‘Lost cause’: New Mexico students have fewer school days

By CEDAR ATTANASIO
Associated Press / Report for America

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico children spend less time in school. That’s despite the millions of dollars in state funding available for school districts to pay teachers for more teaching time. But the voluntary programs haven’t won support from school districts this year, despite the months of learning time lost because of the pandemic. School superintendents say parents and teachers don’t want to shorten the summer holiday. They have asked the legislature to mandate extra school days. New Mexico is one of the few states in the U.S. that doesn’t mandate at least 180 school days per year.