John Foreman, a Republican candidate for Public Education Commissioner in District 7, is seeking a role overseeing New Mexico’s public schools after more than 30 years working in classrooms and school offices. He argues that improving education requires more than increased funding, and points to Mississippi’s reported academic gains as a model worth examining.
A Career Built From the Bus Seat to the Superintendent's Office
Foreman’s career has included teaching, coaching, driving a school bus, and serving as an assistant principal, principal and superintendent. “I've been a teacher, been a coach, bus driver, assistant principal, principal, school superintendent,” he said in an interview with KRWG Public Media. He holds three degrees: an undergraduate degree in social studies and history education, a master’s in school administration, and a doctorate in school leadership. He has also argued that practical experience can matter more than credentials in some circumstances.
District 7 covers most of Doña Ana County and part of Otero County, including Las Cruces, and has eight charter schools, according to Source NM. The commission approves charter school applications and reviews and supports more than 100 charter schools statewide, the outlet reports. Foreman faces Democrat Frederick Parker in the November 3 general election, according to Ballotpedia; early voting is already underway in New Mexico.
Looking Beyond the Budget for Answers
Foreman says school funding is necessary but not sufficient to improve outcomes. In the KRWG interview, he cited New Mexico’s ranking of 24th nationally in school funding and 50th in test scores as evidence, though those figures alone do not establish why outcomes differ.
Foreman advocates studying successful approaches in New Mexico and elsewhere. Mississippi is a central example in his argument: he says the state rose from near the bottom of standardized test scores to 16th nationally, a change often described as the “Mississippi Miracle.” Separately, the Magnolia Tribune reported that Mississippi led the nation in reading gains on the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Charter Autonomy and a Push for Vocational Training
Foreman supports charter school autonomy. He says some charter representatives feel their independence is under pressure as advocates push charters to resemble traditional district schools more closely. He proposes considering schools individually and directing funding according to their progress and performance, rather than their school type, as he told Source NM.
Foreman also proposes expanding vocational education, saying each county should have a vocational school. He argues that current offerings are limited and that students who do not pursue four-year degrees can still build good lives and earn a good living.
Putting scores and local training options in context
The 2019 Mississippi reading-gains finding cited above does not, on its own, provide a like-for-like comparison of New Mexico and Mississippi reading and math performance over time. The National Center for Education Statistics cautions that long-term-trend NAEP results may differ from main NAEP results, so comparisons should specify which assessment is being discussed, according to NCES. Doña Ana Community College already offers Career Pathways Certification Programs designed to help people build skills and earn a workforce credential within 16 weeks or less, according to DACC. Its Workforce and Community Engagement division serves Doña Ana County through locations in Hatch, Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Chaparral and Anthony, the college says. Those pages describe Doña Ana County offerings but do not specify Otero County programs or particular local workforce needs.
Graduation Numbers Fuel the Charter Argument
Graduation rates are another part of Foreman’s case for examining school performance. He estimates the statewide high school graduation rate will be about 72% to 73% this year, describing that as an unofficial projection rather than a confirmed state figure. He says several Las Cruces charter schools have graduation rates in the low 90s, around 91% to 92%, and argues that the commission should study those schools and shift funding to help raise the statewide rate.
Election day in the District 7 race is November 3. Foreman has made charter autonomy, vocational education and funding tied to outcomes central themes of his campaign, as outlined in the KRWG interview.
