ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New data is reportedly painting two different pictures of child poverty in New Mexico, showing mixed results regarding progress in our state.

According to the federal poverty measure, more than a quarter of the state’s children live in poverty – one of the highest rates in the U.S.

However, New Mexico Voices for Children officials said that data has flaws since it hasn’t considered consumer spending changes since the 1960s.

Measuring by another standard, the supplemental poverty measure, less than 9% of our children live in poverty – below the national average.

“If we want to look at how well are we moving the needle, based on some of the policies we do have in place to try to alleviate poverty’s immediate impacts, we want to look at the supplemental poverty measure,” said Emily Wildau, a senior research and policy analyst and KIDS COUNT coordinator who works with New Mexico Voices for Children.

The organization credited things like refundable tax credits and early childhood education support as making a difference in the poverty rates.