Licensure Update
The PED will refund all licensure fees paid by educators who applied for renewals in January. This is an extension of the policy announced last week to waive all licensure fees in February and March. No application is required — the PED knows who paid fees in January. The refund process will take time, so we are asking for patience. We will begin with the earliest applications and expect to complete all refunds by the end of March. Applicants will be notified via email the day their refund is processed. We will notify district leaders and human resources directors once all refunds have been completed. Questions? Jessica Green.
Summer Review Institute
The PED is looking for talented Level II and IIIA social studies and arts educators to fill the roles of review team leader and reviewer for the K-12 Social Studies and Arts instructional material review. Core instructional materials for grades K-12 Social Studies and Arts (music, dance, theatre, media arts, and visual arts) will be reviewed June 8-24, with training occurring before the Institute. The review is a rigorous process in which highly qualified teachers review instructional materials for alignment with New Mexico standards and criteria for high quality. Previous reviewers have said the experience deepened their knowledge of the standards and gave them a clearer understanding of what high quality materials should look like. This work is also of great value to the entire state. Applications, position descriptions, an informational webinar, and a flyer with FAQs for the Institute can be accessed on the Resources and Information page of the Instructional Material Bureau website. Application Deadline Extended—now due Feb. 15, 2022. Questions: Charlotte.McLeod@ped.nm.gov.
Language Workshop
The PED is offering a virtual workshop series from February to April to help world language teachers access resources and tools. The Moving Toward Language Proficiency with ACTFL World-Readiness Standards Workshop will provide an overview of the World-Readiness Standards for Language Learning, including basic terminology. The modules will also create a teacher support network to promote proficiency-focused instructional practices. The series will be offered in two cohorts:
- Module 1: Feb. 22
- Module 2: March 8
- Module 3: April 12
- Module 1: Feb. 23
- Module 2: March 9
- Module 3: April 13
Hotline Update
The Anti-Racism, AntiOppression Hotline number has changed to allow toll-free access. The new number is 833-485-1335. The hotline went live at a different number on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for students, families and community members to report school-based incidents of racism, injustice or discrimination against anyone. Callers will reach a trained employee from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; if calling after hours, they can leave a message. Email: ARAO.Hotline@ped.nm.gov.
ENGAGE New Mexico
ENGAGE New Mexico has launched a Quarantine Response Hotline to provide on-demand technical support and homework help to students who are quarantined. The hotline is available beginning Feb. 1 to any quarantined student from districts and charters participating in ENGAGE New Mexico, regardless of whether the student has been referred for ongoing support. There is no cost to students or districts and charters for this service. Participating districts and charters will receive a digital handout to provide to families of quarantined students with details about how to access the hotline. Support is available for students in grades K-12 and includes both English and Spanish language capabilities
Teacher Salaries Information
The PED has prepared this FAQ document regarding the two educator pay proposals that are part of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2022 legislative agenda. The first would provide 7% raises for all New Mexico education personnel — the largest educator raise in recent memory. It would increase pay for more than 50,000 K-12 teachers and other school staff. The second proposal would raise base salary levels in the state’s three-tier licensure system to $50,000, $60,000, and $70,000, representing an average 35% total increase in base salary levels since the Lujan Grisham administration came into office.
PD Suite of Supports Available
The PED Curriculum and Instruction Bureau continues to enroll districts in our PD Suite of Supports, which is designed to support a focus on assuring equitable access to grade level instruction for all students through acceleration, MLSS, and high dosage tutoring. There are offerings that are “on-demand” and require no enrollment. Tools provide just-in-time professional learning supports and are available on-demand so that districts and schools can utilize the resources within their own PLCs and PD days at will. There are options for leadership at the school and district level, teachers, instructional coaches, and other educators as well as site-based projects and statewide communities of practice. You can access the brochure to see available options here. Questions? Jacqueline.Costales@ped.nm.gov or Kenneth.Stowe@ped.nm.gov
CPR Training Requirements
For the safety of the school community, staff requiring CPR certification should complete the curriculum-based and hands-on skills portion of the training as soon as possible. Although certain certifying organizations allow an extended window to complete the hands-on skills portion, delay in verification of skills-based demonstration may pose a risk to the community being served. Additionally, the statutory requirement for graduating students to complete “hands-on psychomotor skills cardiopulmonary resuscitation training” has not changed. This training should be conducted while maintaining COVID-safe practices.
Career-Based Math Curriculum Available
Pathways2Careers math courses, free, career-focused core math content is available on the P2C platform, giving teachers access in one place to hundreds of interactive lessons in 8th Grade Math, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, along with other resources such as Quantile assessments and career exploration tools. Educators interested in implementing Pathway2Careers math curricula are invited to attend professional learning with MC2. You must register in advance. A confirmation email will be sent. Questions: John.Gabaldon@state.nm.us
Register for Counselor Conference Next Month
This PED virtual conference, taking place on Feb. 23, will feature Four Simple Practices. Amazing Results. Re-invigorate with FISH! For Schools. The philosophy is designed to reinvigorate and give educators the support they need during these times of dramatic changes and challenges. The afternoon sessions will include updates on Advanced Placement/College Board, career development, social-emotional learning, and more. The event is free, but requires registration.
Summer Enrichment Internships Program Returning in 2022
In the inaugural 2021-year, federal funding covered the cost of summer internships for nearly 1,300 New Mexico high school students. Twenty-six counties and tribes participated in the program with more than 300 community partners. The program will return in 2022. You can learn more about the entire project at NMInterns.com. Regarding the upcoming 2022 year, the PED has already started conversations with county and tribal partners about how to improve the program. If you would like your county or tribe to participate in this fruitful program, we highly recommend you encourage them to reach out to Special Project Manager, Marc Duske, Marc.Duske@ped.nm.gov.
Homework Gap Grant
The application deadline is March 11 for a Homework Gap grant for 2022. Twenty winners will be selected to receive up to $25,000 worth of Kajeet Education Broadband solutions including unlimited student data plans, WiFi hotspots, school bus WiFi, LTE-embedded laptops and tablets and routers. The grant is open to all K-12 schools and districts, colleges and universities, tribal schools and public libraries. Winners will be announced in May. More information and the application link are available here.
Special Education Ombud
The New Mexico Office of the Special Education Ombud requests your assistance in advising families of the services now available to help them navigate the special education system. This FAQ and this family-oriented flier provide more information and should be shared with all families that have children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Additionally, the ombud is recruiting individuals in every district to receive training to serve families as volunteer, local ombuds. Send names to Michelle Tregembo.
Substitute Teacher Course Available
A new Canvas course is available to all New Mexico substitute teachers. This two-hour course consists of five targeted-learning modules that focus on preparation, logistical considerations before and after class, evidence-based instructional practices, classroom management and behavioral supports, and more. This course navigation guide should be shared with prospective hires or current substitutes. For information: Kenneth.Stowe@ped.nm.gov
Dashboard Shows COVID Spending Data
The PED has released an interactive dashboard the public can use to see how districts and state charter schools are spending federal COVID-19 relief funding. “The public has a need and a right to know how schools are spending a generational influx of federal funding to improve education outcomes in New Mexico,” said Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus. “We’re very proud to present this digital tool to make that as easy as possible and to showcase the great work districts and state charter schools are doing to spend this money wisely.”
The dashboard currently includes cumulative and individual data on how districts and state charter schools spent their share of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Users can apply filters to select data for individual school districts and charter schools and hover a cursor over any visual to see additional data elements.