Education, poverty define agenda in New Mexico governor race

By MORGAN LEE, Associated Press
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's next governor will inherit simmering discontent over teacher pay and evaluations, calls to expand early childhood schooling and a lawsuit that may put the judiciary in charge of pivotal education funding decisions.
Three Democratic candidates hope to rally voters around competing plans to broaden early childhood education programs, as they vie against a sole Republican contender.
All the candidates see educational improvement as a lynchpin for addressing grinding poverty in a state with the nation's second-highest unemployment rate.
Their election-year proposals for addressing rock-bottom math proficiency and literacy rankings range from lengthening the school year to providing art and music instruction in every school.
New Mexico's public schools depend heavily on state funding and with the oil sector booming again, a surge in tax revenues and royalties could help translate campaign pledges into reality.