2021 Archive

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Dec. 23, 2021

Broadband assistance program changes coming Dec. 31

Benefit to adjust to increase eligibility

SANTA FE — Thousands of eligible New Mexicans have until Dec. 31 to apply for a federal program to offset the cost of high-speed internet before the pandemic relief program is expanded to include more households and the benefit is adjusted.

In January, the Emergency Broadband Benefit will be replaced by the Affordable Connectivity Program, and the monthly subsidy for broadband internet service will decrease from $50 to $30 per month for most qualifying households. The subsidy is expected to remain at $75 per month for households on tribal land. While the individual benefit will decrease, the eligibility requirements will expand to include tens of thousands more New Mexicans. Non-tribal households enrolled in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program as of Dec. 31 will continue to receive the $50 subsidy during a 60-day transition period, which ends March 1.

The subsidy is paid directly to participating broadband providers. In New Mexico, more than 60 companies have signed up for the program. That list is available here.

The Emergency Broadband Program is one way New Mexico is shrinking the digital divide by helping families pay for broadband and digital devices in homes. The Public Education Department continues to work closely with school districts and internet service providers with the goal of connecting all of New Mexico’s 318,000 public school students.

More than 80,000 New Mexico families are already enrolled in the EBB program following months of outreach by a Public Education Department initiative, NM Student Connect. Through that effort, workers called almost 108,000 families and directly helped more than 12,675 families with applications.

New Mexico is currently ranked third per capita among the 50 states for Emergency Broadband Benefit household registrations.

When Congress created the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit last spring, the Public Education Department estimated that 75 percent of families of New Mexico students could qualify based on their eligibility for other federal assistance, including the National School Lunch Program.

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of these criteria:

• Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or Lifeline;
• Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program;
• Received a federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
• Experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since Feb. 29, 2020, and the household had a total 2020 income at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

As of Dec. 12, more than 8.5 million U.S. households had applied for the benefit.

Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program in last summer’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and appropriated $14 billion for it. The goal was to replace the temporary, pandemic-linked Emergency Broadband Benefit with something more permanent.

Like the EBB, the Affordable Connectivity Program will be administered by the Federal Communications Commission, which is still adopting rules and working out how families receiving the EBB benefit will be rolled over into the new program.

Households are eligible for participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program if they meet one of these criteria:

• Has an income that is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines;
• Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
• Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
• Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;
• Received a federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income program.

Enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which continues through Dec. 31, is an easy, two-step process:

1. Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to submit an application or print out a mail-in application.
2. Contact your preferred participating provider to select an eligible plan and have the discount applied to your bill.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Dec. 17, 2021

NM has 57 new National Board Certified Teachers

82 others received renewed certification

SANTA FE —Fifty-seven New Mexico educators are first-time recipients of National Board Certification, the highest mark of professional competence available to classroom teachers in this country. Eighty-two others have received renewed certification.

The announcement was made Wednesday by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1987. Since then, the board has certified more than 128,000 teachers who completed a rigorous, performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment to demonstrate their abilities in the classroom.

The New Mexico Public Education Department each year awards up to $500,000 in scholarships to eligible teachers to seek National Board Certification, which costs $1,900 in all and can take up to three years to complete. In some cases, the timeline can be extended to five years.

“The state of New Mexico makes this investment in our educators because we know the rigorous certification process inspires them to become true masters of their profession,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “We want these master teachers in our schools, where they inspire continuous improvement for other educators and, of course, our students benefit.”

Teachers with at least three years of classroom experience can apply for one of 25 possible certifications across four developmental levels and 16 areas of study. In all 25 certificate areas, candidates must complete four components:

Computer-based assessment, administered at a testing center.

• Component 1: Content Knowledge (determined by a computer-based assessment taken at a testing center)
• Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction (assessed by portfolio)
• Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment (assessed by portfolio)
• Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner (assessed by portfolio)

“The National Board teacher certification provides an opportunity to deepen your understanding of yourself as a teacher and improve your teaching practice,” said Kim Landry, a second-grade teacher at Sunset Hills Elementary in Alamogordo. She earned certification in the category of Early Childhood Generalist age 3-8.

National Board Certification must be renewed every five years, which is accomplished by paying a fee and meeting requirements for professional development.

New Mexico’s National Board Certified Teachers – new and renewed – will be honored at a virtual celebration at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 19 followed by a formal pinning ceremony, sponsored by the NM NBCT Network, Feb. 19 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque (details to come).

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Dec. 10, 2021

NM school enrollment steady after pandemic year

318,608 children enrolled in pre-K through 12th grade this fall

SANTA FE — Public school enrollment in New Mexico remained flat this fall, mirroring national trends, even as schools across the state reopened for face-to-face instruction following extensive remote learning last year amid the global pandemic.

Statewide enrollment in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade totaled 318,608 compared to 318,621 at the same time last year, the Public Education Department reported today. The figures are based on the “40-day” reports from the state’s 89 school districts and 53 state-chartered schools, which were due this year between Oct. 14 and Oct. 27.

School districts and state-chartered schools include estimates for enrollment growth when they submit their operating budgets July 1. Estimated enrollment growth is adjusted after the first reporting period.

Since the submission deadline, the department has been working with districts and state-chartered schools to validate the data and determine enrollment-based budget allocations.

New Mexico public school enrollment peaked at 335,829 in the 2018-19 school year before falling a slight .8% in fall 2019 just before the global pandemic. A year ago, amid widespread remote learning, public school enrollment in New Mexico fell more than 4%, a drop of 14,399 students from the year before. The fall 2021 data shows enrollment numbers remaining steady.

New Mexico’s enrollment numbers track closely with national trends. The U.S. Department of Education reported in June that enrollment nationally has fallen 3% since before the pandemic, with the largest declines among the youngest grade levels.

This chart shows New Mexico’s enrollment changes by grade between 2019-20 and now

A yearlong project last year to locate students who had not disenrolled but were no longer attending school determined most had withdrawn to be home-schooled, had enrolled in private or Bureau of Indian Education schools or had moved out of state.

The number of registered home-school students jumped 78% to 15,432 in the 2020-21 school year compared to the year before. That dropped to 10,376 this fall, with an average of 10-15 new enrollments daily.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Dec. 10, 2021

Community Advisory panel re-established for PED

Group to advise Secretary Steinhaus on education policies, programs

SANTA FE — Fifty-five New Mexico teachers, students, family members and business leaders will meet virtually for the first time Saturday to begin advising Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus on statewide education policies, programs and initiatives.

The Secretary’s Community Advisory is an avenue for community feedback on essential programming in public education while also promoting equity and access to the business of public education.

“I formed this group because I’m committed to engaging with those who are most directly impacted by the Public Education Department’s work, and by that I mean New Mexico’s students, teachers, parents and business leaders,” Steinhaus said. “I look forward to getting their feedback, and I hope this program will serve as a model to districts and schools for cultivating community partnerships.”

The Public Education Department believes strong connections between school, home and community foster student success, and the Secretary’s Community Advisory is a new outlet for that ongoing work.

Community advisors will:

• Inform the PED on resources, policies and programming communities need to ensure educational equity;
• Collaborate with other stakeholders in their community to provide feedback that represents diverse perspectives, experiences and needs;
• Support PED leadership in creating policies and statewide initiatives that promote equity and inclusion in New Mexico’s public schools;
• Within the advisory, collaborate, research and identify effective statewide practices and strategies, and record recommendations;
• Learn about and advocate for innovative policies and legislation that help elevate public education; and
• Share the information, resources and insight gleaned from this experience with community members to catalyze and bolster engagement at the local level.

“This is about adding seats to the proverbial table. It’s about sharing access, information and power with those who experience daily the impact of the decisions and policies made in Santa Fe,” said Katie Avery, the department’s director of Strategic Outreach. “No one is better equipped to inform the work of the Public Education Department than the communities we serve – we are grateful to those who responded to the invitation and eager to get to work.”

The advisory group currently consists of 55 stakeholders total:

• 14 educators
• 13 parents or guardians
• 13 students
• 15 civic members — three each from five geographical regions in New Mexico.

The Public Education Department is actively recruiting to bring each sub-group to 15 members. Applicants from northern and southwestern New Mexico, historically under-represented areas, are strongly encouraged to apply by contacting community.engagement@ped.nm.gov.

The department used email, social media, newsletters and phone calls to invite New Mexicans to complete online applications and submit a letter of recommendation and two professional references. Candidates then were invited to a virtual interview with a panel of cross-agency PED staff.

The commitment is for one full calendar year. During that time, advisors will attend regular meetings, both virtual and in-person, and meet as needed with PED leadership and staff.

Secretary’s Community Advisory

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Dec. 1, 2021

PED submits $3.85 billion budget request for school

Plan would address educator workforce crisis, improve literacy

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department is requesting a $3.85 billion budget for public schools in the next fiscal year to address the educator workforce crisis, lost learning time and student behavioral health.

Those and other critically needed programs are included in the request, which is $441.8 million (13%) higher than what the Legislature appropriated for the current fiscal year.

Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus submitted the request Tuesday to the Department of Finance and Administration and will present it Friday to the Legislative Finance Committee.

“This budget request reaffirms New Mexico’s belief in and support for educators, students, families and their communities,” Steinhaus said. “We know our strength lies in our educator workforce, our parent partners and our children, who are hungry for success. The resources we’re requesting will attract new and retain veteran teachers and keep them engaged with our kids as much as possible. They’ll provide the behavioral health supports children need to navigate growing up amid a pandemic.”

New Mexico’s chronic teacher shortage nearly doubled last year to 1,000 vacancies, leading to a budget request that would significantly improve the educator ecosystem to keep teachers in the classroom and attract newcomers to the profession. Specifics include:

• $80 million to give all 50,000-plus school personnel a 7% pay increase — the largest one-year increase in recent history; it would bring New Mexico educator pay in line with Texas and Colorado.
• $200.5 million to raise teacher minimum salaries to $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000 depending on tier (the second increase under the administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham; the tiers were $36,000, $44,000 and $54,000 when she took office).
• $1.5 million for educator recruitment.
• $500,000 to support teachers seeking National Board Certification.
• $3.7 million for teacher professional development.

The 7% raise and higher minimums would result in an average teacher salary of $64,006.

