team of NEA-Santa Fe members in conjunction with nationally recognized artists. 

NEA President Pringle delivered a passionate speech. She said, “The historic threat of the ongoing pandemic is layered onto a society and a political system that is utterly divided. And yet, here in the land of enchantment, I see hope – hope that New Mexico can come together behind a vision that recognizes the potential of our children to be the light that will lead us forward through these dark and challenging times.” 

NEA-NM President Parr-Sánchez echoed the righteous indignation heard across the state by educators. Amid a punishing educator shortage crisis totaling over 1,727 educator vacancies, she told those present, “This moment is a crossroads for our states’ decisionmakers. We have the potential to harness the unprecedented resources available to our state and invest them in our future – in our students. Right now, tens of thousands of New Mexico students don’t have access to a trained educator. We must respect, recruit, and retain educators in our state by closing the salary gap between educators and other professions, fixing the inequitable levels of healthcare coverage, and providing a livable wage to our lowest paid education employees.”