Taylor Velazquez

Feeding America has released their annual, Map the Meal Gap study, that takes a look at food insecurity risk from 2023. According to the data, New Mexico ranked fourth in childhood hunger. Now with several funding cuts from the federal level to both assistance programs and food banks, the Roadrunner food bank told KUNM what this could mean for local hunger relief.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released their annual Kids Count Data Report Monday. New Mexico remains last in child wellbeing and ranks at or near the bottom for several other crucial categories like education and health. KUNM Taylor Velazquez has more on the challenges that persist for the state’s kids and families.

As the school year wraps up, the New Mexico Public Education Department is reporting increased graduation rates with last year’s class having the highest number of graduates in the last fifteen years. KUNM has more on initiatives that helped students secure their diplomas.

Touro University, a New York based non-profit, brought its dental training program to New Mexico this year, making it the first in the state. It is now opening a clinic aimed at alleviating the state’s professional shortage while providing affordable care.

A sweeping budget bill has been moving its way through Congress that would drastically decrease funding for Medicaid. A recent study from Georgetown University found this would have a detrimental effect on rural maternal health, especially here in New Mexico.

New Mexico’s child welfare system has struggled over the decades to provide appropriate resources to foster children, ultimately leading to lawsuits. Now two nonprofits are working together to help close the gaps and provide essential services to foster families and state agencies.

Nationwide schools are facing chronic absenteeism, and it’s even worse in New Mexico which saw the largest increase - of 119% from 2019 to 2023.

The plaintiffs in a landmark equity education lawsuit are headed back to court Tuesday because they say the State of New Mexico has not complied with court orders.

In 2018 a New Mexico judge ruled the state was failing to provide a constitutionally sufficient and equitable education to at-risk students. Years laters, the state is still out of compliance with that ruling and the plaintiffs have taken the case back to court.

As the cost of childcare continues to rise nationwide, New Mexico has made major strides in expanding eligibility and stabilizing the struggling industry. And that bodes well for its future amidst federal funding rollbacks.