Ant Thornton, Senator of New Mexico, has suggested that adopting strategies similar to Mississippi's education reforms could enhance student outcomes in a state currently ranked last nationally. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"We discuss the importance of improving New Mexico's education system, which is currently ranked 50th in the nation," said Anthony L. Thornton, New Mexico State Senator from 198th District (R). "We highlight the success of Mississippi's education reforms, which have led to significant improvements in reading and math performance. We propose adopting a similar model in New Mexico. This includes implementing strong phonics-based instruction, a third-grade reading gate, and regular reading screenings to identify and support struggling students."
New Mexico's public education system has consistently been at the bottom of national rankings. According to AP News in June 2024, ongoing policy debates focus on reforming school calendars, expanding early childhood programs, and meeting court-ordered mandates to improve outcomes for underserved students, particularly Native Americans.
The 2024 KIDS COUNT Data Book and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that New Mexico ranks 50th nationwide for both reading and math proficiency. Specifically, 87% of eighth graders are not proficient in math, and 79% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, figures that fall significantly below national averages.
Mississippi's Literacy-Based Promotion Act has resulted in the state achieving the largest growth in NAEP reading and math scores between 2013 and 2024. As reported by the Arkansas Advocate, Mississippi moved from near the bottom to leading the nation in fourth-grade gains.
Thornton is a Republican New Mexico state senator representing District 19 since January 2025. He previously worked for 27 years as an aerospace engineer at Sandia National Labs and was also the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022, according to his Wikipedia profile.
