Senate sends final Public Education Commission map to governor

SANTA FE, N.M. – If you’re trying to keep track of all the maps state lawmakers are working on, we’re hoping to make it easy for you. They need to agree on four maps:

• The map for congressional districts
• The map for state house districts
• The map for state senate districts
• And the fourth has gotten the least amount of attention – a map for the public education commission districts

The Public Education Commission map may have flown under the radar, receiving the least amount of public attention. But that map is now on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk.

For starters, the Public Education Commission is relatively new. It’s made up of 10 elected commissioners from across the state. It has two primary purposes: to advise the New Mexico Secretary of Public Education and to oversee charter schools across the state.

The version of the map heading to the governor’s desk:

• Districts 1, 2 and 3 cover Albuquerque
• District 4 covers much of Sandoval County
• District 5 covers the four corners and Grants
• District 6 covers most of southwest New Mexico
• District 7 covers Doña Ana County
• District 8 covers northeast New Mexico down to Roswell
• District 9 covers the southeast part of the state
• District 10 covers north-central New Mexico.

On Wednesday, the map cleared the Senate and now heads to the governor’s desk for her signature.