LFC program evaluators presented a progress report showing New Mexico Pre‑K continues to deliver measurable gains in kindergarten reading proficiency, with particularly strong benefits for low‑income children, and that newly implemented classroom quality measures strengthen oversight.

Sarah Rovang, LFC program evaluator, summarized evidence that the state’s Pre‑K program regained and surpassed pre‑pandemic gains: beginning‑of‑year kindergarten Istation reading scores are higher for pre‑K attendees, and longitudinal analysis shows benefits persist longer for children who qualified for free or reduced‑price meals. Doctor Ryan Tolman (LFC) and Rovang emphasized that the state’s recent adoption of the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) tool allows, for the first time, direct matching of classroom instructional quality to kindergarten outcomes. “Higher instructional‑support scores are associated with better kindergarten reading outcomes,” Tolman said.

Why it matters: LFC said the program has matured from expansion to quality improvement. The report recommended the legislature and ECECD adopt a clear statutory or regulatory definition of kindergarten readiness after ECECD refreshes early‑learning guidelines, invest trust‑fund distributions in quality improvements, and use Pre‑K/Kindergarten assessments and the professional‑development information system (PDIS) to track workforce credentialing and the effect of pay and coaching strategies.

Agency response: Secretary Elizabeth Griginski (Early Childhood Education and Care Department) and staff welcomed the findings and highlighted upcoming rollouts including a developmental assessment pilot (executive‑function scale) and broader CLASS observations. Griginski said ECECD would present a plan to the LFC by December 2025 for how increased early‑childhood trust‑fund distributions will be used to improve quality.

Ending: The report recommends continued investment in teacher preparation and evidence‑based instructional tools, consolidation of grant and reporting functions to reduce administrative burden on small providers, and a universal application portal to make enrollment and attendance tracking more efficient.