Secure Rural Schools Funding Returns to Western New Mexico

Courtesy Photo

A five-year comparison of net gross receipts tax distributions for Cibola County, Grants and Milan shows monthly fluctuations across local governments. The sharp Cibola County dip near March 2026 was tied to a one-time state tax adjustment involving amended returns and a medical deduction, which reduced the county’s March distribution by $241,817.93, according to correspondence from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Courtesy Photo

Cibola County child poverty has fluctuated over more than two decades, but federal data show the rate has remained persistently high. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis graph, using U.S. Census Bureau data, shows the estimated percentage of people ages 0–17 living in poverty in Cibola County from 2000 through 2023, with the rate rising above 40% in the early 2010s and remaining above 30% in most recent years shown. Shaded areas indicate U.S. recessions. Courtesy Photo

The most recent publicly available 2024-2025 student proficiency results from NM Vistas and the New Mexico Public Education Department show Grants Cibola County Schools at 17% proficiency in math, 38% in reading and 30% in science. The results offer a regional snapshot as GCCS students complete the 2025-2026 annual state assessment cycle, with this year’s results are not expected to be publicly available until later in the year. Data provided by the New Mexico Public Education Department. Courtesy Photo

Mayor Erik Garcia examines the dry, compacted ground at Coyote del Malpais Golf Course in Grants during a recent tour of the property. The area behind him is the course’s driving range, where city officials say long-term water, soil and infrastructure problems have contributed to the facility’s decline. Diego Lopez - CC