Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) wants public school staff to focus more of their efforts to educate the future generations of New Mexicans and less on time-consuming paperwork.
Lujan Grisham signed an executive order on May 23, which will reduce reporting requirements to the New Mexico Public Education Department by about 25%.
"Our kids should be the focus of everything we do at New Mexico schools, and teachers and administrators did not choose these professions to spend their days filling out paperwork," Lujan Grisham said in a press release from her office. "While we need robust data reporting and collection to track our students' progress, we have a responsibility to streamline those requirements and ensure they are not overly burdensome. I hope this executive order has education professionals breathing a sigh of relief today."
The New Mexico Public Education Department will have to act fast, since the order requires the reduction in paperwork by the beginning of next school year in August.
The executive order aims to reduce both program reports and data collection requirements. It also "urges improved efficiencies and customer service in financial practices and educator licensure."
The New Mexico Public Education Department will look into the effects of these changes and use what they've learned to pinpoint additional changes needed for the 2023-2024 school year.