Editing New Mexico (section)

==Education==

[[File:ApodacaBuildingNMEd.JPG|thumb|The [[New Mexico Public Education Department]] is in Santa Fe.]]

Due to its relatively low population and numerous federally funded research facilities, New Mexico had the highest concentration of PhD holders of any state in 2000.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/silicon_pr.html |title=Venture Capitals |magazine=Wired |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313074736/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/silicon_pr.html |archive-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |last1=Hillner |first1=Jennifer }}</ref> [[Los Alamos County, New Mexico|Los Alamos County]], which hosts the [[Los Alamos National Laboratory|eponymous national laboratory]], leads the state in the most post-secondary degree holders, at 38.7% of residents, or 4,899 of 17,950.<ref>{{cite web|title=County Data |website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM|url=http://bber.unm.edu/county-profiles|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301064026/http://bber.unm.edu/county-profiles|archive-date=March 1, 2016|access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref> However, New Mexico routinely ranks near the bottom in studies measuring the quality of primary and secondary school education.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/wallethub-education-rankings_n_5648067.html| title=These Are The States With The Best And Worst School Systems, According To New Rankings| date=August 4, 2014| work=Huffington Post| access-date=November 22, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123031054/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/wallethub-education-rankings_n_5648067.html| archive-date=November 23, 2015| url-status=live}}</ref>

By national standards, New Mexico has one of the highest concentrations of persons who did not finish high school or have some college education, albeit by a low margin: Slightly more than 14% of residents did not have a high school diploma, compared to the national rate of 11.4%, the fifth lowest out of 52 U.S. states and territories. Almost a quarter of people over 25 (23.9%) did not complete college,<ref name="bber.unm.edu"/> compared with 21% nationally.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://bber.unm.edu/data
| title = Data |website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM
| access-date = February 28, 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160228150856/http://bber.unm.edu/data
| archive-date = February 28, 2016
| url-status = live
}}</ref> New Mexico ranks among the bottom ten states in the proportion of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher (27.7%), but 21st in PhD earners (12.2%); the national average is 33.1% and 12.8%, respectively. In 2020, the number of doctorate recipients was 300, placing the state 34th in the nation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Number of doctorate recipients in the U.S. by state 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/240173/top-us-doctorate-granting-states/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=January 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125044431/https://www.statista.com/statistics/240173/top-us-doctorate-granting-states/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, a state judge issued a landmark ruling that "New Mexico is violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide them with sufficient education", in particularly those with indigenous, non-English-speaking, and low-income backgrounds.<ref name="Mckay-2018">{{cite news |last1=Mckay|first1=Dan|last2=Perea|first2=Shelby|title=New Mexico loses education lawsuit|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1199185/nm-loses-landmark-education-case-ordered-to-provide-adequate-funding.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111175424/https://www.abqjournal.com/1199185/nm-loses-landmark-education-case-ordered-to-provide-adequate-funding.html|archive-date=January 11, 2019|access-date=January 11, 2019 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |date=July 21, 2018}}</ref> The court ordered the governor and legislature to provide an adequate system by April 2019;<ref>{{cite web|title=Martinez v. New Mexico, consolidated with Yazzie v. New Mexico|url=http://nmpovertylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Courts-Findings-of-Fact-and-Conclusions-of-Law-2018-12-20.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111121734/http://nmpovertylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Courts-Findings-of-Fact-and-Conclusions-of-Law-2018-12-20.pdf|archive-date=January 11, 2019|access-date=January 11, 2019|website=nmpovertylaw.org|publisher=State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District Court}}</ref> in response, New Mexico increased teacher salaries, funded an extended school year, expanded prekindergarten childhood education programs, and developed a budget formula for delivering more funding to schools that serve at-risk and low-income students.<ref name="McKay-2021">{{Cite news|title=Native leader blasts NM's response to education lawsuit » Albuquerque Journal|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2412541/native-leader-blasts-nms-response-to-education-lawsuit.html?amp=1|access-date=2021-07-25|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|date=July 23, 2021|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725162659/https://www.abqjournal.com/2412541/native-leader-blasts-nms-response-to-education-lawsuit.html?amp=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, many activists and public officials contend that these efforts continue to fall short, particularly with respect to Native American schools and students.<ref name="McKay-2021" />

===Primary and secondary education===
{{See also|List of school districts in New Mexico|List of high schools in New Mexico}}
The [[New Mexico Public Education Department]] oversees the operation of primary and secondary schools; individual school districts directly operate and staff said schools.