The pandemic also highlighted the need to expand behavioral health services for students. This request seeks $4 million to provide behavioral health service providers for general education students, who are not currently eligible. Other budget highlights include:

• $10 million to expand and sustain the state’s Community Schools initiative, which allows existing schools to implement specific strategies to provide students with whatever they need to be academically successful by leveraging community resources
• $11.5 million to improve literacy in this state-sponsored Year of Literacy

Almost 95.7% of the requested funding ($3.6 billion) would be distributed directly to New Mexico’s school districts and state-chartered schools through the State Equalization Guarantee to fund salary increases and meet local needs — an 11.4% increase over appropriated funding for Fiscal Year 2022. An additional $166.4 million would go to specific spending categories including transportation, standards-based assessments, educational technology and Native American student education among others.

Finally, a remaining $47.2 million would be allocated to the department to support strategic initiatives known commonly as “below-the-line” programs. Below-the-line appropriations support a variety of targeted purposes, including recruiting and inducting teachers, efforts to respond to the Martinez and Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit, student nutrition and wellness, and pathways and profiles for student success.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Nov. 19, 2021

First families get receivers for datacasting pilot project

First of 2,000 devices going out to NM families outside reach of internet

SANTA FE — Eight families in the Taos School District received electronic devices this week that will allow their students to receive school work over airwaves instead of the internet using a technology that could help bridge New Mexico’s digital divide.

Thursday’s distribution of the card deck-sized receivers at Ranchos Elementary School launches phase two of a pilot project that eventually will connect at least 400 families in four New Mexico school districts to a technology called “datacasting.” The goal is to expand educational opportunities for students in remote areas without broadband internet access.

“We’ve learned that no single solution will quickly solve New Mexico’s digital divide, and speed is of the essence,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “Until fiber optic cables bring broadband internet to every corner of New Mexico, we’re going to need a patchwork of solutions, and it sure looks like datacasting could be one.”

The other districts in the pilot project are Los Lunas, Pojoaque and Silver City. Along with Taos, all are identified as “focus districts” in the Martinez-Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit over education equity. (Bernalillo and Cuba were invited to participate but declined.)

All four districts in the pilot are finalizing their lists of 100 families each who lack broadband internet access sufficient for full educational participation.

The Public Education Department and its partners — New Mexico PBS, CTC Technology & Energy and CLARO Consulting — expect to distribute receivers to all 400 participating families within the next two weeks. Those families will also get hands-on support unique to their needs. The pilot districts may request more receivers if needed once they demonstrate they can successfully deploy to their initial families.

The other 19 focus districts identified in the Martinez-Yazzie ruling (Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Cuba, Española, Gadsden, Gallup-McKinley, Grants-Cibola, Hatch, Jemez Valley, Lake Arthur, Las Cruces, Magdalena, Moriarty-Edgewood, Peñasco, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Tucumcari and Zuni) each will get receivers for 40 families to “test-drive” throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

The project has purchased 2,000 receivers in all.

Datacasting uses special transmitters and receivers to send data over existing broadcast airwaves. New Mexico’s pilot project will piggyback educational materials on airwaves controlled by the New Mexico Public Broadcasting System, a key partner in the project. Those signals reach 98% of all New Mexico homes. Inside the home, a receiver will convey the information to the student’s Chromebook or other digital device.

New Mexico PBS and member station KNME, serving northern and central New Mexico, finished installing and testing the first transmitter in October. The final three transmitters have arrived, and installation and testing are under way now at KNME, KENW in Portales and KRWG in Las Cruces, said Franz Joachim, New Mexico PBS and KNME general manager.

“KNME-TV is excited to be a partner with the Public Education Department in the next generation of educational broadcasting, leveraging the broad accessibility of our television signals to help bridge the digital divide,” Joachim said.

“KRWG Public Media at NMSU is thrilled to participate in this initiative to provide essential data services to underserved students,” said KRWG general manager Adrian Velarde. “It aligns perfectly with our core educational mission and leverages the power of all three public TV stations in New Mexico to support learning throughout the state.”

When fully functional and combined with district-provided hotspots, the datacasting system will allow a two-way exchange of educational materials between teachers and students with no extra work required for teachers.

Teachers already use learning management systems like Canvas or Google Classroom to organize educational materials into lessons, assignments and assessments that students with broadband internet can access from anywhere. In the pilot project, a service called EduCast will pluck those materials off the internet for transmission via the public television airwaves, allowing students in homes without high-speed internet to access these materials.

The pilot is funded by $1 million awarded to the Public Education Department by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham from the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, a pandemic relief measure.

The goal of the pilot is to determine whether and under what conditions datacasting can be an appropriate solution for family learning at home.

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Contact:
Christian Naranjo
505-231-6236
Christian.naranjo@state.nm.us

Nov. 18, 2021

NM on track for steady boost in Advanced Placement exam participation in 2021-22

70% of New Mexico AP students intend to take exam

SANTA FE – Every New Mexico school offering at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course ordered AP exams for spring 2022, ensuring every AP high school student will have an opportunity to earn college credit this school year.

So far, the 97 high schools offering AP courses in New Mexico have ordered 15,097 AP exams—indicating that 70% of students enrolled in an AP course plan on taking an exam this May. This represents firm improvement from the 2020-21 school year, which saw exams ordered for 66% of AP students.

Students who score at least 3 points out of 5 possible points on AP exams are guaranteed three credit hours at all New Mexico universities and colleges and thousands of others across the country.

“AP classes provide a challenging and engaging environment where New Mexico students get a taste of college work while boosting their skills and increasing their confidence,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “New Mexico families should be pleased that our AP schools are offering exams to all AP students, bringing them even closer to college and career opportunities.”

New Mexico schools offer 38 AP courses statewide in Arts, English, History and Social Sciences, Math and Computer Science, Sciences, World Languages and Cultures, and more. At the end of the school year, students can take the corresponding AP exam.

While students must pay a fee to take an AP exam, the New Mexico Public Education Department and College Board subsidize the cost of AP exams for students who qualify for federal free or reduced lunch programs—lowering the cost to $3 per exam.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Nov. 16, 2021

PED challenges students to design, build little libraries

Competition to celebrate New Mexico’s Year of Literacy

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department today launched competitions for New Mexico schools to design and build little lending libraries to celebrate the state’s Year of Literacy.

Schools can compete in one or both of two categories to design or build a little library based on specifications provided. Rubrics that include points for in-school and community collaboration will be used to judge both designs and completed libraries.

As an example, in-school collaboration could involve the English department proofreading a design while the art department builds and paints it. Community collaboration could mean working with a local service organization to stock the finished library.

The winner in the build category will be featured in social media posts and installed in front of the Jerry Apodaca Building in Santa Fe, where the Public Education Department is housed. In addition, the department is working to secure additional awards.

Colorful little wooden book boxes have sprung up in neighborhoods across the country over the last decade as a way to exchange books and promote reading in a community.

The competition begins today and submissions are due March 17. Educators will submit drawings in the design category and at least four photographs for build submissions. Career and Technical Education instructors or project sponsors are asked to score submissions using these rubrics:

• Year of Literacy Little Lending Library Build Rubric
• Year of Literacy Little Lending Library Design Rubric

Districts and state-chartered schools may submit multiple entries in each category here: NM PED Year of Literacy Little Lending Libraries SUBMISSION.

Winners will be decided by a panel of judges and announced on April 1.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Nov. 10, 2021

Military service great preparation for classroom careers

PED thanks all veterans, applauds those who now teach

SANTA FE — After eight years as a gunner’s mate in the U.S. Navy, Camille Perez came home to New Mexico to teach 3- and 4-year-olds. But if you think there’s no common ground between her two careers, you’d be wrong.

“Paperwork and organization,” the pre-K teacher at La Esquelita Pre-School in Bernalillo says without a moment’s hesitation. “In the Navy, I was forced to become very organized with all the paperwork, lack of sleep, extra hours. Pre-K has tons of paperwork, too, and you have to be very organized.”

Military service has long been a pipeline to teaching careers, and New Mexico Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus says that tradition must continue in order to meet a growing demand for great educators.

“On this Veteran’s Day 2021, I first want to thank every New Mexico veteran for their service and every veteran’s family for their sacrifices. But I also want to remind our veterans that the soft skills they honed in the military make them ideal candidates for successful teaching careers, and I invite them to consider that path to continued service,” Steinhaus said.

New Mexico’s chronic shortage of highly qualified teachers nearly doubled last year to 1,000 vacancies, according to researchers at New Mexico State University’s Southwest Outreach Academic Research Evaluation & Policy Center. Teacher preparation programs nationally report lower admission and graduation rates. In New Mexico, 979 students completed an educator preparation program during the 2020-21 academic year, a decrease of 51 program completions compared to the year before.

Steinhaus said young veterans who recently completed their service and are looking to kickstart their civilian lives should consider how they could use skills like clear communication, teamwork, leadership and self-discipline in the classroom.

“These young men and women already have a service orientation. If they want to continue serving by helping children learn and grow, the transition from military life to school life should be easy,” he said.

Through alternative licensing programs, service members can use any bachelor’s degree as a pathway into teaching. That worked for Perez, who had earned a psychology degree while in the Navy.

Perez did a lot of volunteer work with children while serving at naval bases around the world. In Guam, she coached Special Olympics athletes. In El Salvador, she provided activities for children living in an orphanage.

“I knew I really liked working with children, so when I came home, I thought I’d apply to be an educational assistant,” Perez said.

When the school district learned she already had a bachelor’s degree, she was encouraged to apply for a teaching position instead.

“We need many, many more veterans like Camille Perez — smart young men and women who want to continue serving their country and their communities but this time in the classroom,” Steinhaus said.

Visit the department’s Licensure Bureau for more information on how to become a teacher and check out the new employee job opportunities at the Public Education Department through the State Personnel Office portal.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Nov. 10, 2021

Public hearing for new social studies standards is Friday

Hearing begins at 1 p.m.; online public comments taken through 5 p.m.

SANTA FE — A virtual public hearing will be held Friday on the Public Education Department’s proposed revisions to New Mexico’s social studies standards to include important events and movements that occurred after the last major overhaul 20 years ago.

The department is taking written comments through 5 p.m. Friday:

• By email to Rule.Feedback@ped.nm.gov
• By regular mail addressed to John Sena, Policy Division, New Mexico Public Education Department, 300 Don Gaspar Ave., Room 121, Santa Fe, NM, 87501.
• By fax to 505-827-6520.

