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PED outlines school climate survey results and shortfall in school-based behavioral health staff
Summary
A Legislative Education Study briefing detailed Panorama survey findings showing weaker climate perceptions among grades 6–12, described workforce shortages for counselors, social workers and psychologists, and urged statewide survey requirements, clearer role definitions, and targeted recruitment strategies.
The Legislative Education Study committee heard a presentation on school climate and school-based behavioral health on the morning of the hearing, where Public Education Department staff summarized survey findings and workforce gaps and offered recommendations for state action.
Presenter Connor Hicks (introduced during the session) told committee members the state has used the Panorama Education School Climate and Culture Survey since 2023 and that in the fall 2024 administration 86 districts and charter schools participated — roughly 56% of the 153 districts and charters included in Panorama’s New Mexico dataset. Participation is voluntary, Hicks said, which limits the survey’s statewide policy uses but still provides actionable local data.
Hicks said survey results vary by grade cohort: a majority of third through fifth graders reported positive perceptions of school safety and climate, while students in grades 6–12 reported substantially lower positive perceptions — the presentation cited that just 38% of students in that older cohort had a positive view of school climate. The report groups student responses into domains such as safety, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning, and student well-being measures (self-management, sense of belonging and social awareness).
Dr. Sonia Saiz, behavioral health manager for PED’s Safe and Healthy Schools Bureau, described how PED layers Panorama data with Department of Health sources to identify behavioral health needs and to guide training for districts on interpreting results. Saiz said fall 2025 participation increased substantially (the presentation cited an additional 45,589 student responses compared with prior administrations) and that PED provides districts with a month-long administration window, family messaging templates, training modules and an assistance helpline to boost participation.
Both presenters flagged workforce shortages for school-based behavioral health. The briefing distinguished the roles of school counselors (academic and short-term supports), social workers (case management and community connections) and psychologists (assessments and intensive interventions) and noted New Mexico has limited in-state degree programs for some of these professions. The presenters cited professional recommendations — for example, the American School Counselor Association’s longstanding recommendation of one counselor per 250 students — and said New Mexico’s reported ratios exceed recommended levels. The presentation also cited a National Association of School Psychologists national average and noted New Mexico’s school psychologist ratio is far worse than the national average, as reported in the materials.
Committee members pressed PED on how positions are currently funded. PED staff said districts commonly use operational funds and, increasingly, Medicaid reimbursements for some school-based behavioral health services (Medicaid eligibility for broader services was recently expanded). Hicks and bureau staff emphasized that clearer coding and reporting are needed to determine how many licensed professionals are working in school-based roles versus other duties.
Several lawmakers asked about policies to build the workforce. Recommendations in the brief included requiring a PED-approved school climate survey across districts and charters, studying strategies such as loan repayment expansions, residencies and compensation models during the 2026 interim, and improving licensure pathways and reporting so the state can identify shortages and target investments. PED committed to follow up with additional information requested by senators and representatives, including retention outcomes for past federally funded workforce awards and whether the New Mexico Health Professional Wellness Program serves behavioral health professionals.
The presentation and ensuing Q&A did not include formal motions or votes. PED staff said they would provide follow-up materials and data for the committee to consider as it explores statutory or appropriations responses.
What’s next: PED offered to supply the committee with sharper counts on license holders, retention data for specific grant programs and a list of licensed supervisors who could support residency-style training. Lawmakers asked that the agency return with those details to inform possible legislative action.
