School leaders tell LESC that funding and behavioral supports, not new mandates, are priority to protect instruction

Summary

School superintendents and charter leaders at the LESC interim hearing said recent literacy and math investments show promise but stressed implementation gaps: time‑intensive training (LETRS), enrollment declines offsetting SEG gains, rising insurance and operating costs, and urgent need for behavioral and special‑education supports.

School leaders told the Legislative Education Study Committee on May 1 that New Mexico's policy investments in literacy and math are valuable but undercut by implementation challenges and rising costs that threaten classroom instruction.

Christine Griffin, superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools, said the state has “embraced the science of reading,” but warned that adding multiple initiatives without protecting teachers’ planning time can erode classroom practice. “LETRS training takes a couple of years to get through, and it's quite a commitment of time for our teachers,” she said, describing the trade‑offs schools face when teachers must choose between professional development and daily planning.

Jennifer Guy, superintendent in Los Alamos, told the committee that an increase in the state equalization guarantee (SEG) has been largely offset in her district by enrollment declines and…

School leaders tell LESC that funding and behavioral supports, not new mandates, are priority to protect instruction

Summary

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