NEW MEXICO IS MAKING SOME PROGRESS WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN’S WELL BEING. BUT OVERALL, THE LATEST KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK STILL RANKS THE STATE 49TH IN THE NATION FOR THE 3RD YEAR IN A ROW … AND DEAD LAST FOR EDUCATION.
VERONICA GARCIA WITH NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN SAYS NEW MEXICO HAS ACTUALLY IMPROVED IN THE NUMBER OF KIDS IN PRE-SCHOOL. BUT SHE SAYS 60 PERCENT OF THE STATE’S CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT IN PRE-SCHOOL, AND IF THAT CONTINUES MEANING IT WOULD TAKE 150 YEARS TO GET TO WHERE ALL THE KIDS WHO NEED PRE-SCHOOL IN THE PROGRAM.
SHE SAYS NEW MEXICO STILL NEEDS TO INVEST MORE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION … NOT ONLY TO RAISE THE EDUCATION RANKINGS … BUT THE POVERTY LEVEL AS WELL.
