CENTER FOR LAW AND POVERTY NEWS RELEASE
Community expertise, cultural relevance, and funding equity will guide accountability, with findings shared in a November 21 report-back session.
On Wednesday, November 5, education experts—including community leaders, families, educators, and advocates—gathered at the New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) to share early reactions to the Public Education Department’s newly filed Final Action Plan under the Yazzie/Martinez ruling. Speakers emphasized that the plan must be measured by whether it truly meets students’ needs, as defined by the communities themselves. Plaintiffs, students, educators, and community organizations (including NMBLC, NMCLP, Transform Education NM, Tribal Education Alliance, SWOP, and Disability Rights New Mexico) joined to outline community-driven expectations for meaningful, equitable education.
The first draft came 2,633 days after the ruling. Using available data and conservative estimates, roughly 232,000 students have been impacted by the same broken system since 2018.
“I like learning, but sometimes school doesn’t feel fair. There’s too much testing, and sometimes teachers say things that don’t feel good. I just want more teachers who look like me and understand Native kids like me.” said Oktosha Thompson, a 4th grade APS student. “ I want school to be a place where all kids feel safe and proud of who they are.”
“As a parent, I’ve seen my children’s potential, gifts, dreams, and love of learning firsthand, and it breaks my heart when schools aren’t set up to acknowledge their gifts and support them,” added Wilhelmina Yazzie, parent and lead plaintiff. “Our children deserve classrooms where their culture, their language, and their potential are honored every single day, and are wholeheartedly welcomed no matter their background. This plan is our roadmap, a critical component to our children’s future — it must actually guide schools to give every child the support, resources, and guidance they deserve. We can’t afford half-measures or delays, and we are done with excuses; our kids’ education and their future are at stake.”
Community priorities highlighted include culturally relevant curriculum, transparent and equitable school funding, increased school-based supports (counselors, nurses, social workers), stronger resources for multilingual learners and students with disabilities, and investments to recruit and retain teachers of color. Documented in reports like the NMBLC’s Listening, Learning & Leading Forward, these priorities provide a clear benchmark for success — and what the state must act on immediately.
“We all share the same dream: that every child in New Mexico learns in schools where their identity is celebrated,” said Loretta Trujillo, Executive Director, Transform Education NM. “But dreams alone won’t get us there. Real change means standing together, demanding reform, and holding systems accountable. Some proposals in the Final Yazzie/Martinez Action Plan use the language of equity—but keep control and resources where they’ve always been. That’s not transformation; that’s the status quo with a new label. Today is about dreaming boldly, designing with intention, and delivering the change our students are owed and deserve.”
“Across New Mexico, teachers and community schools are making learning come alive — from environmental and land-based education to farm-to-classroom programs — even without the support and resources they need from the system,” Travis McKenzie, teacher, Polk Middle School. “But the truth is, doing this work without proper supplies, staffing, and guidance has real consequences for students and us. Our communities are ready to lead, to partner, and to build the schools our kids deserve. We shouldn’t have to wait another day.”
Voices from the representatives of each of the five student groups at the center of the ruling:
Laurel Nesbitt, Senior Attorney, Disability Rights New Mexico, highlighted a pressing issue raised repeatedly in community feedback: the need for comprehensive, statewide behavior supports that keep students with disabilities in school and prevent exclusionary discipline. “Students with disabilities and students of color are too often removed from classrooms and schools altogether when the behavioral supports they need aren’t in place,” Nesbitt said. “For these efforts to truly make a difference, training must be required for all school staff—and it must be grounded in evidence-based expertise, so every student can learn safely and fully participate in their education.”
Regis Pecos, Chair, Tribal Education Alliance, stressed what’s at stake for Native families and tribal communities:
“The failure of education in our beautiful state is clear. Generations of our families have been made to feel unworthy for who they are. For Native students, education is not just academics—it’s about preserving our languages, traditions, and ways of knowing. Our elders teach us that when we lose language, our culture will die. Which is why schools must be places where Native students are seen, supported, and empowered, with the resources and guidance to fully realize their potential. We won’t settle for pushback or half-measures, when we should be celebrating and working collaboratively to uphold the laws envisioned by our elders over half a century ago. We will not accept a plan that fails our children—backing down now would define the kind of future we leave for them. Every day without real change is another generation denied the education they deserve. The plan must reflect our most precious aspirations for our sacred children, who deserve to inherit all that defines us and all that New Mexico has to offer. Today marks the next step. We’ve won in court and policy, but the moral fight is ongoing—and we are all stakeholders in it.”
