Track Every Dollar
New Mexico: every school dollar
Where New Mexico's public school money comes from, where it goes, what Washington sends, and how the state spends its lottery money. Select any line for more.
- Public school money, 2023-24$6.8 billion
- Spent per student, day to day$17,664U.S.: $17,619
- Students289,85189 school systems
- Lottery money to education$44.7 millionFY2025
Where the money comes from
$6.8 billion in the 2023-24 school year. Select federal, state or local to see every line.
Federal $1.3 billion19.7%
Inside the federal total: $456 million of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.
State $4.3 billion63.6%
Local $1.1 billion16.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file
Where it goes
$6.2 billion spent. Select support services for every line.
Inside these totals: $2.8 billion in salaries and wages, $1.1 billion in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $2.3 billion.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file
Spending per student over time
Not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 20. summary tables
What Washington committed
Department of Education money committed for use in New Mexico in fiscal year 2025: $771 million. The programs below include money from Agriculture (school meals) and Health and Human Services (Head Start), and college aid (Pell).
Why this differs from the federal line above: that line is what New Mexico's schools received in the 2023-24 school year (Census). This one is what Washington committed in a later federal year, including college aid, which schools never receive.
| Program | What it is | New Mexico | Share of the national total |
|---|---|---|---|
| School lunch | National School Lunch Program (Department of Agriculture) | $283 million | 1.0% |
| Pell Grants | College grants to students with financial need | $207 million | 0.5% |
| Title I | Grants to schools with many students from low-income families | $154 million | 0.8% |
| Special education (IDEA) | Grants to states for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21 | $114 million | 0.8% |
| Impact Aid | Payments to districts with federal land or military families | $107 million | 6.8% |
| Head Start | Early childhood programs (Department of Health and Human Services) | $105 million | 0.9% |
| Title II, teachers | Supporting effective instruction: teacher and principal training | $17.9 million | 0.8% |
| After school (21st Century) | 21st Century Community Learning Centers | $11.5 million | 0.9% |
| Title IV-A | Student support and academic enrichment grants | $11.1 million | 0.8% |
| Career and technical education | Perkins basic grants to states | $10.5 million | 0.7% |
| English learners (Title III) | English language acquisition grants | $6.3 million | 0.7% |
| Federal Work-Study | Part-time jobs for college students with need | $6.3 million | 0.6% |
| College opportunity grants (SEOG) | Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants | $4.6 million | 0.5% |
| Special education, preschool | Preschool grants for children with disabilities, ages 3 to 5 | $3.5 million | 0.9% |
Source: USAspending.gov, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Federal fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), money committed (obligated) by state where it is used. usaspending.gov
How is New Mexico spending the education lottery money?
The New Mexico Lottery Act requires the authority to transmit at least thirty percent of each month's gross revenue to the state treasurer for deposit in the lottery tuition fund, which the legislature appropriates for tuition assistance at New Mexico public post-secondary educational institutions and tribal colleges. The lottery began in 1996.
What the law says
The promise: At least 30% of the gross revenue of the previous month, transmitted monthly to the lottery tuition fund (27% until December 31, 2008). The fund is appropriated for tuition assistance at public post-secondary institutions and tribal colleges under the Legislative Lottery Tuition Scholarship Act.
"No later than the last business day of each month, the authority shall transmit at least twenty-seven percent of the gross revenue of the previous month until December 31, 2008 and at least thirty percent of the gross revenue of the previous month thereafter to the state treasurer, who shall deposit it in the lottery tuition fund."
NMSA 1978, Section 6-24-24(B); lottery tuition fund purpose: NMSA 1978, Section 21-21N-5(B) nmonesource.com
- Tickets sold$149 million p. 11
- Prizes 54%$80.5 million p. 11
- Retailers 6%$9.6 million p. 24
- Running the lottery 3%$4.7 million p. 11
- To education 30%$44.7 million p. 31
- Other costs and reserves 6%$9.4 million tickets sold minus the rows above
Of every dollar of New Mexico lottery tickets sold in FY2025, 30 cents reached education.
What it paid for, FY2025
Payments made during the year. They include money earned in earlier years, so they do not add up to the year's total sent to education.
- Lottery tuition fund: tuition assistance for qualified students and legacy students as provided in the Legislative Lottery Tuition Scholarship Act (NMSA 21-21N-5)$44.7 million p. 18
Lottery money to education by year
Since 1996: $1.1 billion p. 11 to education in total.
What auditors found
"We noted certain matters that are required to be reported per section 12-6-5 NMSA 1978 that has been described in the accompanying schedule of findings and responses as items 2025-001, 2025-002, and 2025-003."
Every school system in New Mexico
89 school systems reported to the Census Bureau for 2023-24. See each one's money in and money out.
The record
- School money: Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024, U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances. The district totals for New Mexico were added up and checked against the Census state table on seven totals. census.gov
- Federal money: Federal education spending, fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025). Money committed, by the state where it is used. usaspending.gov
- Lottery: New Mexico Lottery Authority Financial Statements, June 30, 2025 and 2024 (FY25 Final Report), New Mexico Lottery Authority. nmlottery.com
- Lottery: NMSA 1978, Chapter 6 (Public Finances), Article 24 New Mexico Lottery, Section 6-24-24 Disposition of revenue, New Mexico Compilation Commission (NMOneSource.com). nmonesource.com
- Lottery: NMSA 1978, Chapter 21, Section 21-21N-5 Lottery tuition fund created; purpose, New Mexico Compilation Commission (NMOneSource.com). nmonesource.com
- Lottery: Fiscal Impact Report, Senate Bill 309 (2026): Lottery Deposits into Tuition Fund, New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee, 2026-02-10. nmlegis.gov
- Lottery: Senate Bill 309 (2026 Regular Session) bill status page, New Mexico Legislature. nmlegis.gov
- Checked November 2, 2026. How we track it · Report an error
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Track Every Dollar
How is New Mexico spending the education lottery money?
- Public school money, 2023-24$6.8 billion
- Spent per student$17,664
- Lottery money to education, FY2025$44.7 million
- Of each lottery dollar sold30 cents to education
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