The public may speak about the proposed standards by participating in a virtual public hearing from 1-5 p.m. Friday via Zoom (passcode Policy2021). Those without computer access may phone into the hearing at 669-900-6833. Speakers will have up to 3 minutes each to comment.

Standards are set by the state and indicate what a student should learn at each grade level. The last time New Mexico’s social studies standards got a complete overhaul was in 2001 — before major world events such as 9/11, the Great Recession and the Afghan War. As a result, schools are not required to teach students about them.

“Our out-of-date standards leave New Mexico students with an incomplete understanding of the complex, multicultural world they live in,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “It’s our duty to provide them with a complete education based on known facts. That’s what these proposed standards will do.”

The previous standards included four knowledge areas: history, geography, civics and economics. The proposed standards add two categories: ethnic, cultural and identity studies and inquiry. The ethnic, cultural and identity studies area aligns with the court order in the Martinez-Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit that the state provide each student with an education that is culturally and linguistically responsive. The inquiry area is a move to help students learn to think deeply, ask good questions and evaluate sources of information.

Education standards are updated — usually every 10 years — through the state’s rulemaking process. Per that process, when the public comment period ends Friday, all feedback will be considered and incorporated as needed, leading to a final rule that the department will file with the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.

The department’s goal is to release the new standards early in 2022 along with a teacher-friendly version and the first professional development module to help educators incorporate them into the curriculum — the day-to-day instruction students receive. Curriculum is developed locally with input from school boards, families and educators.

The department will also convene a team of K-12 educators to write a New Mexico Instructional Scope for social studies — a tool to provide classroom teachers with guidance and instructional strategies for implementing the updated standards at each grade level. Instructional Scopes are currently available for language arts, math and science.

This timeline shows that educators would explore the new standards and prepare to teach them throughout the 2022-2023 school year. Full implementation would follow in 2023-2024

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Contact:
Christian Naranjo
505-231-6236
christian.naranjo@state.nm.us

Nov. 4, 2021

NM continues to make large strides in computer science education access

44% of NM public high schools now offer computer science ed

SANTA FE – New Mexico earned high marks for improving computer science education access in a new report that documents all 50 states’ computer science education efforts.

Code.org, the Computer Science Teachers Association and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance, released the 2021 State of Computer Science Education: Accelerating Action Through Advocacy this week.

The report noted the following improvements in New Mexico:

• 44% of public high schools taught a foundational computer science course in 2020-21, compared to 32% in 2019-20 and 23% in 2018-19
• 63% of New Mexico high school students attended a school that offered computer science in 2020-21
• 28% of computer science students were female in 2020-21, a 5% percent jump from the previous year

Additionally, the report noted New Mexico made two policy changes to improve access, equity and sustainability of computer science initiatives:

• The NMPED developed a state strategic plan for K-12 computer science in 2021, as found here.
• New Mexico is the first state to dedicate two staff members to specialize in computer science education. One position oversees grades K-8 within the Math and Science Bureau; the other position focuses on high school within the College and Career Readiness Bureau.

“Computer science is vital for each New Mexico student’s education, empowering them to skillfully navigate life, education and career opportunities,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “We are pleased to see continued improvement to computer science education in New Mexico. NMPED will continue to prioritize and promote computer science so all students have access to this promising career path.”

The report indicates potential for computer science growth as New Mexico averaged 2,924 open computer science jobs each month in 2020-21 with an average annual salary of $71,285.

For a closer look at the entire report, click here.

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Contact:

Nov. 3, 2021

School-based quarantine requirements updated

New ‘Test to Stay’ guidance will get most students back in class faster

SANTA FE — Students identified as close contacts to a positive COVID-19 case could get back to class and extracurricular activities more quickly under new guidelines published this week by the Public Education Department and supported by the Department of Health.

The Public Education Department’s updated COVID-19 Response Toolkit, dated Nov. 2, introduces a “Test to Stay” program that allows student and staff close contacts to continue participating in classes and extracurricular activities if they test negative on rapid COVID-19 tests on days one, three and five following a possible exposure.

Until now, unvaccinated students and staff members had to quarantine at home for 10 days after being identified as a close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

“We’ve heard a lot of concern from New Mexico families about long quarantines for asymptomatic students in districts where full-scale remote learning isn’t an option,” said Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus. “We want to keep students in class to the greatest extent possible and provide a safe learning environment for students and staff. We believe this Test to Stay program checks those boxes.”

“Testing and vaccination continue to be our best tools for containing COVID-19 in New Mexico – and for ensuring the in-person learning that we all want for our students, schools and communities,” said DOH Deputy Secretary Dr. Laura Parajon.

School districts across New Mexico are already working to identify current staff and hire new staff needed to implement school site rapid testing. Implementation will begin as soon as districts have completed training and certification to administer tests. The Department of Health will lead those trainings.

“The response from school districts has been positive and quick,” Steinhaus said. “They’re moving as quickly as humanly possible to get this program up and running.”

If a parent refuses to allow an exposed child to participate in testing, the child will quarantine at home for 10 days as was required previously.

The testing program is supported by a $64 million federal grant funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state Department of Health used some of that to contract with Premier Medical Group to visit every participating school at least weekly to assist with testing. Public, nonpublic, charter and tribal schools are all eligible.

District participation in the Test to Stay program is required, but districts must register to receive a share of $37 million to support testing. Registered districts will receive a $70,000 base grant plus $30 per enrolled student to cover expenses related to developing a school surveillance testing program. Districts can use the funding for a broad range of testing-related expenses, including hiring a school nurse or other support personnel.

To date, 68 of New Mexico’s 89 school districts (76%) have registered for the funding, along with 54 charter schools, 16 non-public schools and four tribally controlled/Bureau of Indian Education schools.

District and school leaders who learned of Test to Stay last week in a meeting with Public Education Department leaders expressed support for the program.

“I don’t like sending students home as it places a burden on families. I think this will support families and student learning,” said Jesus Moncado, principal at Christine Duncan’s Heritage Academy in Albuquerque.

“Keeping students in school is the most powerful, important and impactful thing we can do,” said Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders.

When there is a delay in learning of exposure, the testing sequence begins on the first day a school is notified of the exposure and the close contact is in attendance. If a testing day falls on a day school is not in session or the individual is absent, the testing sequence will resume on the next school day.

The Test to Stay program still requires student and staff close contacts to quarantine except for school and school-related activities, and Test to Stay is immediately terminated if the individual exhibits COVID symptoms. In that case, self-isolation is required pending a negative COVID test. If COVID is confirmed, self-isolation continues for 10 days following the day symptoms began.

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Contact:

Nov. 3, 2021

New Mexico announces children 5-11 now eligible for COVID-19 vax

Get your children vaccinated today and protect them from COVID-19

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health and Public Education Department announced today that children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This follows federal approvals by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A dose of Pfizer for children 5-11 contains one-third the amount of active ingredient compared to the adult dose. Children would receive a second dose 21 days or more after their first shot. Available data show that all COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized in the United States continue to be highly effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death, including against the current Delta variant.

“Our children continue to be vulnerable without a vaccination. We encourage parents to schedule appointments with their medical provider or via vaccineNM.org – so kids can go back to being kids,” said DOH Deputy Secretary Dr. Laura Parajon.

“This is great news for New Mexico public schools, where the spread of COVID-19 continues to be a real concern,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “This means our elementary school students can now be protected from the dangers of COVID-19 just as their older siblings, parents, grandparents and teachers are already. We welcome these safe vaccines and urge parents to get them into children’s arms as quickly as possible to keep young children healthy and to avoid further community spread.”

New Mexicans are encouraged to schedule their primary and booster shots with their primary care physicians. They can also do so through the statewide vaccine COVID-19 vaccine registration system vaccineNM.org. Parents can visit vaccinenm.org/kids to add dependents to their existing vaccine scheduling profile.

New Mexicans without access to the internet can call 1-855-600-3453 for scheduling assistance.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 25, 2021

2 NM elementary schools earn national recognition

Schools in Española and Los Lunas get ‘Distinguished Schools’ title

SANTA FE – Two New Mexico elementary schools — one small and one large — have been named National ESEA Distinguished Schools after being nominated by the state Public Education Department.

The honor goes to:

• Dixon Elementary School, serving 49 students in the Española Public School District, and
• Katherine Gallegos Elementary School, serving 585 students in Los Lunas Public Schools.

Both are Title I schools, meaning they receive federal funding because they serve large numbers of students from low-income homes.

“It was an honor to nominate these two schools for this national recognition,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “The hard work by these administrators, classroom teachers, students and families prove what incredible gains can be made in student performance and academic growth when motivated communities work together. I congratulate both schools.”

The New Mexico schools are among approximately 100 schools throughout the country that will receive national recognition for exceptional student achievement at the 2022 ESEA National Conference Feb. 16-19 in New Orleans and online.

ESEA stands for the Elementary and Secondary Schools Act, federal legislation passed in the 1960s as part of the War on Poverty to close skill gaps in reading, writing and math. Title I of the act was originally intended to compensate for the considerable educational deprivations associated with child poverty.

Since 1996, the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators has been selecting examples of superior, federally funded school programs for national recognition.

Selected schools demonstrate a wide array of strengths, including team approaches to teaching and learning, focused professional development opportunities for staff, individualized programs for student success, and strong partnerships between the school, parents and the community.

State education agencies nominate schools for the title under three categories:

• Exceptional student performance for two consecutive years
• Closing the achievement gap between student groups
• Excellence in serving special populations of students

Dixon Elementary School is being recognized for exceptional student performance and academic growth for two or more consecutive years.

Overall student proficiency in reading and math at Dixon improved from 30% to more than 57% in a three-year period.

“Being named a National ESEA Distinguished School is an extreme honor, and we are grateful for the recognition. We dedicate much of our time and effort in hopes of providing our students with meaningful lifelong lessons that will help them to mature into confident and productive members of society,” Dixon Principal Alice Gonzales said.

Katherine Gallegos Elementary School is being recognized for excellence in serving special populations of students.

English learners at Katherine Gallegos improved their reading proficiency from 0 to more than 50% and improved their math proficiency from 0 to 33% over three years.

“We try to give those kids as much support as they need and teach them at grade level as much as possible. I think that approach is what sets us apart,” said Principal Jeffrey Hartog.

