Part of a series intended to highlight implications for educational planning of the changing demography of the Southwestern United States, this report on New Mexico indicates that the greatest population growth in the next 20 years will occur among minority populations, whose rates of postsecondary educational attainment and socioeconomic status have been low historically. Projections place New Mexico's population between 1.7 million and 2.1 million by the year 2000, a 20-year growth rate of between 30% and 54%. Data show that people of Spanish origin accounted for 36.6% of the total 1980 New Mexico population but represented nearly 45% of the 0-4 age group, which should grow to over 50% by 2000. Only about 50% of Hispanics and Indians aged 25 and over had completed high school in 1980, compared with approximately 75% of Whites and Asians and 63% of Blacks in the same age group. Approximately 39% of Whites, 30% of Blacks, and 55% of Asians had completed some college compared with 17% of Hispanics and 18% of American Indians. The number of New Mexico Hispanic high school seniors in 1982 represented 67% of the number of ninth graders three years earlier as opposed to 74% for Whites and 70% for Blacks. (NEC)