3:49
New Mexico is working to combat student learning losses during the pandemic. Officials are overseeing the allocation of 1.5 billion dollars in special funding to address COVID impacts.
Members of the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee say more needs to be done to address pandemic related learning losses. At a recent meeting, Representative Javier Martínez called on the legislature to find creative ways to reengage lost students.
“I m concerned because I don t know that laptops or Twittering or sending the screen is going to re-engage any of those middle school to high school students,” Martínez said. “And I m scared. If you look at the crime rate across the state, if you look at Albuquerque, those are 15–16-year-olds that are out of the system, right, completely out. I m not sure we re going to get them back with laptops and an extended school year.”