NM schools still last, but state Senate panel votes to keep governor in charge

A long-running effort to overhaul how New Mexico oversees its public schools came to an abrupt halt this week, leaving the governor with even greater control over an education system that continues to rank last in the nation — behind all 50 states and the District of Columbia — according to multiple respected national rankings.

The Senate Education Committee voted 6–2 on Wednesday to reject Senate Joint Resolution 3, sponsored by Sen. Bill Soules, D–Las Cruces. The proposal would have shifted authority away from a governor-appointed Cabinet secretary and restored oversight to an appointed state school board and superintendent.

Soules framed the resolution as an attempt to bring continuity and insulation from political swings, arguing it would stabilize education governance “regardless of which party is in power.” His push comes after years of rapid turnover at the Public Education Department (PED) under Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham — a pattern critics say has produced more disruption than reform.

With Lujan Grisham now entering the final year of her second term, the defeat of SJR 3 ensures that sweeping authority over education policy will remain concentrated in the executive branch, allowing the next governor to inherit the same centralized power structure despite decades of poor outcomes.

The chilly reception marked a reversal from last year, when a similar proposal cleared the same committee by a 7–2 vote before ultimately stalling. New Mexico operated under a school board and superintendent model until 2003, when then-Gov. Bill Richardson moved PED under the governor’s direct control through a Cabinet secretary. The change was billed as a way to improve accountability, but critics argue it has instead tied education policy to political cycles while student performance has continued to lag.

Only one senator besides Soules backed the resolution in committee. Sen. Gabriel Ramos, R–Silver City, said the current structure gives too much unchecked authority to whoever occupies the governor’s office.

“It alleviates the demanding spirit of whoever the governor is at that time,” Ramos said. “I think we need to do things differently.”

Opposition came not only from Democrats on the committee but also from the Public Education Department itself. Greg Frostad, PED’s assistant secretary for policy and technology, testified against the measure, warning it would “add to the bureaucracy” and weaken accountability by eliminating a single, centralized leader.

Soules countered that details of board appointments could only be finalized after lawmakers approved the resolution and voters passed a constitutional amendment. He outlined a potential framework that included representation from the governor, legislative leaders of both parties, teachers unions, Indigenous tribes, and the New Mexico School Superintendents Association.

Even so, several Democrats raised conflicting objections — some worrying the governor would still wield too much influence, others arguing the change would “hamstring” future governors. Cindy Nava, D–Bernalillo, acknowledged the instability caused by frequent secretary turnover but said she did not want to “punish future governors” by limiting their control.

Meanwhile, Sen. Ant Thornton, R–Sandia Park, voiced concern the overhaul could disrupt recent reforms, noting, “Not that PED has a good record based on the history of where we are right now,” but arguing the committee was beginning to steer the department “in the right direction.”

With SJR 3 defeated, that direction remains firmly under gubernatorial authority — a reality that persists even as New Mexico’s education system continues to post some of the worst outcomes in the country.