Paul Gessing, President of the Rio Grande Foundation, said in a podcast with the New Mexico SunCast that New Mexico's substantial education spending has not resulted in improved student performance. He highlighted the state's low rankings in reading and math.
"We are spending way too much money in New Mexico to get the results that we are," said Paul Guessing. "It's not about more money, it's about fundamentally changing how we educate our kids."
According to the podcast, New Mexico lacks a universal school choice program, placing it behind 15 states that allow education dollars to follow students. While reform models like Mississippi’s have shown success through early reading and phonics instruction, New Mexico has yet to adopt these strategies at scale. Efforts to introduce change are often blocked by powerful teachers’ unions and entrenched interests resistant to accountability.
AP News reports that in April 2025, a New Mexico judge reiterated the state's responsibility to address long-standing inequities in its education system, particularly for Native American and other at-risk student groups. This action builds on the 2018 Yazzie-Martinez decision, which found that New Mexico had failed its constitutional duty to provide all students with an adequate education. Despite a 62% increase in K-12 spending since 2016, significant educational disparities remain, prompting judicial oversight and a court-mandated improvement plan.
As reported by Newsweek, New Mexico ranks last among all U.S. states in both fourth-grade and eighth-grade math and reading scores. The state’s students scored 16 points below the national average, indicating ongoing underperformance despite significant investments in public education. These poor outcomes illustrate the disconnect between funding levels and academic achievement, a major concern for education reform advocates.
Gessing has served as President of the Rio Grande Foundation since 2006, advocating for limited government and individual liberty in areas such as taxation, education, and healthcare. He previously led lobbying efforts for the National Taxpayers Union and has been widely published in major national and local outlets.