More information about all National ESEA Distinguished Schools is available on the ESEA Network website.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 22, 2021

PED establishes Black Education Advisory Council

First step in implementing the Black Education Act now complete

SANTA FE — New Mexico’s new Black Education Advisory Council will meet for the first time in December to review language in the Black Education Act and set priorities for advising the state on ways to improve academic and social outcomes for Black students.

Twenty-one individuals, including four students, have accepted seats on the 23-member council mandated by the legislation, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law last spring.

The Public Education Department is accepting nominations for an additional required position, which must be filled by a charter school teacher with a background in serving and supporting Black students, said Vickie Bannerman, deputy secretary for identity and inclusion. The 23rd position, an additional community member, is optional.

The new council will meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Jerry Apodaca Building, 300 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, or by virtual connection.

With the appointments, New Mexico now has four education advisory councils. The others are for Indian Education, Hispanic Education and Bilingual Multicultural Education.

The advisory council will advise the secretary, school districts and charter schools on ways to improve public school education for Black students, increase Black parent involvement and increase the number of Black high school graduates who succeed in college or in professional or vocational training.

The 2020 four-year graduation rate for Black students in New Mexico was 74%, 3 points below the state average and 7 points below the average for white students.

The department is now accepting applications for three full-time staff positions related to the Black Education Act: BEA liaison, BEA hotline manager and BEA curriculum coordinator. A fourth position — BEA professional development and training coordinator — will be posted soon.

More details about those positions are available on the State Personnel Office website.

The hotline manager will develop and monitor a reporting portal that will allow anyone to report racially charged incidents or racialized aggressions directly to the Public Education Department. The curriculum coordinator will create new or approve existing anti-racism training programs, which the law requires for all school personnel.

All of New Mexico’s 89 school districts and 98 charter schools have a Nov. 30 deadline to submit discipline policies and antiracism training plans to the Public Education Department.

Council members and the positions they fill are:

Charter school administrators:

• Alexandra Boyd, The ASK Academy, Rio Rancho
• Romulous Charles, Native American Community Academy, Albuquerque

Traditional school administrators:

• Robert Sims Jr., Hobbs Elementary, Hobbs
• Patricia Grovey, Head Start, Hobbs

Traditional teacher:

• Alicia Vasquez, Albuquerque

Charter school teacher:

• TBD

Parents with currently enrolled students:

• Monique Matute-Chavarria, Las Cruces
• Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque
• Vernon Oliver, Rio Rancho

Post-Secondary Education:

• Nancy Lopez, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Teacher Preparation Program:

• Pamela Gray, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces

Higher Education Representative:

• Patricia Trujillo, deputy cabinet Secretary, NM Higher Education Department

Students:

• Kendall Ulmer, Rio Rancho
• Kennedy Ulmer, Rio Rancho
• Tamaya Oliver, Rio Rancho

State Office of African American Affairs:

• Chaslyn Wenze

Developmental Disability Council rep:

• Stephanie Mack, Albuquerque

Other Community Representatives:

• Arlen Nelson, Albuquerque
• Timothy Nelson, Los Alamos
• Sandra Aaron, Corrales
• Camryn Bannerman, a student in Rio Rancho
• Sheryl F. Means, Albuquerque
• TBD

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 22, 2021

NM’s 2022 Teacher of the Year: Lorynn Guerrero

Las Cruces educator will represent NM in national competition

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus today announced the selection of Las Cruces educator Lorynn Guerrero as New Mexico Teacher of the Year 2022.

Guerrero teaches English Language Arts at New America School-Las Cruces, a charter high school where she also established a program for teen parents that now includes an on-campus, licensed child-care center.

“Ms. Guerrero’s efforts on behalf of her teenage students in Las Cruces have been nothing short of extraordinary,” Steinhaus said. “New Mexico is fortunate to have her as our 2022 spokesperson for the teaching profession and our representative in the National Teacher of the Year competition. Her dedication and high standards will serve as a model to all of us in the coming year.”

Steinhaus presented the award at a ceremony Friday afternoon in the gym at New America School-Las Cruces, a state-chartered school with 257 enrolled students, 98% of whom are economically disadvantaged.

“It’s kind of unbelievable to see that I’m the recipient of the New Mexico 2022 Teacher of the Year because I think all the teachers in New Mexico do an excellent job, so I’m very honored to be chosen,” Guerrero said after learning of her selection.

The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association is the title sponsor for the New Mexico Teacher of the Year program for the fourth year and will contribute up to $25,000 worth of support and professional development opportunities to the winner.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association for the New Mexico Teacher of the Year,” Steinhaus said. “Their support makes this more than a title but a real opportunity for the winner to grow in her profession and bring those enhanced skills back to her school, her community and her state.”

The association issued this statement: “NMOGA and New Mexico’s oil and natural gas industry are proud to support excellent educators across New Mexico, and we congratulate Ms. Guerrero for her recognition as New Mexico Teacher of the Year. Ms. Guerrero represents the very best of the teaching profession, and she has made innumerable impacts to her students and their families in Southern New Mexico in her years of service to public schools. We look forward to continuing the partnership and work together to further the reach and impacts of New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year.”

Guerrero, who grew up in Las Cruces, began her teaching career in 2006 in Hatch, where she taught both middle and high school students. She joined Las Cruces Public Schools in 2012, first teaching at Organ Mountain High and now at New America School-Las Cruces.

Her father was an educator, and Guerrero always intended to follow him into the profession but worried that dream would be derailed when she became a mother at age 17. The Graduation Reality and Dual Skills program at her high school kept her on course and motivated her to bring the GRADS program to New America School-Las Cruces in 2020. The associated child-care center opened in August with its first client, a 2-month-old infant.

“Ms. Guerrero is an outstanding teacher,” Margarita Leza Porter, the school’s superintendent and principal, wrote in her nomination letter. “Her increased level of rigor, the setting of high expectations, and continual reflection on her teaching sets her apart from other educators.”

In addition to teaching, Guerrero is currently working on her master’s degree in educational administration, which she expects to complete in May 2022. Her bachelor’s degree in secondary education is from New Mexico State University. She has a Teacher of English as a Second Language endorsement from Eastern New Mexico and an advanced placement certification in literature and composition from New Mexico Highlands University.

Guerrero uses her 12th grade English classes to help students prepare for college or career.

“I reiterate that as their teacher, I’m going to help them be prepared for anything they choose,” Guerrera wrote in her application. “I tell them it’s their choice if they want to attend college after high school, but I have them fill out applications to our local community college and to access a scholarship portal.

“My main goal for them is to be able to support themselves and their future families with a career they love. It doesn’t have to be college-geared, but any job takes additional education and training,” Guerrera wrote.

The New Mexico Teacher of the Year award was established in 1963. Each year, all New Mexico school districts and charter schools are invited to nominate an outstanding teacher to become New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year and to represent New Mexico in the National Teacher of the Year competition. New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year also acts as the spokesperson for the state’s teaching profession.

The New Mexico Teacher of the Year program incorporates the New Mexico Public Education Department’s vision of a world-class educational system in which all New Mexico students are prepared to succeed in a diverse, and increasingly complex, world.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 21, 2021

Mesquite Elementary principal wins national honor

Angela Silvaggio wins Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership

SANTA FE — A New Mexico elementary school principal is one of eight school leaders nationally to receive a prestigious educational leadership award from the U.S. Department of Education.

The agency today named Mesquite Elementary Principal Angela Marie Silvaggio a recipient of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership for 2021. Mesquite is in the Gadsden Independent School District south of Las Cruces.

The award honors principals of National Blue Ribbon Schools for their outstanding work and the vital role they play in guiding their students and schools to excellence, frequently under challenging circumstances.

“Congratulations, Principal Silvaggio!” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “You have made all of New Mexico proud as a shining light in our exceptional educator workforce. The work you and your team have accomplished at Mesquite Elementary has been noticed nationally.”

“Bell awardees are truly extraordinary leaders,” Secretary Cardona said in an agency news release. “Over the last 18 months, in the face of unprecedented circumstances, these school leaders have found creative ways to protect, nurture and engage children, families and school staff.”

Silvaggio, who is in her eighth year as principal at Mesquite Elementary, said when she got the phone call from Washington: “All I could do was cry happy tears. It’s a very humbling experience, but I’m very grateful.”

A native of Providence, RI, Silvaggio began her teaching career in El Paso, Texas, before moving to New Mexico’s Gadsden Independent School District. She attributed the award to always treating students the way she’d want her own children treated at school and surrounding herself with an administrative team that shares her vision.

The other Bell Award recipients announced today by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona are:

• Arizona, Tucson: Mary J. Anderson, Jacob C. Fruchthendler Elementary School.
• California, Costa Mesa: Christy Flores, Maude B. Davis Elementary School.
• California, Gilroy: Sonia Anna Flores, Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy.
• Louisiana, New Orleans: Mardele Simmons Early, Lake Forest Elementary Charter School.
• Massachusetts, Weston: John Robert Gibbons, Weston Middle School.
• New York, Brooklyn: Elisa Brown, PS 249 – The Caton School.
• Texas, Dickinson: Sophia Acevedo, Calder Road Elementary School.

They will be honored, along with all 325 National Blue Ribbon Schools, at an awards ceremony Nov. 4 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, a Washington, D.C., suburb.

New Mexico’s other Blue Ribbon Schools are Mesa Verde Elementary in Farmington and Coronado Elementary in Hobbs

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 19, 2021

PED welcomes student engineers for data access work

Team from Worcester Polytech to work in New Mexico through Dec. 11

SANTA FE — Four student engineers from Massachusetts arrived in New Mexico this week to help the Public Education Department launch a pilot project to bring digital learning resources to 500 New Mexico families.

The students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute arrived in Santa Fe over the weekend and will be in New Mexico through Dec. 11 to complete their own academic capstone by working to improve digital connectivity in New Mexico.

The college sends junior engineering students to New Mexico each fall. Last year’s team worked on digital equity projects with the Public Education Department, leading to this fall’s Digital Sovereignty Project. Specifically, the students will measure connectivity in student homes and evaluate strategies to improve learning at home.

“We are delighted that our annual partnership with Worcester Polytechnic this year will support our datacasting pilot project by determining if student hotspots are adequate to send homework or quizzes back,” said Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus, who will meet with the students and their mentors on Wednesday. “We believe datacasting has great potential to give students in remote parts of New Mexico the digital data they need to successfully learn at home.”

