Federal funding freeze could impact these jobs and services provided by New Mexico schools

At the beginning of the month, almost $7 billion in federal funding that supports a range of public K-12 programs at schools across the country was withheld — with minimal warning and little explanation.

The impacts it could have on New Mexico aren’t entirely clear, as the Public Education Department, which falls under Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s purview, could not provide an amount of funding that would be affected. PED spokesperson Janelle García said it was “too early to determine the full impact of the proposed federal actions.”

But a couple of districts have figured out what impact the proposed cuts could have on them.

For Albuquerque Public Schools, the withheld funding leaves a shortfall of almost $12 million, while Santa Fe Public Schools is bracing for a $1.87 million hit.

The two districts say the proposed cuts will affect English language learner programs, immigrant student support systems and after-school programs and put jobs at risk — scores of positions at APS and several at SFPS.

Rio Rancho Public Schools — the district representing the state’s third-largest city — did not respond to a request for comment. In the second-largest city, Las Cruces Public Schools’ spokesperson Kelly Jameson said the district was “unsure how these proposed freezes will impact” them and was “continuing to monitor the situation, with regular communication with our local legislators.”

“It’s disappointing but, sadly, not surprising that the Trump administration is targeting public education funding. New Mexicans can rest assured that Gov. Lujan Grisham will fight for the federal education funding our state deserves,” Michael Coleman, spokesperson for the Governor’s Office, said in a statement last week.

The funding freeze appears to mark the latest chapter in ongoing cuts to public education by the Trump administration that began with the dismantling of the Department of Education via an executive order in March. The Department of Education directed the Journal’s questions to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not respond.

“What we’re doing right now is we’re really communicating with our school districts and charter schools, really understanding, What does this loss mean to you? What does this look like in terms of serving our students, like our English language learner students? What does this mean in terms of staffing in schools? We’re working with them on all of that,” PED Secretary Mariana Padilla said in an interview Wednesday.

APS said that, as of Wednesday, neither its finance director nor head of federal and state programs had heard from PED about how the cuts would affect them and what could be done to remedy the issues or plug funding holes. District spokesperson Phill Casaus said he was confident that discussions with the department would happen.

“This is impacting us and the services we can provide to our students who need it the most,” Martin Salazar, another APS spokesperson, said in a statement. “The decision to withhold that funding is forcing us to put a hold on expenditures and notify employees while we look for reserves to help us.”

He added that the $12 million at risk for the district includes funding from Title II, Title III and Title IV grants and the impacts could be “everything from providing services to English language learners and newcomer students to paying for a number of positions, including resource teachers and some counselors and nurses.”

The district stated that the potential funding loss puts 60 full-time positions at risk.

The impacts could be similar in Santa Fe. SFPS outlined five areas in which the funding freeze will be felt: after-school programs, which might take a $902,891 hit; teacher development, where $431,176 is at stake; restorative justice and summer programs, where $185,702 could be lost; English learner support, where $296,793 could be slashed; and immigrant student support, which stands to lose $50,000.

“When staff reached out to PED, the Title IV Bureau communicated that as of early last week, PED was in the process of sending communication to districts and charters. So far, we have not received any updates,” SFPS spokesperson Tara Melton said in a statement.

Seven full-time positions “may need to be reassigned or absorbed,” according to a news release from SFPS.

“While the delay in federal funding poses real challenges to the programs that support our students and staff, I remain hopeful,” incoming SFPS Superintendent Christine Griffin said in a statement. “Santa Fe Public Schools is a resilient and resourceful community, and we will work together to find creative solutions as we navigate this period of uncertainty.”

The state’s education department and districts are bracing for the impact of the possible funding loss, but some see the funding freeze as an opportunity to increase funding for students in private schools.

“As a former educator, I’ve always believed that families — not bureaucracies — know what’s best for their children,” Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, New Mexico often excludes nonpublic students from state-funded educational opportunities. I hope this inclusive federal funding continues, because every child deserves access to high-quality learning and enrichment — no matter where they go to school.”

If the funding freeze sticks, it is likely to draw the ire of New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who has joined other Democratic AGs in a number of lawsuits against the Trump administration.

“The New Mexico Department of Justice is preparing aggressive legal action to protect our students,” Torrez’s chief of staff Lauren Rodriguez said, confirming the AG was eyeing a lawsuit on the issue.