Advocacy in Action: Advancing State Policy Change to Strengthen School Nurse Salaries in New Mexico.

School nurses are vital advocates for student health, yet the New Mexico workforce has long faced staffing shortages and significant pay inequities. This article describes a successful policy advocacy campaign by the New Mexico School Nurses Association to achieve salary parity. By collecting and leveraging data, including statewide surveys and salary schedule audits, advocates demonstrated that school nurse compensation failed to match the state-mandated three-tiered pay scale guaranteed to teachers. This effort culminated in the passage of House Bill 195 in 2025, standardizing state-wide school nurse salary tiers and minimums. Subsequent legislation, House Bill 34 in 2026, refined licensure provisions for statewide implementation. This case study highlights the power of collective action, evidence-based arguments, and strategic partnerships with state agencies. The New Mexico experience provides a replicable model for school nurses to influence state-level policy and strengthen the school nursing workforce.