Judge orders New Mexico to rewrite education plan by spring 2027
A court found the state's strategy for Native and at-risk students lacks specific steps for class sizes, teacher training, and funding.
By Paul Davidson ·
A federal judge in Albuquerque ordered New Mexico to rewrite a key part of its public education strategy on Monday.
The ruling sends the state Public Education Department back to the drawing board for the case known as Yazzie-Martinez. Two parents filed the lawsuit in 2014 to secure better schooling for students with disabilities, Native students, English learners, and low-income families. A court ruled in their favor in February 2019, requiring the state to create a remedial plan.
The state spent five years contesting that initial ruling. It then held public meetings, gathered community input, and released a nearly 200-page plan a year ago. In the spring of 2026, plaintiffs and education advocates argued that the document did not go far enough to help vulnerable students succeed in class and after graduation.
The judge found deficiencies in the state's previous submission. The court noted a lack of specific steps to address class sizes, teacher training, and evaluations. The order requires the state to submit a supplemental plan. This new document must include class size reductions, summer school programs, and extended learning opportunities. It must also detail teacher evaluations, textbook funding, teacher training, and additional services for at-risk students.
Loretta Trujillo, a plaintiff, said the state's one-size-fits-all approach is not meeting the needs of individual students. She stated that disadvantaged students have been falling behind. Trujillo argued that when the state erases student identities, young people feel like empty vessels in the classroom. She said embracing those identities would lead to higher degrees of rigor and student outcomes in a short time.
The state must deliver its supplemental plan by March 26, 2027. Plaintiffs have until April 23 to file objections. No one from the Public Education Department made themselves available for an interview. The department provided a written statement saying it views the ruling as a valuable roadmap that provides greater clarity.
The statement said the court expressed confidence that the department can complete the supplement. The department said it shares that confidence and remains fully committed to delivering an excellent education for every New Mexico student, especially those the original case was brought to serve.
