LESC Education Topics


Student Success

Success in the state’s public education system means something different for every student, comprising a holistic picture of intellectual, social, and emotional growth. Particularly in secondary and postsecondary education, the state is responsible for developing interconnected and comprehensive learning structures that create conditions equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to thrive into their future. LESC research in the domain of student success includes topics such as school attendance, college, career and civic readiness, secondary academics, the effectiveness of middle and high schools, career and technical education (CTE) pathways, and post-secondary education connections. LESC will continue to examine how policy can best support educational pathways, ensuring students moving through the education system are able be successful.

Analyst Contact: Jessica Hathaway | Jessica.Hathaway@nmlegis.gov

2024 Interim Priorities

  • Study middle school design, structures, staffing and funding. Middle school is a pivotal transitional phase between elementary and high school, but student outcomes begin to worsen in these years. LESC staff will conduct a comprehensive study of middle school structures to determine statutory options to support middle school students, educators, and school environments.

  • Evaluation of career and technical education reflective of holistic student success. Current evaluation frameworks often lack comprehensiveness to measure the multifaceted outcomes of modern CTE programs. This research aims to employ a robust evaluation framework to understand holistic student outcomes and improve the quality, relevance, and cost effectiveness of the state’s CTE investments.

  • Study school attendance to support better identification of root causes. This work builds on LESC’s work on school attendance by exploring the potential of predictive analytics to identify patterns and factors contributing to student absenteeism and increase the Legislature’s understanding of legislative options to address chronic absenteeism.