The team consists of three men and one woman. Two are mechanical engineering majors; one is a data science major and one is an electrical and computer engineering major.

“In our time in Santa Fe and New Mexico, we want to see if the datacasting pilot program has any benefits to the students and families using it, so we’ll be interviewing students and their families and some of their teachers to see what sort of changes they want to make in the datacasting system and how it’s been benefiting their lives,” mechanical engineering major Grace Rydout said in a video the team produced before leaving Massachusetts.

“By the end of our time, we hope to have some recommendations on how to improve it so it can be the best version possible,” she said.

The Public Education Department is finalizing agreements with five school districts — Bernalillo, Cuba, Pojoaque, Silver City and Taos — to test the use of datacasting for educational purposes this school year. Datatcasting sends information over existing broadcast signals into homes.

The pilot project is a collaboration with the New Mexico Public Broadcasting System, which has signals reaching 98% of New Mexico homes. NM PBS and its member stations will use four special transmitters supplied by the Public Education Department to transmit school lessons, assignments and other educational materials into student homes.

Each of the 500 families participating in the pilot project will get a special receiver to convey the information to the child’s Chromebook or other digital device. When students finish an assignment, they will use an internet hotspot — often supplied by the school district — to return the completed work to their teacher.

The Worcester Polytech students’ main job will be to test the strength of each family’s hotspot or internet service to assure it is adequate to send work back. They will do this using a low-cost, credit-card-sized device called a Raspberry Pi that will come to New Mexico in pre-programmed kits. The devices can connect directly to either a hotspot or router.

Most internet speed tests provide a single measurement, but the Raspberry Pi units will be programmed to take a measurement every hour to provide a more complete, accurate picture.

“It’s like the difference between a single blood-pressure test that gives you a snapshot versus an EKG that takes a measurement every hour,” said Ferdi Serim, a PED consultant who is leading the project. “We’re going to be analyzing the bandwidth requirements for education in a way that hasn’t been done in the entire country.”

Hotspots don’t usually provide enough connection to stream video or upload files. The Worcester Polytech team will define the boundary lines of what families can do with the connections available to them.

The Public Education Department hopes the five districts participating in the pilot project will each appoint interested high school students to be research partners, working with the college students to assemble the kits– which cost about $100 each — and then learning after the fact how they were programmed.

“Kids in these districts are actually going to build these units and learn all these tech skills. It’s a great learning opportunity for them just as it is for the Worcester Polytech students,” Serim said.

In this video, the four engineering students describe the capstone project bringing them to New Mexico.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 19, 2021

New Mexico students score higher on STEM AP tests

Giant leaps seen in advanced calculus, with a 72% pass rate

SANTA FE — New Mexico high school students this year gained more than 10 points on average in Advanced Placement tests for computer science and achieved a 72% pass rate for in-depth calculus.

Overall, scores increased on 15 AP tests, including eight science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) tests: Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, Macroeconomics, Physics Mechanics, Physics 2 and Statistics.

“While the number of students participating in AP testing dropped due to the pandemic, we are encouraged to see across-the-board improvement in these important STEM courses,” Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus said. “We’re also pleased to see more girls and more bilingual learners taking AP tests in STEM subjects. Now our goal is to get more students into AP courses whether at their own schools or online.”

The New Mexico Public Education Department reported that 7,959 students in grades 8 through 12 took a total of 12,708 exams this year — with test-takers for all 38 AP subjects for the first time in many years. That total is down 14% from 14,791 AP tests taken in 2020 and down 25.6% from a record 17,082 tests taken in 2017.

Of the 12,708 exams taken by New Mexico students last spring, 35.5% resulted in grades of 3 (qualified), 4 (well qualified) or 5 (extremely well qualified). That is down slightly from 2020, when New Mexico students took 14,791 tests and 43.2% received grades of 3, 4 or 5. It is the lowest passing percentage since 2017, when 35.4% got grades of 3, 4 or 5.

“Clearly, remote learning and other disruptions last year affected students taking AP courses and exams just as they affected other students,” Steinhaus said. “We expect a quick return to higher and higher pass rates as we return to a new normal this year.”

Despite the lower number of overall test-takers, almost 20% more students (238) took the in-depth calculus test (which College Board calls Calculus BC), and the pass rate increased to 72.3% compared to the pre-pandemic average of 61.2% in 2019. The 2020 score average was 70.1%.

In addition to the eight STEM subjects, student pass rates (a score of 3 or above) improved in these courses: Art Studio: Drawing, Chemistry, Chinese, German, Music Theory, Capstone: Research, Capstone: Seminar.

AP tests for the 2020-2021 school year were taken worldwide between May 3 and June 11, depending on the exam. Traditionally, AP exams are conducted in person with only one primary testing window. In 2021, College Board provided three windows and permitted virtual exams to allow for flexibility amid the global pandemic.

Depending on their test scores, students who take AP courses in high school can get college credit before ever setting foot on a campus or can skip introductory college courses when they get there, leading to earlier graduation. Additionally, having AP courses on a high school transcript tells college recruiters that a student is motivated academically.

The New Mexico Higher Education Department has a guaranteed credit policy for scores of 3 or higher, so students know exactly which college class they’ll earn anywhere in New Mexico. Additionally, the College Board website has a search tool that allows students to look up the acceptance policy at any school of their choosing.

Not all schools offer AP courses. However, the Public Education Department will cover the tuition cost for students enrolled in online AP courses not offered on their own campuses. The department also offers professional development at no cost for public school teachers who wish to offer AP courses.

Students are sometimes steered toward AP courses by score reports from the PSAT/NMSQT test administered in the fall. Those reports identify courses in which students have AP potential. Schools are urged to use that data to determine which AP courses they should offer.

Research consistently shows that AP students are better prepared for college, more likely to enroll, more likely to stay in college, and more likely to do well in their classes and graduate in four years than students who don’t take AP.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 14, 2021

PED announces three NM Teacher of the Year finalists

One will be chosen to represent NM in 2022 national competition

SANTA FE – New Mexico Public Education Secretary (Designate) Kurt Steinhaus today announced three finalists for 2022 New Mexico Teacher of the Year:

• Robbi Berry, a fifth-grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary School in Las Cruces;
• Lorynn Guerrero, an English Language Arts and GRADS teacher at New America School, a charter high school in Las Cruces;
• Stephanie Noll, an English Language Arts teacher at Peñasco High School in Peñasco.

Each year since the program began in 1963, New Mexico’s 89 school districts and state charter schools have been invited to nominate outstanding teachers to become New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year, representing our state in the National Teacher of the Year competition. Those nominated must then complete an application. Selection is based on both classroom performance and strength of application, including letters of recommendation from their school community.

Applications are then reviewed and scored by a selection committee consisting of education leaders from across the state. The top three have now been referred to Secretary Steinhaus, who will make the final selection before the end of October.

“What an incredible challenge and honor to choose New Mexico’s next Teacher of the Year. Each of these distinguished educators would represent our state with distinction, but I can name only one. I have a difficult decision ahead of me,” Steinhaus said.

The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association is the title sponsor for the New Mexico Teacher of the Year program for the fourth year.

Alisa Cooper de Uribe, a first-grade bilingual education teacher at NM International School in Albuquerque, is the 2021 New Mexico Teacher of the Year.

“The Teacher of the Year program reinforced my devotion to our learning communities and my commitment to all our students,” Cooper de Uribe said. “It is an honor to represent my beloved state of New Mexico and its educators in multiple spheres of civic life, and to connect with colleagues who bring care, creativity, and perspective to their work. The opportunity to spotlight the gifts and needs of our students and teachers was invaluable, and because of it, I look forward to a lifetime of education advocacy.”

Berry has been teaching for 26 years — the last eight with Las Cruces Public Schools. As a military spouse, she also taught in New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She was inspired to become an educator by a teacher who refused to accept that she was “not a math person” and worked with her until she got it.

Each year, Berry creates a family-like atmosphere in her classroom that includes referring to her students — and their families — as the Berry Bunch.

“Her philosophy is that all students are capable of growth, and each deserves to receive the very best educational experience she can provide,” Las Cruces Superintendent Ralph Ramos wrote in his nomination letter.

In addition to teaching, Berry serves as a Teacher Ambassador with the Public Education Department’s Teacher Leadership Network.

Guerrero began her teaching career in 2006 in Hatch, where she taught both middle and high school students before joining Las Cruces Public Schools in 2012, first at Organ Mountain High and now at New America School-Las Cruces.

Her father was an educator, and Guerrero always intended to follow him into the profession but worried that dream would be derailed when she became a mother at age 17. The Graduation Reality and Dual Skills program at her high school kept her on course and motivated her to bring the GRADS program — along with a childcare center — to New America School-Las Cruces in 2020.

“Ms. Guerrero is an outstanding teacher,” Margarita Leza Porter, the school’s superintendent and principal, wrote in her nomination letter. “Her increased level of rigor, the setting of high expectations, and continual reflection on her teaching sets her apart from other educators.”

In addition to teaching, Guerrero is currently working on her master’s degree.

After graduating with a degree in secondary English education, Noll began her teaching career as a member of the Teach for America corps, serving in a Houston high school for five years. She was drawn to Teach for America because of its mission to bring educational excellence to every child.

“As someone who has worked in public education for over 20 years, I see access to lifelong literacy programs as an equity issue that deserves more attention than it currently receives,” Noll wrote in her application.

Noll earned a master’s degree in creative writing in 2005 from Texas State University in San Marcos. She taught there for 12 years before returning to the high school classroom, where she believes she can have the greatest and most direct impact on her students, their families and their communities.

In addition to teaching, Noll serves on the National Council of Teachers of English

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 14, 2021

PED pilots datacasting to reach remote students

Five districts invited to participate in project to increase digital access

SANTA FE — Five New Mexico school districts have been invited to test a technology called datacasting to improve educational opportunities for students in remote areas without broadband internet access.

The pilot project will use special transmitters to send educational materials into student homes on broadcast signals controlled by the New Mexico Public Broadcasting System. Those signals reach 98% of all New Mexico homes. Inside the home, a receiver will convey the information to the student’s Chromebook or other digital device.

“It’s like having a school library in every home with one of these receivers,” said Kurt Steinhaus, Public Education secretary (designate). “Basically, students will be able to call up classroom lessons or other educational materials much as they would tune in to watch ‘Sesame Street’ or other PBS shows on TV. We believe this could be an important piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is universal digital access.”