In January 2022, New Mexico became the first state in the U.S. to recruit national guardsmen and state workers to serve as substitute teachers due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 19, 2022|title=New Mexico asks Guard to sub for sick teachers amid omicron|url=https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-mexico-michelle-lujan-grisham-teaching-eaa5e804bc4f3c98efc0c8b14f2fb94e|access-date=2022-01-26|website=AP News|language=en|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126152419/https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-mexico-michelle-lujan-grisham-teaching-eaa5e804bc4f3c98efc0c8b14f2fb94e|url-status=live}}</ref> Partly in response to pandemic-related shortages, on March 1, 2022, Governor Grisham signed into law four bills to increase the salaries and benefits of teachers and other school staff, particularly in entry-level positions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Mexico governor signs education bills, raises teacher minimum salaries by $10K |url=https://news.yahoo.com/mexico-governor-signs-education-bills-000416719.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=news.yahoo.com |date=March 2, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407204519/https://news.yahoo.com/mexico-governor-signs-education-bills-000416719.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Postsecondary education===
{{See also|List of colleges and universities in New Mexico}}
[[File:Nm-public-schools-map.jpg|thumb|400x400px|Public New Mexico colleges and universities. New Mexico Higher Education Department.]]
New Mexico has 41 accredited, degree-granting institutions; twelve are private and 29 are state-funded, including four tribal colleges.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Mexico Map of Colleges and Universities |website=NM Higher Education Department |url=https://hed.state.nm.us/students-parents/find-a-college/nm-map |access-date=2022-04-07 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320161844/https://hed.state.nm.us/students-parents/find-a-college/nm-map |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Private Post-Secondary School Directory |website=NM Higher Education Department |url=https://hed.state.nm.us/resources-for-schools/private-post-secondary-schools/private-post-secondary-school-directory |access-date=2022-04-07 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320102608/https://hed.state.nm.us/resources-for-schools/private-post-secondary-schools/private-post-secondary-school-directory |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Best Colleges in New Mexico|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/nm|website=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=August 11, 2021|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811224540/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/nm|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, select students can attend certain institutions in Colorado, at in-state tuition rates, pursuant to a reciprocity program between the two states.<ref>[https://registrar.unm.edu/forms/nmcrpa.pdf ''New Mexico–Colorado Tuition Reciprocity Agreement''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017030507/https://registrar.unm.edu/forms/nmcrpa.pdf |date=October 17, 2021 }} UNM Office of Admissions and Recruitment</ref>

Graduates of four-year colleges in New Mexico have some of the lowest student debt burdens in the U.S.; the class of 2017 owed an average of $21,237 compared with a national average of $28,650, according to the [[The Institute for College Access and Success|Institute for College Access & Success]].<ref name="Romero-2019">{{Cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Simon |last2=Goldstein |first2=Dana |date=September 18, 2019 |title=New Mexico Announces Plan for Free College for State Residents |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/new-mexico-free-college-tuition.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407204451/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/new-mexico-free-college-tuition.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

New Mexico ranked 13th in the 2022 Social Mobility Index (SMI), which measures the extent to which economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) have access to colleges and universities with lower tuition and indebtedness and higher job prospects.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=CollegeNET |last2=CollegeNET |title=Social Mobility Index College Rankings by CollegeNET |url=http://www.socialmobilityindex.org/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=www.socialmobilityindex.org |language=en |archive-date=October 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012082350/https://www.socialmobilityindex.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Major flagship (R1) universities ====
* [[University of New Mexico|University of New Mexico at Albuquerque]]
* [[New Mexico State University|New Mexico State University at Las Cruces]]

====Regional state universities====
* [[New Mexico Tech|New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology at Socorro]] 
* [[Eastern New Mexico University|Eastern New Mexico University at Portales]]
* [[New Mexico Highlands University|New Mexico Highlands University at Las Vegas]]
* [[Western New Mexico University|Western New Mexico University at Silver City]]

