The Mexico education beat covers how schools work in practice—who sets the rules, who funds them, and how decisions land in classrooms. From preschool to universities and job-training centers, the system mixes national standards with state-level management and local realities. Our goal is to explain what changed, who decided it, and where families and staff can verify details.

Who decides? Congress writes the laws. The federal Education Ministry sets national curricula, calendars, and evaluation guidelines. States run most public schools day to day—hiring, payroll, facilities, and local supervision. Universities sit on a separate track: many are autonomous, with their own governance and academic rules. When you read a headline, check whether it’s a federal policy, a state measure, or a university decision; the scope determines who is affected.

What changes. Curricula evolve in cycles, shifting how subjects are grouped and assessed. Reforms can adjust teaching hours, grading, and the balance between classroom projects and standardized tests. Teacher policy—recruitment, promotions, training—often moves through negotiations with unions and independent service exams. Facilities policy tends to be quieter but just as important: budgets for maintenance, connectivity, water, and safety gear decide whether a plan works on Monday morning.

Schools and pathways. Basic education covers preschool, primary, and lower secondary. Upper secondary includes general high schools and technical tracks that blend academics with skills. Universities range from large public institutions to specialized tech schools and private campuses. Parallel to that, job-training programs offer short courses for specific trades and emerging industries. When governments talk about “alignment with the labor market,” this is where new modules appear first.

Teachers. Professional development is constant but uneven. States and universities run workshops; federal programs add updates on curriculum and assessment. Pay, workload, and classroom ratios shape outcomes as much as any textbook. When a contract dispute reaches the news, look for the concrete items at issue—salary steps, benefits, evaluation rules, or staffing in rural and Indigenous schools.

Facilities and safety. Parents watch the basics: roofs, bathrooms, labs, internet, fences, and ventilation. Earthquake and fire drills are routine in much of the country; coastal schools also plan for storms. Security protocols—entry badges, safe-route maps, coordination with local authorities—vary by region. These are operational calls made by principals under state guidance and budget limits.

Exams and admissions. Calendars drive everything: application windows, placement exams, and start dates. Universities publish their own timetables and requirements, sometimes with separate processes for technical institutes or health programs. Missed deadlines are the most common problem we hear about, so we always link to the official call for applications and the current year’s calendar.

How to read education news. Note the date, jurisdiction, and whether a change is a proposal, a pilot, or a published rule. Check if new funding is one-time or permanent. For strikes or schedule changes, confirm the affected schools and make-up plans. For curriculum stories, look for classroom examples—not just slogans—to see what will actually happen period by period.