Public Education Department – New Mexico Education https://nmeducation.org Your home for all things education in The Land of Enchantment Wed, 03 Jan 2024 20:41:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://nmeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/11-29-2021_NewMexico_NMEducationLogo_V1-08-150x150.png Public Education Department – New Mexico Education https://nmeducation.org 32 32 202004729 Secretary Romero Calls for Accountability https://nmeducation.org/secretary-romero-calls-for-accountability/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5352 New Mexico's Secretary of Education, Arsenio Romero, sent a stern letter to district leaders calling for accountability in the state's education system due to concerns about persistently low-performing schools and the need for excellence. The letter, dated November 21, followed the delayed release of student performance data and school designations. While there was a four percent increase in statewide reading proficiency for the 2022-2023 school year, math proficiency slightly decreased, with reading proficiency at 38 percent and math proficiency at 24 percent. Romero emphasized the importance of accountability and called for a unified effort to improve education outcomes for the state's children.

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]]> 5352 Debate Ignites Over New Mexico’s Proposed School Calendar Changes https://nmeducation.org/debate-ignites-over-new-mexicos-proposed-school-calendar-changes/ Tue, 26 Dec 2023 22:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5343 A contentious debate has erupted in New Mexico as the state's Public Education Department (PED) proposes a standardized minimum of 180 instructional days per year for all schools, regardless of their weekly schedule. While rural districts, House Republicans, and education officials are divided in their support and opposition, critics argue that such decisions should remain local. The proposal, which aims to address low proficiency rates, has sparked a robust discussion about balancing standardization and local flexibility in school calendars.

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]]> 5343 Bridging Worlds for Native American Education in New Mexico https://nmeducation.org/bridging-worlds-for-native-american-education-in-new-mexico/ Sat, 23 Dec 2023 19:26:44 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5338 KatieAnn Juanico, the newly appointed Assistant Secretary of Indian Education in New Mexico, is on a mission to bridge the gap between two worlds for Native American students. Raised oin a small pueblo, Juanico draws from her personal journey to navigate the challenges of balancing cultural heritage with Westernized education. With a focus on cultural relevance, community engagement, and an inspiring message for indigenous youth, she is determined to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for Native American students in the state.

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]]> 5338 Literacy Rates Climb as Math Falls in New Mexico https://nmeducation.org/literacy-rates-climb-as-math-falls-in-new-mexico/ Thu, 02 Nov 2023 01:51:23 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5263 The 2022-2023 assessment results for New Mexico released by the NMPED earlier today reveal a varied educational landscape for New Mexico students. While literacy rates reported by the NMPED showed a promising increase of four percent, with 38 percent of students now proficient in English Language Arts, mathematics proficiency experienced a concerning decline, dropping by one percent to 24 percent proficiency. This trend was reflected across various demographics, with notable gains in ELA proficiency among Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Native American students, but a significant decrease among White students. Conversely, mathematics proficiency remained stagnant or decreased across all groups, except for a slight increase among Asian students. Significant data issues remain and continue to create confusion in determining overall statewide performance comparisons.

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]]> 5263 Where Are the Scores? https://nmeducation.org/where-are-the-scores/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:37:06 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5253 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham claimed a 4.3 percent increase in literacy rates at a September literacy conference in New Mexico, but no evidence of this improvement has been made public. Meanwhile, the state's graduation rates for 2022 showed a slight decline. New Mexico has a history of testing disruptions, including the discontinuation of the PARCC test in 2019, a federal waiver in 2020 due to COVID-19, and limited testing in 2021. The state introduced the New Mexico Measures of Student Success and Achievement (NM-MSSA) in 2022. New Mexico is the only state in the region that has not released student assessment data for 2023.

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]]> 5253 New Mexico Graduation Rates Show Slight Dip in 2022 https://nmeducation.org/new-mexico-graduation-rates-show-slight-dip-in-2022/ Fri, 20 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5248 The New Mexico Public Education Department released graduation data for the class of 2022. The data shows a slight decline in the overall graduation rate to 76 percent, down from 76.8 percent in 2021. Gender disparities persisted, with females graduating at 80 percent and males at 73 percent. Ethnic and racial differences were evident, with Asian students graduating at the highest rate at 88 percent, while African American students graduated at a rate of 70 percent. Economically disadvantaged students graduated at a rate of 72 percent, and students with disabilities graduated at 67 percent. English Language Learners graduated at a rate of 76 percent while homeless students had a much lower rate of graduating at 61 percent. Compared to 2021, the overall graduation rate dropped by 0.8 percentage points, and gender disparities remained consistent.

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]]> 5248 Margaret Cage Appointed as New Special Education Director in New Mexico https://nmeducation.org/margaret-cage-appointed-as-new-special-education-director-in-new-mexico/ Fri, 13 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5238 Margaret Cage has been appointed as the new Special Education Director in New Mexico by the Public Education Department. With over 25 years of experience in education, Cage is committed to improving educational outcomes for students. Her appointment aims to enhance collaboration and bring positive changes to the state's special education services. Cage says she is eager to make a difference in the educational landscape of New Mexico.

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]]> 5238 Governor Leads Literacy Delegation to Pittsburg State University to Tackle Literacy Crisis https://nmeducation.org/governor-leads-literacy-delegation-to-pittsburg-state-university-to-tackle-states-literacy-crisis/ Wed, 09 Aug 2023 23:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5144 New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham recently led a delegation to Pittsburg, Kansas, to visit the renowned Center of READing at Pittsburg State University. The purpose of the visit was to gain insights into effective reading and literacy programs in order to address New Mexico's long-standing literacy concerns and explore potential solutions for improving educational outcomes. The governor and her team engaged in discussions with educational leaders, aiming to bring back valuable insights and best practices to implement strategies for enhancing literacy for all students in New Mexico.

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]]> 5144 Teachers Union Challenges New Instructional Mandates from Albuquerque Public Schools https://nmeducation.org/teachers-union-challenges-new-instructional-mandates-from-aps/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 20:22:37 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5121 The Albuquerque Teachers Federation filed a grievance against Albuquerque Public Schools, claiming the school district violated their negotiated agreement. The grievance is centered around a memo issued by APS which mandated changes to district wide instructional practices. The grievance addresses issues related to teacher-parent communication methods, directives on notifying parents about failing students, standardized assessments, and grading system adjustments. APS declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

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]]> 5121 July Education News Wrap-Up https://nmeducation.org/july-education-news-wrap-up/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 23:00:00 +0000 https://nmeducation.org/?p=5118 July was a busy month for New Mexico's education landscape. This month, the state reflected on the responsibility of addressing students' rights to quality education. Efforts are ongoing to improve graduation rates and reading proficiency among diverse student populations. Fifth-grade students showcased their artistic and technological abilities in a sculpture at the New Mexico Public Education Department. New Mexico's charter school movement celebrated its 30th anniversary, commending its impact on students' educational foundations through innovative and individualized learning experiences. Challenges remain in achieving equitable education and closing achievement gaps among students, prompting calls for more significant efforts.

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