The Most Challenging School Year Yet

At best, COVID made for a tough 2020-21 school year for nearly all New Mexico kids. By summer 2021, state and school leaders were adamant: kids needed to be back in the classroom. While that message continues into 2022, keeping schools open has been a major challenge. High case counts have helped expose major issues in New Mexico schools with having enough teachers and support staff to keep the buildings running. This week, Chris and Gabby speak with the superintendent and COVID response-czar of one of the state's most prominent school districts in Rio Rancho. The district is just one of many that were recently forced to go fully virtual for a week due to testing delays and staff shortages. Is COVID solely to blame for the staffing shortage? Are there solutions the state should be implementing to keep kids in the classroom? Are we almost "out of the tunnel," or can we expect staffing shortfalls to continue?

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