OPPORTUNITY IS KNOCKING: Please Urge Governor MLG to Opt In to Help NM Children

Sarah Smith
Jul 9
3 min read

Dear New Mexicans,

Have you heard of the Federal Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit? This is a new program that would allow private citizens to donate to approved scholarship-granting organizations and get a dollar-for-dollar tax credit up to $1,700.

If our state opts in, more NM students would gain access to scholarships for tutoring, private school, school supplies, after-school programs, and other critical academic supports.

New Mexico public schools have been consistently ranked last in the nation for years. Nonetheless, so far Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has refused to opt NM in to the program, even though it would help students without having to dip into the state budget.

31 other states have already opted in, but this looks like yet another time when NM students may be left behind.

Will you help us? Please scroll below for info about:

Op Ed about NM's failing education system and the opportunities that the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit would provide
Facts about Federal Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit
EASY Call to Action: Please email Governor Lujan Grisham to urge her to opt in to this program

National and Local Spotlight on NM's Schools and Scholarship Opportunity

An Op Ed about NM's failing schools and the opportunity for Governor MLG to opt-in to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit has been published nationally and locally in NM.

National: Real Clear Education - https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2026/07/01/new_mexico_students_need_every_educational_opportunity_available_1192112.html
Local: Las Cruces KRWG Public Media - https://www.krwg.org/local-viewpoints/2026-07-07/new-mexico-students-need-every-educational-opportunity-available

Facts about Federal Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit

The Federal Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit establishes a new federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions made to a Scholarship Granting Organization, who can then use the funds to provide scholarships for education-related services at private or public schools, including tuition, fees, academic tutoring, and classroom supplies.

The link below is for the Fact Sheet about this program:

https://www.ed.gov/media/document/education-freedom-tax-credit-fact-sheet-113147.pdf

EASY CALL TO ACTION: Urge Governor Lujan Grisham to Opt NM into Education Freedom Tax Credit Program

Will you please send an email to Governor Lujan Grisham to urge her to opt our state into the Federal Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit?

Here is her email address: NMIQGovIMA@state.nm.us

Example text is below (NOTE: Your email will have more impact if you customize this text):

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Dear Governor Lujan Grisham,

Given that you have stated that education is one of your top priorities, will you please opt New Mexico into the Federal Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit? 31 other states have already opted in and our children deserve to have the same opportunities.

This program would allow more NM children to access tutoring, school supplies, private schooling, and after-school programs.

Giving students the ability to choose their own schools is not only good for students who choose this path; studies have shown that when public schools have to compete with private schools, the educational outcomes for public school students are improved as well.

This program would not cost anything to the state budget and would allow more children to succeed. Will you please opt NM in?

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For additional email wording ideas, see State Representative Rebecca Dow's letter to the Governor below.