New Mexico voters strongly support the expansion of public charter schools and believe parents should have access to more high-quality public school options, in general, for their kids. Voters also say — with definitive intensity — that policymakers’ top priorities should be preparing students for jobs/careers and improving academic performance in core subjects like reading and math. In fact, voters’ top two education policies BOTH relate to improving literacy, including requiring reading to be taught using the same methods and strategies that have dramatically lifted literacy rates in other states (Mississippi, Louisiana, and elsewhere) and requiring the use of reading improvement plans and focused tutoring for struggling readers (along with additional parental notification and engagement).
The results are according to a recent statewide survey of New Mexicans that was conducted by Research & Polling Inc. and commissioned by the Chamber and several partner organizations working to ensure every New Mexico child is able to receive a high-quality education.
According to the survey, voters support the expansion of public school choice, especially in the form of charter schools, which are open and accessible to all students. They also support the equitable funding of all public schools.
- More than seven in 10 voters support New Mexico continuing to develop and open more public charter schools, compared to just 15% of voters who are opposed.
- More than two-thirds of voters believe public charter schools help improve public education in New Mexico, compared to just 17% who disagree.
- Sixty-five percent of voters believe state policymakers should assign a high priority to “providing parents more public school choices in their communities, including charter schools, magnet schools or tribal compact schools,” compared to just 13% of voters who believe this should be a low priority.
- Seventy-nine percent of voters support a state policy requiring equal state funding to be provided for all public school students, regardless of whether they attend a public charter school or district school.
New Mexico voters believe public education is on the wrong track and assign the greatest share of responsibility to state-level policymakers.
- Sixty-one percent of New Mexico voters believe public education in New Mexico is “off-track,” including nearly half of Democrats, more than 60% of Independents, and more than 80% of Republicans. Just 24% of voters believe public education is headed in the right direction.
- Of those who believe education is “off-track,” nearly three-quarters assign responsibility to state policy leaders, like the governor and Legislature. Voters are prone to assign the next highest level of responsibility to district superintendents and school boards, followed by parents.
New Mexico voters strongly believe our education system should focus on (a) preparing students for jobs/careers and (b) improving academic performance in subjects like reading and math.
- More than 90% of New Mexico voters identified these two objectives – career-based learning and academic training in reading and math – as high priorities for our education system.
- The next highest-supported objectives for the education system were providing tutoring for struggling readers and improving school safety.
New Mexico voters support aggressive state policies to improve student literacy, including requiring reading improvement plans for struggling readers and adopting national best practices for literacy instruction that have produced big upticks in early literacy in other states, like Mississippi, Louisiana and elsewhere.
- When asked about various education policies, the two policies most supported by voters dealt with improving early literacy: (1) requiring schools to notify parents if their child is struggling to read and placing these students on reading improvement plans – 94% support, and (2) requiring schools to teach literacy using the same national best practices that have resulted in improved student literacy in other states – 83% support. Fewer than 4% of voters oppose either measure.
Other policies widely supported by voters, though with less intensity, include:
- Rewarding high-performing public schools with additional state funding to further grow their academic programs (73% support, 9% oppose)
- Providing a tax credit to people who donate to organizations that provide scholarships to low-income families for things like tutoring, school tuition, etc. (68% support, 10% oppose)
- Banning cell phones during the day at school (60% support, 16% oppose)
The Chamber is particularly pleased that the business community’s education priorities — expanding high-quality charter schools, adopting bold and proven policies to dramatically improve early literacy, and reforming the school experience to better prepare students for careers — are in lockstep with what voters across New Mexico are calling for. Education is one of the Chamber’s top three issues on its annual policy agenda.
“For many children, public charter schools represent a lifeline to a better education and brighter future, and sadly, too many families who would like to attend a public charter school find themselves on long waiting lists,” said Chamber President and CEO Terri Cole. “We need to meet this demand. Great charter schools have inspiring leaders who set high-achieving cultures and get tremendous results for their students; where this occurs, we should absolutely ensure they can serve more students.”
“And we know reading is the foundation for ALL learning. Right now, certain states have prioritized the proper instruction of reading and are moving heaven and earth to ensure no child is able to fall behind and stay behind. These states are rocketing up the national rankings in literacy; it’s a playbook we need to fully run in New Mexico for the sake of every student and family,” concluded Cole.