New Mexico to get $60M in federal grant funds to improve literacy

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico education officials announced that the state will receive nearly $60 million in federal grant funds over the next five years.

According to the New Mexico Public Education Department, the grants will go toward developing and implementing “evidence-based literacy interventions” aimed at helping students achieve key literacy milestones. 

The U.S. Department of Education awarded these funds to the state through its Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant. The state will get $11.99 million per year. However, that is contingent upon what Congress appropriates and the progress that PED makes toward performance targets outlined in the grant application.

The PED will also work the Early Childhood Education and Care Department and the Department of Higher Education to use grant funds to improve the preliteracy skills of children under age five. They will also use them to ensure more elementary, middle and high school students can meet the state’s language and literacy proficiency standards. 

The PED will distribute 95% of the grant funds to district and regional education cooperative subgrantees. The funds will go toward local infrastructure supports, materials, coaching and other activities to improve literacy outcomes, especially for children in what officials describe as the most disadvantaged parts of our state.

The remaining 5% will support salary and benefits for three full-time employees. Those employees will monitor the progress of subgrantees and support the implementation of subgrantees’ literacy plans.