SANTA FE, N.M. – For the fifth time in just five years, a new person is taking the helm of New Mexico’s Public Education Department. But she’s not new to this administration or the work happening behind-the-scenes at the PED.

“I really am uniquely positioned in a way that no other secretary has been before,” said Mariana Padilla, the NMPED secretary-designate.  

Padilla is no stranger to New Mexico’s public education system. She was an elementary school teacher in the South Valley before joining Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s congressional team.

She eventually followed the Lujan Grisham to Santa Fe, where she served as director of the Children’s Cabinet since 2019.

“I have been one of the key people that have implemented the governor’s Cradle-to-Career education agenda in this state,” said Padilla. 

She was around for all four of the governor’s previous PED secretaries and seems to know what work needs to be done.

“I, like other parents around the state, want our children to feel good about being in school and to be engaged when they’re there,” Padilla said. 

But what does she think is the biggest challenge New Mexico’s public education system is facing right now?

“Chronic absenteeism is a big issue. It’s not just an issue in New Mexico. It’s a national issue, and it has really grown post-pandemic, our kids cannot learn and cannot improve if they’re not in the classroom every day,” said Padilla. 

Padilla noted there was a 7% improvement in attendance last school year, and she added the state is making progress on improving literacy rates.

“It’s happening, but we need to get much better about our implementation side of structured literacy, making sure that it’s being done in every single classroom and every school,” Padilla said.

Padilla is only expected to lead the department through the governor’s final two years in office. But considering she is now the fifth PED, we had to ask if she plans on sticking around.

“When I joined this administration on day one, I committed to do everything I could for the children of our state, and I committed to stay till the end, and that is what I intend to do at the Public Education Department,” said Padilla.