The pilot is funded by $1 million awarded to the Public Education Department by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham from the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, a pandemic relief measure. A fourth of that total funding will be used to buy 10 transmitters and more than 500 receivers.

Bernalillo, Cuba, Pojoaque, Silver City and Taos — all identified as “focus districts” in the Martinez Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit — have been invited to participate. Should all five opt in, they will help identify 100 families each whose connectivity doesn’t meet the requirements of the court order. Those 500 families will get the card-deck-sized receivers and hands-on support unique to their needs.

The other 18 focus districts will receive receivers for 30 families to “test-drive” throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

New Mexico PBS and affiliate KNME finished installing and testing the first transmitter last week.

“New Mexico’s public television stations are excited about this partnership with our Public Education Department and a new opportunity to extend our mission to educate and engage — anytime, anywhere,” said Franz Joachim, New Mexico PBS general manager and CEO.

“Leveraging opportunities created by digital broadcasting, we can devote a small part of our channel space to send internet content directly to students who lack sufficient internet connectivity. Without affecting our television broadcasts in any way, we will create a pathway from teacher to student — bridging the digital divide and delivering content designed for internet distribution to homes that lack internet capabilities. We are proud to provide part of the solution to one of New Mexico’s most pressing problems,” Joachim said.

This week, the project team is demonstrating the 10 receivers in meetings with the five school districts to finalize their participation.

When first approached, some districts were concerned that participation would require more work by their already overworked teachers. Not so, said Ferdi Serim, the Public Education Department’s lead consultant on the project.

“This doesn’t require the teachers to do anything. The only thing teachers are going to notice is that their students have more access than before and their literacy is improving,” Serim said.

Teachers already use learning management systems like Canvas or Google Classroom to organize educational materials into lessons, assignments and assessments that students can access from anywhere. In the pilot project, a service called EduCast will pluck those materials off the Internet for transmission through the public television airwaves. Students will use internet hotspots (often supplied by the district) to return assignments.

The goal of the pilot is to determine whether and under what conditions datacasting can be an appropriate solution for family learning at home.

The Public Education Department and its partners — New Mexico PBS, CTC Technology & Energy and Claro Consulting — expect to have the first datacasting receivers in homes by the end of October.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Oct. 6, 2021

Clovis Municipal Schools wins food quality award

Students approved of school meals in spring food survey

CLOVIS — The New Mexico Public Education Department this week will present Clovis Municipal Schools with a banner proclaiming the district the state’s school food champion based on a student quality-of-food survey last spring.

The survey, conducted in April, asked students across the state how satisfied they were with the nutrition and taste of school-served meals.

More than 5,400 responded, and of those, 78% agreed to some degree that school meals are nutritious, while 86% agreed to some degree that they include fresh, natural ingredients. Smaller majorities strongly agreed, agreed or somewhat agreed that school meals taste good (62%) or that they look forward to school meals (57%).

The 5,420 total responses came from students in 79 districts, with 41% coming from students in Clovis Municipal Schools. Those responses were overwhelmingly positive, leading to the Public Education Department’s Quality of Food Gold Star Achievers award.

“It’s no small accomplishment to earn the enthusiastic support of students for school meals,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “The nutrition standards are very high, but the dollars allocated are comparably low, so these cafeteria workers are working magic.”

Public Education Department staff members will observe lunch preparations and lunch service Thursday at James Bickley Elementary and Marshall Middle School before Deputy Secretary Katarina Sandoval presents the district with a 10-foot vinyl banner reading “NM PED Quality of Food Gold Star Achievers.”

According to the school menu, students will be eating meatball subs, garden salads, sliced cucumbers, Ranch dressing and peach cups.

The banner will be presented and the district’s 63 food staff members will be acknowledged during a gathering of school officials at 1 p.m. Thursday at Marshall Middle School, 100 Commerce Way.

“We are proud to be recognized as a School Food Champion, and more so, our district is proud to join in recognizing our 63 Student Nutrition staff members as they receive this much deserved award for their commitment to our students,” Superintendent Renee Russ said.

Russ has a special reason to be proud: Her maternal grandmother was a Clovis schools cafeteria manager before retiring in 1976.

“She loved feeding the CMS students and she was so proud to be a CMS employee,” Russ said. “Being at the helm as our district receives this award is super, super special to me.

“These professionals work collaboratively and continuously to create appealing and nutritious meals that students enjoy,” Russ said. “This award showcases those continued efforts to provide our students the nutritional foundation they need to be healthy and productive.”

New Mexico schools serve 40 million breakfasts and 56 million lunches each year.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 30, 2021

Winners named in New Mexico Grown program

Schools, senior centers honored for supporting local food movement

SANTA FE — Thirteen school districts, five senior centers and one Head Start facility will be honored next month for connecting students and seniors to locally grown food — efforts that strengthen New Mexico’s farming economy and increase access to good nutrition.

Representatives from the Governor’s Office and five state agencies — the Aging and Long-Term Services, Early Childhood Education & Care and Public Education departments and the Departments of Agriculture and Health — will recognize winners of the annual New Mexico Grown competition at a virtual celebration at 2 p.m. Oct. 13.

“It is our great pleasure to honor institutions across our state that are expanding marketplaces for local farmers while also providing nutritious, New Mexico-grown food for preschoolers through seniors,” said Kendal Chavez, food and hunger coordinator in the Office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and lead of the New Mexico Grown Coalition’s Interagency Task Force.

“Congratulations to all the organizations that prioritize local food and invest in the health of the people they serve,” said Dr. David R. Scrase, M.D., acting secretary of the Department of Health. “When children can grow, taste and learn about produce, they are more likely to develop lifelong healthy habits that can make a positive impact on obesity in New Mexico.”

The New Mexico Grown Farm to School Program is designed to increase and diversify the base of New Mexico producers selling to schools and other institutions.

“New Mexico has a rich agriculture heritage, and our producers deliver the nutritious products we all love,” Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said. “These organizations are role models in providing fresh, local products and in supporting local farmers. Together we are growing a healthier New Mexico, including its economy.”

The program helps assure that fresh produce used in school meals is safe, traceable and originates from a garden or farm using sound and current food safety practices.

“Children can’t learn on empty stomachs, and this program makes sure that school meals are not only nutritious but fresh and local. This is a win-win for every participant,” said Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus.

The program awarded $474,400 in grants this year to 59 school food authorities serving 281,000 students and $147,500 in grants to six entities representing 36 senior centers serving 15,000 seniors.

Previously, the awards were given only to schools and farmers at an event occurring during the legislative session, but this year’s program expanded to include senior centers, which incorporated more locally grown produce in 360,000 grab-’n’-go, congregate or home-delivered meals to homebound seniors.

Senior centers could qualify for awards based on only two criteria: procuring locally grown food and establishing edible gardens. One center, Sandoval County Senior Program, won the state’s only Golden Chile award for accomplishing both.

“We’re so excited to be part of this much-needed and creative program. The fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms being provided through the NM Grown program to our seniors enrich their lives with nutritious options while also helping to invigorate local farms,” said Aging and Long-Term Services Secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez.

The Early Childhood Education & Care Department is preparing to use $44,886 in funding to start a pilot program at four childcare and Head Start facilities. One Head Start facility — the Family Resource Center in Deming — got a head start and made the list of honorees this year.

“ECECD is proud to bring fresh, healthy, and locally grown food into child care and adult care facilities across New Mexico through this important program,” ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky said. “Children ages 0-5 are experiencing the most important period of growth and development, and proper nutrition during this time is crucial to building their brains, nourishing their bodies and establishing healthy life-long eating habits.”

Award recipients are being honored in four categories: Seed (program has potential), Sprout (program is growing strong), Blossom (program is reaching maturity) and Golden Chile (mature and fruitful program.)

Seed:

• City of Las Vegas Senior Center Program
• Las Vegas City Schools
• PMS Senior Centers in Catron County
• PMS Senior Centers in McKinley County
• PMS Senior Centers in Torrance County
• Pojoaque Valley School District

Sprout:

• Capitan Municipal School
• Clovis Municipal School
• Dexter Consolidated School
• Farmington Municipal School
• Family Resource Center, Demin
• Hatch Valley Public School
• Lordsburg Municipal School
• Socorro Consolidated School
• Truth or Consequences Municipal School
• West Las Vegas School

Blossom:

• Albuquerque Public Schools
• Roswell Independent School District

Golden Chile:

• Sandoval County Senior Program, Golden Chile

Every year, the State encourages eligible programs to apply for the awards to recognize their progress meeting these criteria: establishing edible gardens, serving locally grown food in meals and snacks, providing gardening lessons and nutrition education, offering culturally-appropriate lessons, and engaging staff, families and/or communities in New Mexico Grown programming.

The NM Grown Coalition is a network of public institutions, community-based organizations and individuals working together to strengthen community food systems across New Mexico.

The coalition’s Interagency Task Force, composed of five state agency partners, is creating a standard system for procuring local produce and food products across all state nutrition programs. This will make it easier for farmers, including small farmers, to sell their produce to local institutions.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 29, 2021

New social studies standards, many years overdue, ready for public comment

NM Public Education Department leading months-long project

SANTA FE —The Public Education Department is accepting comments on updated social studies standards written by dozens of New Mexico educators to ensure all children have the tools they need to be college, career and civic ready.

Written comments may be submitted through 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12:

• By email to Rule.Feedback@ped.nm.gov
• By regular mail addressed to John Sena, Policy Division, New Mexico Public Education Department, 300 Don Gaspar Ave., Room 121, Santa Fe, NM, 87501.
• By fax to 505-827-6520.

The public may speak about the proposed standards as well as two other proposed rule changes at a public hearing from 1-3 p.m. Nov. 12 in Mabry Hall in the Jerry Apodaca Education Building, 300 Don Gaspar Ave. in Santa Fe. Speakers will have up to 3 minutes each to comment.

“This is the first full review of our social studies standards in 20 years, so it is beyond time for this update,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “To keep the curriculum relevant, we regularly review what we’re teaching in every subject and incorporate new developments. In social studies, that includes a fuller understanding of the many cultures that together make New Mexico unique.”

Social studies standards writing teams made up of New Mexico educators from across the state concluded their work in July. The standards are now subject to the state’s rule-making process, which requires public notice of the proposed rule change, a minimum 30-day public comment period and a public hearing. The comment period for this rule is 46 days.

