04-07-2025
How could New Mexico schools be impacted by withholding of federal funds?
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – It was stunning news for state public education agencies across the country. The day before federal funds, approved by Congress, were supposed to be distributed, the Trump Administration sent an email saying they're reviewing the nearly $7 billion in funds and freezing that money during the review.
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'They didn't give states a lot of indication of what they're reviewing or why they're reviewing them, only that they were going to take a look at these,' said John Sena, Director of Legislative Education Study Committee, to lawmakers on Wednesday.
There are still a lot of questions about what is going on at the federal level, but during an interim committee hearing on Wednesday, a group of lawmakers learned what the potential impact could be on New Mexico Schools.
Lawmakers learned the money being withheld is used for five main categories: migrant education, professional development for teachers, English acquisition learners, who account for about 18.8% of New Mexico students, support to schools that are struggling, and after-school programs.
Early numbers presented at the hearing show about $18 million would be withheld from professional development for teachers and $10 million for after-school programs. Among all five categories, the withheld funds total to about $44 million and would impact about 185 staffing positions in the Public Education Department and local school agencies.
Sena also said the cuts could impact how New Mexico meets requirements in the Yazzie-Martinez settlement. 'Other than those, most of those federal grants that we normally receive, the [Department of Education] has received notification that they will get those grants. They haven't seen huge fluctuations in those grants from previous years,' Sena told lawmakers.
The Trump administration is also considering consolidating 18 grants into one block grant. 'And would both mean a reduction in $3.8 billion in total funding, but would also then leave it up to states how they spend whatever allocation they get,' said Sena.
Sena said his team is also working with the New Mexico Public Education Department to see how the impounded funding will impact each district individually. KRQE News 13 reached out to NMPED for comment, and a spokesperson said they are still trying to get more information on the impounded funds.
Sena also warned lawmakers that the changes that could be coming to Medicaid could impact New Mexico schools, saying if eligibility is changed, the state might be on the hook to pay more to keep lunches free for all New Mexico students.
'It's disappointing but, sadly, not surprising that the Trump Administration is targeting public education funding. New Mexicans can rest assured that Gov. Lujan Grisham will fight for the federal education funding our state deserves,' said Michael Coleman, Communications Director for Office of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in an emailed statement to News 13.
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