New Mexico Secretary of Education
| New Mexico Secretary of Education | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $158,640 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $60,477,500 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the governor |
| Authority: | New Mexico Constitution, Article XII, Section 6 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
New Mexico Secretary of Education
Mariana Padilla | |
| Other New Mexico Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Public Lands • Secretary of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Superintendent • Secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources • Secretary of Workforce Solutions • Public Regulation Commission • Public Education Commission | |
The New Mexico Secretary of Education is an appointed state executive position in the New Mexico state government. The secretary serves as head of the state Public Education Department. In that role, the secretary is responsible for overseeing New Mexico's education policy and program development, operational management of the department, and the distribution of educational funding.[1]
The secretary of education position was created in 2003, when the state's voters approved Ballot Question 1.[2]
Current officeholder
The acting New Mexico Secretary of Education is Mariana Padilla (nonpartisan). Padilla assumed office in 2024.
Authority
The office of the secretary of state's authority is derived from Article XII, Section 6 of the New Mexico Constitution.
Article XII, Section 6:
| There is hereby created a “public education department” and a “public education commission” that shall have such powers and duties as provided by law. The department shall be a cabinet department headed by a secretary of public education...[3] |
Additional authority is derived from Chapter 22, Article 2 of the New Mexico Statutes:
| The secretary is the governing authority and shall have control, management and direction of all public schools, except as otherwise provided by law.[4] |
Qualifications
Article XII, Section 6 of the New Mexico Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| The department shall be ... headed by a secretary of public education who is a qualified, experienced educator ...[3] |
Appointments
The secretary is appointed by the Governor of New Mexico and confirmed by the New Mexico State Senate.[3]
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the New Mexico Secretary of Education has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Duties
The secretary of education is responsible for the administrative and regulatory duties relating to the Public Education Department including the distribution of school funds and the financial accounting for New Mexico's public schools.[3] Duties of the Public Education Department include, but are not limited to:[5]
- Determining policy for the operation of public schools and vocational education programs;
- Supervising schools and officials within its jurisdiction and taking control of schools or districts that fail to meet state standards;
- Prescribing courses of instruction and graduation requirements for public schools;
- Enforcing requirements for home schools; and
- Determining qualifications for teacher and administrator licensure.
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the New Mexico Secretary of Education has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
State budget
- See also: New Mexico state budget and finances
The budget for the Public Education Department in Fiscal Year 2024 was $60,477,500.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The salaries of state executive officers are established by the New Mexico State Legislature as mandated in the state constitution. Article V, Section 12 of the New Mexico Constitution established initial salaries for constitutional officers with the state legislature able to adjust these salaries starting in 1922, which was 10 years after the state's admission to the United States.[3]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $158,640, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2021
In 2021, the secretary received a salary of $156,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2020
In 2020, the secretary received a salary of $156,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2019
In 2019, the secretary received a salary of $128,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2018
In 2018, the secretary received a salary of $126,250, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2017
In 2017, the secretary received a salary of $126,250, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2016
In 2016, the secretary received a salary of $126,250, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2015
In 2015, the secretary received a salary of $126,250, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2014
In 2014, the secretary received a salary of $126,250, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2013
In 2013, the secretary received a salary of $125,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the New Mexico Secretary of Education has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
- Hanna Skandera (2010-2017)
- Christopher Ruszkowski (2017-2019)
- Karen Trujillo (2019)
- Ryan Stewart (2019-2021)
- Kurt Steinhaus (2021-2023)
- Arsenio Romero (2023-2024)
Contact information
New Mexico Public Education Department
Jerry Apodaca Education Building
300 Don Gaspar
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: 505-827-5800
Email: [email protected]
See also
| New Mexico | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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- New Mexico Public Education Commission
- New Mexico Department of Education
- Public education in New Mexico
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Mexico Public Education Department, "NM PED Leadership," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Ballotpedia, accessed Sept. 9, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State, "NM Constitution," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "NM Stat § 22-2-2 (2019)," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ New Mexico State Legislature, "New Mexico General Appropriation Act of 2023," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
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