The revision work began in July 2020, nearly a year before a report released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute rated New Mexico’s current civics standards mediocre and U.S. history standards inadequate.

“We already knew that and were working to produce state-of-the-art standards, but the process cannot be rushed,” Steinhaus said of the state’s ratings. “We have a defined process for updating standards in every discipline, and we are following that process to the letter.”

The Fordham report was the work of a bipartisan team of veteran educators and subject-matter experts with deep knowledge of content standards in their respective fields who evaluated civics and U.S. history standards for all 50 states for content, rigor, organization and clarity.

Standards, which define what children are expected to learn by the end of a school year, are typically updated about every 10 years. The standards for science were updated in the summer of 2018. The New Mexico social studies standards were adopted in March 1997 and were last revised in 2001.

The new social studies standards will align with a court order in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, which required the state to provide students with an education that is culturally relevant for New Mexico, where 46% of the population is Hispanic, 9% is Native American and 34% of households speak a non-English language at home.

The careful work of developing new standards began when the Public Education Department convened committees of statewide stakeholders, including higher education experts in the social studies disciplines, classroom teachers and tribal education directors, to identify areas that needed updating.

Through a competitive bidding process, the Public Education Department hired the American Institutes for Research in January to help a citizen committee write the actual standards based on those principles. The American Institutes for Research has supported numerous other states in the updates to their social studies standards.

The writers were New Mexico social studies teachers in K-12 schools from across the state who responded to an open call for members of the writing committee.

“The writing team was composed of a tremendously diverse group of educators representing every region of New Mexico,” said John Rodarte, a teacher at San Diego Riverside Charter School serving Jemez Pueblo. “Using an open and transparent process, the writers relied on the strength of that diversity to create revisions to the standards that mirror our unity as a community of learners in New Mexico. We were all honored to participate in this effort.”

“All these educators worked tirelessly during the spring semester and during their summer break under pandemic conditions because they really want New Mexico to have the best possible social studies standards, representative of all of New Mexico’s students,” said Jacqueline Costales, the PED’s division director of Curriculum and Instruction.

Following the hearing and public-comment period, feedback will be considered and incorporated as needed, leading to a final rule that the department will file with the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.

The department’s goal is to release the new standards early in 2022 along with professional development modules that districts can use to begin training teachers to incorporate the new standards in the curriculum — the day-to-day instruction students receive. Full implementation would follow in the 2022-2023 school year.

Read the standards and other information on the department’s Social Studies Standards update webpage.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 27, 2021

PED urges fall testing to aid post-pandemic strategy

State has invested $50 million to catch students up academically

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department is urging all schools to test students this fall to establish a reliable baseline to combat any learning gaps that may have occurred and to guide educational catch-up efforts.

“We’re ready to support schools in fall testing,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “These tests will be used only to provide educators with a broader baseline to determine where students stand after 18 months of pandemic-related disruptions so we can address any learning gaps and assure that all our kids are on track for academic and life success.”

Fall testing is one strategy in a $50 million suite of supports and professional development the Public Education Department is providing to districts and charter schools to address pandemic-related learning gaps.

“No single strategy is a silver bullet in addressing the effects of the pandemic on learning, and we would be nearsighted to think otherwise,” Steinhaus said. “That’s why the Public Education Department has worked tirelessly to provide educators with professional development, detailed guidance, high-quality instructional materials and other tools to address learning gaps.”

Typically, students in grades three through eight take the Measures of Student Success and Achievement (known by the acronym MSSA), and those in 11th grade take the SAT to measure student progress. However, only 10% of third- to eighth-graders and only 25% of high school juniors took the tests in spring 2021 after the state received an accountability waiver from the U.S. Department of Education.

The waiver allowed New Mexico to test students “to the greatest extent possible” instead of meeting the usual requirement of 95 percent participation. With many families still in remote learning, about 14,000 of the 143,500 enrolled students in grades three through eight participated in testing, and 6,088 of more than 24,300 11th-graders took the SAT.

While a handful of very small school districts tested all their students, more than half of New Mexico’s districts tested none. Students who took end-of-year tests performed lower than in typical years. The 25 percent of high school juniors who took the SAT also showed lower scores. But because so few students tested, the results cannot be generalized to the total student population or to any subgroup of the population.

“That’s why PED is emphasizing a robust testing schedule for the fall semester so we can quickly determine a baseline for our students after the pandemic year and target our resources, including instructional time, to fill any gaps,” Public Education Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment said.

Families of the 10% of students who tested in the spring recently received Individual Score Reports, which indicate whether a student tested is on target, near target or below target in meeting grade-level standards for the test subject.

New Mexico will report assessment data to the federal government as required but with a clear communication that the data is statistically unreliable for purposes of comparison.

“If the participation rate and representation thresholds are not met, aggregate information should not be used,” PED Assessment Director Lynn Vasquez said.

New Mexico educators are not waiting for fall testing data to begin the urgent work of getting students back on track to meet and exceed academic goals. The $50 million-plus in state investments include the PED’s interactive Roadmap to Accelerated Learning and Renewal and related professional development.

Accelerated learning is an instructional framework based on the goal that all students should engage with grade-level academic work while educators provide just-in-time support for missed learning needed to do that grade-level work. It is an alternative to remediation, in which teachers focus on below-grade-level work, a strategy that could compound the effects of the pandemic.

—

For additional information on assessment:

• 2021 Participation Data
• The PED Assessment Bureau web page
• SAT School Day Fact Sheet
• Federal testing requirement
• Five Facts for Parents

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Contact:

Sept. 24, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Oct. 2

SANTA FE — Three Mobile Vaccination School Events are currently scheduled for the week ending Oct. 2.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Monday/27

Tuesday/28

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Contact:

Sept. 22, 2021

State proposes civil fine against private school

Hope Christian accused of failing to enforce mask mandate

SANTA FE — The state of New Mexico has advised Hope Christian School in Albuquerque that it violated the current public health order by failing to require everyone on campus to wear a face covering and will be fined $5,000.

The notice, signed by Department of Health General Counsel Billy Jimenez, was hand-delivered to the school Tuesday by officers from the Department of Public Safety. Information supplied by the Public Education Department led to the conclusion that a violation had occurred.

The school has requested an administrative evidentiary hearing to contest the proposed fine. The hearing has been set for Nov. 5.

“There are no better defenses against the spread of COVID-19 than vaccination and masking,” said DOH Acting Secretary David R. Scrase, MD. “This is particularly important in our schools, where many students are not yet eligible for vaccines.”

The state’s Public Health Order requires private schools to adhere to the COVID-Safe Practices required by the Public Education Department for public schools. The PED required face coverings for everyone regardless of vaccination status since July 26.

The Public Education Department provided the Department of Health with an Aug. 6 email in which Hope Christian Elementary Principal Robyn Taylor said the school would not require masks. Additional evidence included five photos taken Aug. 12 of unmasked individuals of all ages in hallways and an open space.

“Based on the foregoing information, Hope Christian School has violated the Department of Health’s July 30, 2021, Public Health Order,” the letter delivered Tuesday stated.

Hope Christian is New Mexico’s largest private school with a 2021 enrollment of almost 1,400 students in grades PreK-12. The school, founded in 1976, is non-denominational and co-educational.

The Public Education Department maintains an anonymous COVID Safety portal where anyone can register concerns and provide evidence in the form of photos, emails or other documents that COVID-Safe Practices are not being followed in schools

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 21, 2021

PED increases oversight of APS’ CTE funds

District must meet four conditions following indictment of ex-director

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department today announced new oversight of Albuquerque Public Schools’ use of federal funding for Career and Technical Education following the felony indictment of the program’s former director.

The state’s largest school district fired Sheryl Williams Stapleton, director of Career and Technical Education, on Aug. 31. The former state House majority leader has since been indicted on 26 state felony and two misdemeanor charges that accuse her of routing money meant for vocational education to businesses and charitable foundations in which she had an interest.

In a letter sent today to Superintendent Scott Elder, Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus listed four conditions the district must meet before receiving federal CTE funds for the 2021-2022 award year:

• APS must review and update its federal procurement procedures and strengthen controls to ensure better segregation of duties against fraud, waste and abuse.
• Upon approval by the Public Education Department, APS must implement the revised policies and procedures and train staff to follow them.
• APS must engage an independent auditor, approved by PED, to monitor the implementation of its conflict-of-interest policy and federal procurement procedures in the CTE program.
• APS has until Oct. 1 to designate a point person to regularly communicate with PED until such time as the conditions are removed.

“PED takes seriously the recent allegations related to APS’ controls over its procurement processes and conflicts related to APS’ CTE program,” Steinhaus said in the letter. “PED is committed to working cooperatively with APS to effectuate these corrective actions.”

In addition to the four conditions, Steinhaus gave the district until Oct. 15 to submit an accounting by funding source of all payments made to Robotics Management Learning System LLC from fiscal year 2016 through FY 2021.

APS has awarded no-bid contracts to Robotics for licensed software since at least 2013 and in that time has paid more than $5 million to the company. The indictments accuse Robotics of funneling close to $1 million to two businesses and two nonprofits with ties to Williams Stapleton.

APS first became aware of issues with the Robotics contract in 2018 when it tried to contact the company about a mislabeled purchase order. APS employees discovered Robotics did not have a website, business address or phone number, and checks to the company were being sent to an Albuquerque post office box owned by Williams Stapleton’s son, the letter noted, citing documents related to the ongoing investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.

The indictment, filed Monday in Bernalillo County District Court, includes one count of racketeering, five counts of money laundering and separate counts of soliciting or receiving kickbacks and having an unlawful interest in a public contract.

Williams Stapleton, an Albuquerque Democrat, represented House District 19 from 1994 until her resignation July 30, two days after search warrants in the case were served on her home. She has said through her attorney that she is innocent of any criminal charges and intends to clear her name.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 21, 2021

Three NM schools earn ‘Blue Ribbon’ designation

Elementary schools in Farmington, Hobbs and Mesquite honored

SANTA FE — Three New Mexico elementary schools are being honored by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, which recognizes outstanding schools throughout the nation.

• Mesa Verde Elementary in Farmington
• Coronado Elementary in Hobbs
• Mesquite Elementary in Mesquite

The coveted Blue Ribbon School designation, conferred annually by the U.S. Department of Education, honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools based on overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps. This year, 325 schools nationally were selected.