====Lottery scholarship====

New Mexico is one of eight states that fund college scholarships through the state [[lottery]].<ref>{{cite web |title=A Comparison of States' Lottery Scholarship Programs |url=https://thec.ppr.tn.gov/THECSIS/Lottery/pdfs/SpecialReports/A%20Comparison%20of%20States'%20Lottery%20Scholarship%20Programs%20120717.pdf |website=tn.gov/thec |publisher=Tennessee Higher Education Commission |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113061111/https://thec.ppr.tn.gov/THECSIS/Lottery/pdfs/SpecialReports/A%20Comparison%20of%20States%27%20Lottery%20Scholarship%20Programs%20120717.pdf |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bryan-2018b">{{cite news |last1=Montoya Bryan |first1=Susan |title=Falling lottery sales pinch college scholarships in 8 states{{snd}}The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/03/02/falling-lottery-sales-pinch-college-scholarships-states/dQJQCVq9ulGtn2orSu29nI/story.html |work=The Boston Globe |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144226/https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/03/02/falling-lottery-sales-pinch-college-scholarships-states/dQJQCVq9ulGtn2orSu29nI/story.html |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Peterson-2019">{{cite web |last1=Peterson |first1=Deb |title=Which States Have Lottery Scholarships |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/which-states-have-lottery-scholarships-31569 |website=ThoughtCo. |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627115730/https://www.thoughtco.com/which-states-have-lottery-scholarships-31569 |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The state requires that the [[New Mexico Lottery|lottery]] put 30% of its gross sales into the scholarship fund.<ref>{{cite news |author= Jessica Dyer |title= NM lottery scholarships to get big increase |url= https://www.abqjournal.com/1173844/nm-lottery-scholarship-gets-boost-for-2018-19.html |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |date= May 18, 2018 |access-date= June 27, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180627115723/https://www.abqjournal.com/1173844/nm-lottery-scholarship-gets-boost-for-2018-19.html |archive-date= June 27, 2018 |url-status= live }}</ref>
The scholarship is available to residents who graduated from a state high school, and attend a state university full-time while maintaining a 2.5 GPA or higher.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legislative Lottery Scholarship Program |url=http://www.hed.state.nm.us/students/lotteryscholarship.aspx |website=www.hed.state.nm.us |publisher=New Mexico Higher Education Department |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144328/http://www.hed.state.nm.us/students/lotteryscholarship.aspx |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> It covered 100% of tuition when it was first instated in 1996,<ref name="Bryan-2018a">{{cite news |last1=Montoya Bryan |first1=Susan |title=Changes made in lottery scholarship system |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1143417/new-mexico-changes-system-for-state-lottery-scholarships.html |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627115725/https://www.abqjournal.com/1143417/new-mexico-changes-system-for-state-lottery-scholarships.html |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> decreased to 90%, then dropped to 60% in 2017.<ref name="Bryan-2018b" /> The value slightly increased in 2018, and new legislation was passed to outline what funds are available per type of institution.<ref name="Bryan-2018a" />

==== Opportunity scholarship ====
In September 2019, New Mexico announced a plan to make tuition at its public colleges and universities free for all state residents, regardless of family income.<ref name="Romero-2019"/> The proposal was described as going further than any other existing state or federal plan or program at the time.<ref name="Romero-2019" /> In March 2022, New Mexico became the first state to offer free college tuition for all residents, after the legislature passed a bipartisan bill allocating almost 1 percent of the state budget toward covering tuition and fees at all 29 public colleges, universities, community colleges, and tribal colleges.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |last=Romero |first=Simon |date=March 31, 2022 |title=What if College Were Free? This State Is Trying to Find Out. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/us/new-mexico-free-college.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407204520/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/us/new-mexico-free-college.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The program, which takes effect July 1, 2022, is described as among the most ambitious and generous in the country, as it is available to all residents regardless of income, work status, or legal status, and is provided without taking into account other scholarships and sources of financial aid.<ref name="auto1"/>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="140" caption="Four campus libraries" style="line-height:130%">
Unm zimmermanlibrary.jpg|Zimmerman Library at The University of New Mexico
NMSU Zuhl 2008.JPG|Zuhl Library at New Mexico State University
Walkway outside Golden Library, NMU.jpg|Walkway outside Golden Library at Eastern New Mexico University
donnelly library.jpg|Donnelly Library at New Mexico Highlands University
</gallery>