Unanimous legislative support advances evidence-based literacy and math policies

SANTA FE, N.M – In the final days of the 2026 New Mexico Legislative Session, lawmakers passed two major bipartisan education bills, Senate Bill 37: the High-Quality Literacy Instruction Act, and Senate Bill 29: Math Requirements for Teaching License, sending both measures to the Governor’s desk.

“With the passage of Senate Bills 29 and 37, New Mexico joins a growing number of states taking meaningful steps to systematically improve reading and math outcomes for every student in every school and district,” said Amanda Aragon, Executive Director of NewMexicoKidsCAN. “Now, our focus must shift to strong implementation, so that every student benefits from high-quality instruction, and every parent receives clear, timely information about their child’s progress.”

With strong bipartisan support, these policies represent a meaningful step forward in improving literacy and math outcomes for New Mexico students. Both bills received unanimous support in the New Mexico Senate. In the House, SB 37 passed unanimously (64–0), while SB 29 received just one “no” vote in House Education before passing the full House unanimously (61–0).

Senate Bill 37, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-17), Representative Joy Garratt (D-29), and Representative Catherine Cullen (R-57), builds on recent literacy policy gains by strengthening early intervention and improving classroom instruction statewide. The bill:

• Ensures parents are notified when their child is struggling with reading
• Requires individualized reading improvement plans for students in need
• Supports educators through high-quality instructional materials
• Expands ongoing teacher training and coaching aligned to the science of reading

The advancement of Senate Bill 37 also follows recent increases in reading proficiency across New Mexico. Reading proficiency has climbed from 36% in 2022 to 39% in 2023, and now stands at 44% in 2025. In grades 3–8, every Yazzie-Martinez subgroup saw improvement since 2022, with all students increasing by 9.8% overall. Additionally, 72% of schools improved their reading scores from 2024 to 2025 in grades 3–8.

Beginning with Senate Bill 398 (2019), this progress reflects years of work to implement evidence-based literacy instruction statewide. These efforts include providing LETRS training for educators, deploying literacy coaches across the state, creating a statewide summer reading program, and aligning teacher licensure exams with Science of Reading principles.

Senate Bill 29, sponsored by Senator William Soules (D-37), Representative Debra Sariñana (D-21), and Representative Catherine Cullen (R-57), strengthens math instruction and teacher preparation across the state. The bill:

• Establishes clear standards for math instruction
• Improves early identification of students with math difficulties
• Ensures students receive targeted, timely support
• Notifies parents when their child is struggling with math
• Strengthens teacher preparation to equip educators with the tools needed for effective math instruction

Both bills incorporate evidence-based strategies that have led to significant improvements in student outcomes in states such as Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

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About NewMexicoKidsCAN: Launched in 2018, NewMexicoKidsCAN is a local non-profit organization that advocates for community-informed, student-centered and research-backed education policies. Connecting policy, instructional practice and politics the organization works to reimagine what is possible in New Mexico’s public education system to ensure New Mexico students become the future community, civic and business leaders New Mexico needs.