PED Case Study: Aligning Communications with Program Goals to Support Student Outcomes

How a Strategic Deep Dive is Positioning NMPED for the 2025–2026 School Year

When the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) contracted JJS & Associates in May 2025, the mission was clear: evaluate the agency’s existing communications and identify opportunities to better align messaging with its strategic plan, leadership priorities, and program goals. With the 2025–2026 school year just months away, the work had to move quickly and deliver clear direction.

The Process: Listening, Analyzing, Aligning

Our first step was a deep dive into the agency’s strategic plan and program objectives. We met with leadership and key program staff to understand the desired outcomes for students and the priorities driving the upcoming school year.

We also conducted a comprehensive review of current communications assets from public-facing materials to internal resources. We evaluated each against criteria such as clarity, consistency, audience relevance, and scalability.

What PED is Already Doing Well

Even in a compressed timeline, it was clear that NMPED’s communications team has built strong foundations for future growth:

1. Centralized Communications – Streamlined processes are ensuring that information is routed, reviewed, and released in a coordinated way, reducing duplication and increasing clarity.
2. Brand Consistency – Visual identity and messaging tone remain cohesive across channels, reinforcing trust and recognition with educators, families, and partners.
3. Social Media Performance – Compared to similar-sized states such as Colorado, NMPED’s platforms show higher engagement rates and a consistent focus on student-centered storytelling.

Recognizing the Bigger Picture

Many government agencies still operate under an antiquated communications model — one that is reactive, siloed, and disconnected from program goals. Research from the Center for Public Impact and the National Association of Government Communicators has noted that such models limit transparency, reduce stakeholder trust, and slow the pace of change.

NMPED should be commended for taking strategic steps to modernize its communications, moving beyond that outdated model toward a more integrated, proactive, and data-informed approach that directly supports student outcomes.

This progress sets the stage for the next phase of improvement, where targeted enhancements can maximize reach, engagement, and impact.

Key Findings

The analysis revealed several opportunities to increase impact:

• Clear, consistent messaging that better reflects the agency’s strategic goals and how they impact student outcomes.
• Improved tools for engaging educators, parents, and communities in initiatives like accreditation, teacher recruitment, and student success.
• Greater scalability and adaptability in communications to keep pace with a dynamic school year.

The final report also recommended scalable communications templates that could be adapted year-round to maintain message consistency and transparency across initiatives and communication channels.

Strategic Value for FY26

This initial deep dive was designed not only to address immediate needs but to inform communications development in FY26, beginning July 1, 2025. The insights and recommendations will guide the creation of high-impact messaging frameworks, engagement tools, and content strategies that can scale across multiple programs which will ultimately strengthen NMPED’s ability to connect with stakeholders and support student success statewide.

Looking Ahead

Strategic communications are more than just polished words; they are strategic levers for programmatic success. By aligning messaging with strategic goals, NMPED is building the foundation for more effective engagement, stronger partnerships, and better outcomes for New Mexico’s students.