New Mexico charter school board faces leadership change and budget disputes

Patricia Gipson stepped down as chair of the New Mexico Public Education Commission on Friday after serving for 12 years. She cited structural issues with the agency's finances as a primary reason for her departure. The commission oversees charter schools in the state. Gipson said the body is financially attached to the Public Education Department, which creates ongoing friction. She described the relationship as a constant source of frustration for the board members.

The Public Education Department manages funding for all public schools in New Mexico. Charter schools receive their money directly from the state through a specific allocation. Two percent of that funding goes to the Public Education Commission. This amount totaled $5.7 million for the current fiscal year. Gipson stated that the department has traditionally treated this money as a rainy day fund. She said the board has struggled to access the funds or control its own staff. The Public Education Department did not respond to a request for comment before this story aired on Monday.

Elections are underway to replace Gipson in District 7. That district covers Las Cruces and the area south to the border. Candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties filed to run. In District 3, which includes central and western Albuquerque, the race took an unusual turn. Jacob Trujillo holds the seat currently. The governor appointed him in June to fill a vacancy left by a resignation. Trujillo is the chair of the Bernalillo County Democrats. He secured his party's nomination for a four-year term. His opponent, Dennis Dinge, ran under the newly certified Forward Party. Dinge previously belonged to the Democratic Party.

Trujillo described the budget as a moral document for the agency. He said the current budget does not reflect strong morals. He aims to make the commission more professional. He believes the board can improve how it functions. Dinge said he switched parties because the two-party system is flawed. He argued that voters need an option when they disagree with their primary party. He said he does not hold a negative view of Trujillo. He described the race as a competition of ideas rather than a personal conflict.

Both candidates agree that charter schools should serve as testing grounds for new educational methods. They also agree that the commission needs better communication channels. They want to ensure that lessons learned in one school transfer to others. Their approaches to evaluation differ. Dinge is a scientist by background. He wants the commission to rely more on data-driven decisions. Trujillo works as a field representative for Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury. He believes commissioners should conduct regular school visits to observe operations firsthand.

Gipson said gaining independence from the state department should be the top priority. She compared the current dynamic to asking for permission to act. She noted that the commission is an elected body. She argued it should function like any other agency. Achieving this level of independence may require action from the state legislature. At a minimum, the state would need to revisit the memorandum of understanding between the two entities. That document was last updated in 2021.