Ruling comes after families filed motion of non-compliance and requested a Remedial Action Plan; court sets deadlines for statewide plan following powerful community gathering
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Surrounded by families, students, educators, and tribal leaders at Warehouse 505, plaintiffs and community leaders in New Mexico’s education justice movement celebrated a pivotal step forward in the ongoing fight to uphold the promises of the landmark Yazzie/Martinez ruling.
Today, in a major affirmation of the Yazzie/Martinez plaintiffs, NM First Judicial Court Judge Matthew Wilson ruled that the Public Education Department (PED) has not met its constitutional obligations and must now collaborate with the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) to develop a comprehensive education plan. The court echoed the plaintiffs’ proposed timeline and nine components of the action plan, ordering PED to report back by July 1 with a status update and begin building a plan that incorporates community and expert input. The final plan is due November 3. This is the fourth time the court has affirmed the plaintiffs’ case, underscoring the need for urgent, community-led action to transform New Mexico’s public education system for Native American students, English learners, students with disabilities, and children from low-income families.
“The Yazzie/Martinez case is about generations of New Mexicans standing up to demand an education system that honors their culture, their language, their brilliance, and their constitutional rights. This ruling today is a major step forward,” said Sireesha Manne, Executive Director of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. “Today’s decision gives us the opportunity we’ve been fighting for: a chance to build a real plan, driven by the people who know our students best — our educators, families, students, and tribal nations.”
During a post-hearing rally and press conference, speakers emphasized that this win in court means the work continues to ensure that the resulting plan is comprehensive, enforceable, and built with community leadership.
Loretta Trujillo, Executive Director of Transform Education NM, noted:
“The court has ruled once again in favor of New Mexico’s students and communities, affirming the importance of a system that values who our children are and where they come from. Today’s ruling brings us closer to an education system that truly serves all of our children. Now it is up to all of us to ensure this promise is fulfilled, and it begins with our legislators providing the resources, oversight, and commitment needed to deliver the education our students deserve. We will continue to fight until every student in our state has the opportunity to thrive,” said Loretta Trujillo, Executive Director of Transform Education New Mexico.
Wilhelmina Yazzie, lead plaintiff in the case and longtime education advocate, added:
“This whole time, through this lawsuit, we’ve been thinking about our children, all our children, and the ones who came before us. I think about my parents, my ancestors, my own children. In Diné culture, the first direction is thinking, and the second is planning — the most important step. Today’s ruling moves us closer to that step, and I’m hopeful. The next direction is to live what we planned — and we’re not there yet. But together, with our legal warriors, our fellow family plaintiffs, our advocates, tribal leaders, and youth, we’ve come so far. The state now has three months to develop a plan for our education system. It seems like a tight timeline, but we’ve been waiting for over six years. This is for our children, and for their future.”
Educator Travis McKenzie grounded the conversation in what justice looks like in real classrooms. He uplifted his students — many of whom he asked to envision their dream school in solidarity with the Yazzie/Martinez movement — and honored the full ecosystem of education: fellow teachers, administrators, school nurses, custodians, cafeteria staff, and all those who care for students every day.
“We’re here to honor our ancestors who endured boarding schools and were forced to leave their culture at the schoolhouse door — and for the generations of students and families harmed by an education system that still hasn’t fully embraced who we are. I see students every day who aren’t being nurtured or celebrated for their brilliance, and today I asked my students to dream with me: What would your dream school look like? Because that’s the vision we’re fighting for. Justice in education means building something different — something rooted in our culture, our languages, our lands, and our communities. We need a community-led, comprehensive plan shaped by students, families, elders, educators, organizers, and everyone who holds the wisdom to reimagine education in New Mexico. Culturally relevant curriculum, Indigenous-based pedagogy, garden and land-based learning, youth leadership — this is what a thriving, just education system can look like. We are ready to build it together.”
The hearing and gathering follow last week’s packed virtual town hall where over 130 attendees heard directly from students, educators, and legal experts about the urgent need for a homegrown, community-led education transformation plan.
Regis Pecos, co-founder of the Tribal Education Alliance, provided historical context:
“Today’s decision is a pivotal moment — the fourth time the court has affirmed the plaintiffs and acknowledged that the state still isn’t meeting its constitutional obligations. This ruling on behalf of our children signals the beginning of a paradigm shift. By ordering a collaborative planning process, the court recognizes the need to honor the brilliance within our communities and alongside legislative champions who have stood with us. My hope is that this moment opens real opportunities for those who know our children best to shape the future of education in New Mexico.”
As the state moves forward under court order, advocates reaffirmed their demand: a fully funded, enforceable, and transparent plan that guarantees meaningful and measurable improvements for the student groups at the heart of the case — Native American students, English learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families.
“A truly just and equitable education system can only be built through collaboration — by centering the voices of those most impacted by these failures,” said Melissa Candelaria, counsel in the Yazzie/Martinez case and Education Director at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, which has led legal advocacy on behalf of students and families since the case began.
“This case has always been about community — and I’m deeply humbled to stand alongside the families, tribal leaders, educators, students, and advocates who have never stopped fighting. The strength of this movement is what brought us to this moment. Every legal argument we’ve made is backed by generations of truth, cultural wisdom, and the lived experiences of our people. I’m filled with gratitude for the trust placed in us — and we will continue to walk with our communities until justice is fully delivered.”After years of resistance and delay, the court’s ruling puts the responsibility — and the opportunity — squarely on the state to act. The message is clear: New Mexico’s children can’t wait any longer. The time to transform education is now — guided by the powerful community vision and expertise already built through years of collaboration that shaped the Tribal Remedy Framework and the Transform Education NM Platform for Action. These roadmaps reflect the wisdom, values, and priorities of students, families, educators, and tribal leaders. Now, the state must follow their lead.