George Lujan, Executive Director, SouthWest Organizing Project, emphasized accountability for student success: “We engage with thousands of students every year through our programs–from school gardens and environmental initiatives to youth organizing and leadership development. Despite inaction at the state level, it’s been inspiring to witness and take part in communities developing their own solutions at the local and school levels.” said George. “There’s so much untapped potential and brilliance within our communities. From creating culturally and linguistically responsive curricula to building homegrown teacher pipelines and integrating Indigenous teaching methods, we see every day just how innovative and capable New Mexico’s students are. Our responsibility now is to push the state to match that same energy and commitment. When we visit schools like Polk Middle, Dolores Gonzales Elementary, and Raíces del Saber: Xinachtli Community School, we commend them for the work they’re leading for Yazzie/Martinez students. Thankfully, these schools aren’t waiting for state leadership to act–they’re already demonstrating what real, solution-oriented progress looks like.”
Representative Anyanonu, HB 19, spoke to systemic inequities faced by generations of Black families:
“The work is not finished for Black students or other students of color across our state. Too often, Black students experience lower expectations, harsher discipline, and fewer opportunities for advanced course work and enrichment. Despite this being the case, there was nothing in the PED’s 196 page Final Action Plan that specifically addresses the needs of African American students or their struggles,” said. Rep. Anyanonu. “In HD19, the most diverse district in New Mexico, we daily see how race, language, disability, and poverty intersect. Together, we must continue to forcefully advocate for these students and make sure they are not overlooked. This Action Plan must drive budgets, policy, and every day decisions–from Albuquerque’s International District to the most rural communities in our state. And none of this is free; I will continue working in the legislature to make sure the promises of Yazzie/Martinez are fully funded.”
Dr. Elisabeth Valenzuela, Executive Director, New Mexico Association of Bilingual Education, underscored the need for concrete commitments to bilingual and multicultural education: “New Mexico’s identity is multilingual and multicultural—that’s our greatest strength,” said Dr. Valenzuela. “For too long, our bilingual programs have been treated as optional instead of essential. The PED’s plan must go beyond words and fully fund programs like the State Seal of Bilingualism–Biliteracy Initiative, so every student has access to high-quality bilingual education, trained teachers, and culturally relevant materials. Our children’s languages are not barriers—they’re assets that should guide how this plan is built and delivered in every classroom.”
“Since the Yazzie/Martinez case was filed in 2014, New Mexico’s public education system has still fallen short of meeting the needs of our children. What we’ve heard today reinforces that the community has long known what a world-class education looks like—one grounded in our state’s rich cultures, languages, histories, and values,” Melissa Candelaria, Education Director, Yazzie counsel, New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. “Today marks the start of the next phase of review: centering community priorities and laying the foundation for continued action, with a full report back scheduled for November 21.”
Next steps:
- Community Report Back: November 21, 2025 — Families, educators, and advocates will review the plan and set priorities together. Click here to register now!
- Legislative priorities: Education leaders will work to advance policies and funding proposals in the 2026 session that reflect these community priorities.
Background:
Since the Yazzie/Martinez case was filed in 2014, New Mexico has been legally and morally obligated to provide equitable, high-quality education for all students. These obligations are grounded not only in the state constitution but also in key laws, including the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act, Hispanic Education Act, Indian Education Act, Black Education Act, and other statutes affirming students’ rights to culturally relevant, inclusive, and fully resourced learning opportunities.
Community vision and expectations have been articulated through years of collaborative work, including TEA’s Tribal Remedy Framework and TENM’s Platform for Action and Freedom to Dream reports—developed in direct response to the Yazzie/Martinez ruling. More recent insights from statewide listening sessions are captured in the newly released Listening, Learning & Leading Forward report from NMBLC and TENM’s Community Review Report. Together, these legal and community-led frameworks form a roadmap for action—making clear that schools must be accountable to the communities they serve and deliver real, measurable progress toward equity for all students.
The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty is dedicated to advancing economic and social justice through education, advocacy, and litigation. We work with low-income New Mexicans to improve living conditions, increase opportunities, and protect the rights of people living in poverty.