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Taos school board approves FY26 Indian policies and Impact Aid application; staff outlines counts and process
Summary
The board approved the district's FY26 Indian Policies and Procedures and the FY26 Impact Aid application. District staff explained the application process, student counts and that federal funding depends on future appropriations.
The Taos Municipal School Board of Education approved the district's fiscal year 2026 Indian Policies and Procedures (IPP) and the FY26 Impact Aid application during a special meeting on Jan. 28, 2025.
Indian Education Program Manager Ray Luhan presented both items and told the board the IPP had been revised and streamlined from a 13-page document to a nine-page document. Luhan described the IPP as a "living, breathing" document that clarifies how the district works with tribal communities and parents.
Luhan and other staff explained Impact Aid as a federal application that compensates school districts for students connected to nontaxable federal property, including tribal lands and certain low-rent housing. Luhan said the application is an annual, data-driven count of eligible students; funding results depend on federal appropriation and national applicant counts. He noted that Impact Aid funds claimed through the FY26 application would, if awarded, be available in a later federal funding cycle: "This application will generate funds two years from now," according to the presentation.
At the meeting staff provided approximate counts and funding context. The presenter said the district's listing showed about 193 Native students and roughly 70 students who reside on tribal lands. Luhan said impact-aid-related Indian add-ons and specialist funding had been about $30,000 in prior cycles but emphasized that operational Impact Aid amounts vary with federal appropriations and the number of applicants nationally.
Board members asked for clarification on timing and mechanics: impact-aid allocations depend on federal appropriations and certification steps that include matching student addresses to tribal property lists provided by Northern Regional Housing Authority and tribal realty offices. Luhan described the address-matching and certification steps as detailed and time-consuming; he said missing the application deadline can reduce a district's allotment by 10 percent.
The board voted to approve both the FY26 IPP and FY26 Impact Aid application. The recorded yes votes included Board member Quacham/Quanta, Board member King, Secretary Trujillo and Vice President Sprague.
During discussion board members and staff also raised broader funding concerns: the state equalization guarantee (SCG) formula and the importance of keeping federal Impact Aid flowing directly to districts rather than routed through state agencies. No specific dollar award for FY26 was available at the meeting; staff described prior add-on amounts as approximate and said final FY26 funding would depend on federal decisions.