“This is a very prestigious program with a rigorous application process designed to identify and recognize the country’s best schools,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “Every New Mexican should take pride in these three schools and the extraordinary work they are doing to close achievement gaps, create positive learning environments and set children on the path to academic success.”

Mesa Verde Principal Pamela Schritter attributed her school receiving the honor to a community of educators and families who are committed to excellence.

“You have to credit our teachers for their growth mindset and just so much grit and stamina and perseverance. For all of us, it’s all about our students and their success,” Schritter said.

Coronado Elementary Principal Laura Otto said her school was chosen because of its success in closing gaps, partly through data-driven instruction and decision making.

“We have a great bunch of teachers, and they worked so hard this year. We know data-driven instruction works, and we believe in it whole-heartedly,” Otto said.

In Mesquite, Principal Angela Silvaggio said the whole community worked together to convince Mesquite Elementary students to believe in themselves.

“Everyone was working toward that one goal — to convince our students that they are no different than any other student and they definitely could do it. They bought into it, and we’re just so thrilled,” Silvaggio said.

The three New Mexico schools will receive their awards at an in-person event Nov. 4-5 at the Gaylord National Conference Center in National Harbor, MD.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 20, 2021

Community school coordinators get state’s gratitude

Governor issues proclamation expressing appreciation

SANTA FE — The individuals who maintain the heartbeat of New Mexico’s publicly funded community schools received a special honor this week: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a proclamation naming the week of Sept. 20-24 Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week.

“Community school coordinators are essential to building successful community schools and creating, strengthening and maintaining partnerships between community schools and their communities,” the proclamation states.

Community schools are existing schools that implement specific strategies to provide students with whatever they need to be academically successful by leveraging community resources. In New Mexico, the community school strategy is intended to improve the conditions for learning, which should lead to increased attendance and graduation rates, among other outcomes.

Every community school is unique because each reflects its own needs, assets and priorities. Nevertheless, all community schools in New Mexico should have a full-time community school coordinator whose job includes integrating families and community partners into school decisions in order to create a shared vision of student and school success.

“Community school coordinators facilitate and provide leadership for the collaborative process and development of a continuum of supports and opportunities for children, families and others within a school’s community that allow all students to learn and the community to thrive,” the proclamation states.

Of New Mexico’s 33 state or federally funded community schools last year, 26 were traditional public schools, four were local charters and three were state charters. The 11,048 students they served fit these demographic profiles:

• 88 percent were economically disadvantaged
• 71 percent identified as Hispanic
• 22 percent received English learner services
• 18 percent received special education services
• 10 percent identified as American Indian

Each community school identifies its own needs and capacities, which may include on-campus health and dental clinics, after-school programming, deep engagement with families and community organizations, and collaborative leadership and practices.

These strategies are effective in any school but are especially designed to meet the educational needs of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools. The community school model aligns with New Mexico’s response to the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit over education equity.

New Mexico has issued 109 grants since April 2019, when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law the New Mexico Community Schools Act. This year, the Public Education Department issued 50 grants totaling $6.6 million to schools across New Mexico to plan for or to implement the community school strategy in the 2021-2022 school year.

Funding for these grants comes from $10.3 million appropriated by the Legislature and $3.7 million from the federal government for school improvement.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 17, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Sept. 25

SANTA FE — Ten Mobile Vaccination School Events are currently scheduled for the week ending Sept. 25.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Monday/20

Tuesday/21

Wednesday/22

Thursday/23

Thursday/23

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 15, 2021

91 NM seniors named National Merit semifinalists

They now compete for $30M in National Merit Scholarships

SANTA FE — Ninety-one New Mexico high school seniors have been named National Merit semifinalists, the first step toward winning the prestigious title National Merit Scholar and competing for a share of $30 million in scholarships.

They are among approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring.

About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing upon fulfilling several requirements, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.

National Merit Scholarship Corp., a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share its goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

New Mexico’s semifinalists are:

ALBUQUERQUE

ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY:
Aubin, Christopher L.
Bryce, Portia J.
Bueno, Timothy A.
Carey, Amanda C.
Ennis, Quinn W.
Fu, David J.
Johnson, Devan
McIndoo, Evelyn J.
Mohoric, Nicholas W.
Patel, Reeya A.
Perez, Sara I.
Richards, Daniel W.
Wolinski, Sofia J.

ALBUQUERQUE H. S.
Maynes-Pointon, Alexander S.
Parnall, Malcolm
Perce, Kaya A.
Smith, Anastasia

ALBUQUERQUE INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
Chinala, Ashwin R.
Sanchez, Jenna A.
BOSQUE SCHOOL
Morelli, Aldo F.
COLLEGE AND CAREER H. S.
Adams, Zoey Michel E.
Cunningham, Alyssa L.

EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY 843
Christison, Pierce O.
Davidson, Savannah L.

ELDORADO H. S.
Paas, Ainsley A.
Watson, Joseph R.

EXPLORE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
Nitti, Brooke M.

HOMESCHOOL
Rodas, Anna M.

LA CUEVA H. S.
Andreas, Pascal R.
Chalamala, Rahul
Jayaweera, Milidu N.
Jones, Francesca B.
Kim, Andrew
Koirala, Prashamsa
Kuang, Oliver L.
Landau, Elan Z.
Li, Henry
Niu, Derrick T.
Outkin, Yana A.
Soicher, Hanan J.
Sumali, Mario F.
Vignogna-Browne, Emilia
Willhite, Benjamin A.
Xiong, Janie
Xiong, Jenny
Yeh, Melody F.
Yoo, Brandon

MANZANO H. S.
Parrish, Mason C.

OAK GROVE CLASSICAL ACADEMY
Irvine, Annika K.
SANDIA H. S.
Miller, Annette I.

SANDIA PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Delyser, Ramona P.

SOUTHWEST SECONDARY LEARNING CENTER
Oliphant, Adam G.

ST. PIUS X H. S.
Kim, Leo

ARTESIA

ARTESIA H. S.
Simer, Carley M.

CARLSBAD

CARLSBAD H. S.
Antiporda, Riley P.

CIMARRON

CIMARRON H. S.
Holm, Tor J.

CLOUDCROFT

CLOUDCROFT H. S.
Pan, Sophie X.

DEMING

DEMING EARLY COLLEGE H. S.
Escareno, Estrella

FARMINGTON

FARMINGTON H. S.
Nguyen, Ethan D.
Pomeroy, Ryan J.

LAS CRUCES

ARROWHEAD PARK EARLY COLLEGE H. S.
Aswad, Fateh
Camunez, Arabella E.
Simmons, Zephyr A.

CENTENNIAL H. S.
Borah, Arnabh
Collins, Jade N.
Lahiri, Nishka
Owens, Lauren

LAS VEGAS

ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE
Root, Sophia L.

LOS ALAMOS

LOS ALAMOS H. S.
Collins, Andrew R.
Corliss, Andrew C.
Gao, Jennie W.
Huang, Cinyoung
Ionkov, Phillip L.
Koo, Olivia N.
Osburn, Kathryn M.
Philip, Aaron M.
Ronning, Kamaya D.
Strauss, Robert R.

RIO RANCHO

THE ASK ACADEMY
Bautista, Timothy-James G.

V. SUE CLEVELAND H. S.
Kuper, Kirsten A.

HOMESCHOOL
Martin, Ainsley

RIO RANCHO H. S.
Pelowitz, Rebecca L.
Skousen, Rebecca C.

RUIDOSO

HOMESCHOOL
Martinez, Xavier

SANDIA PARK

EAST MOUNTAIN H. S.
Amon, Aubrey E.

SANTA FE

SANTA FE ACADEMY FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE CLASSICS
Hagele, Samuel E.

SANTA FE H. S.
Novak, Tobin S.

SANTA FE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Bas, Joaquin F.
Boyle, Sarah C.
Brislawn, Reilly R.
Voinescu, Isabel S.

TAOS

TAOS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
Molz, Elliot

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 15, 2021

NMPED launches online social-emotional learning portal

SEL resources now easily available to students, parents, educators

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department has launched an online portal to give parents, students and educators free access to resources to better understand, teach and support social-emotional learning in order to build positive school cultures and happy, successful students.

The department partnered with 7 Mindsets, a national leader in online social emotional learning solutions, to create and maintain the New Mexico Cares portal. The portal provides access to the company’s courses, curricula, leadership training and teacher professional development on social-emotional learning, known in academic circles by the acronym SEL.

“The goal is to teach students how to manage their emotions, express empathy for others and develop meaningful relationships as they navigate their school years,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “We all — families and educators — have a responsibility to help kids master those skills. This portal is a great place to find the resources needed to start.”

The portal went live Tuesday, but the official kickoff will be Sept. 28, when the department will host a 3:30 p.m. webinar introducing the tool and implementation strategies for schools and districts. Registration, which is required, is available here.

During the webinar, participants will build a foundational knowledge of social-emotional learning while reflecting, connecting with others and exploring instructional practices and strategies in order to connect personally to these seven mindsets, which are the foundation of the program:

• Everything is possible.
• Passion first.
• Attitude of gratitude.
• We are connected.
• 100% accountable.
• Live to give.
• The time is now.

“The need for social and emotional learning and behavioral health supports in schools is greater than ever. We know how hard everyone is working and all the challenges educators, students, families and communities have faced and are still facing. We are excited to be able to provide this portal and the seven mindsets as free resources to schools to support SEL in their classrooms, buildings and districts,” said Leslie Kelly, the Public Education Department’s behavioral health coordinator.

Social- emotional learning is the process through which young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitude to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals. SEL teaches empathy for others, how to establish and maintain supportive relationships, and how to make responsible and caring decisions.

The goal of SEL is to help students develop the emotions and thought structures to find happiness, success, meaning and purpose in life.

The Public Education Department launched New Mexico’s first Social Emotional Learning Framework in January, calling it “a stake in the ground that New Mexico’s schools will fully engage in the critical and conscientious work of meeting the needs of the whole child.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 15, 2021

School-based COVID infections drop amid new protocols

Surveillance testing and enhanced safety practices seem to be working

SANTA FE — The number of students and staff who were infectious with COVID-19 while on a public school campus dropped 37% last week, possibly due to new protocols to keep schools safe for in-person learning, the Public Education Department reported today.

For the week ending Sept. 11, 504 students and staff members were reported infectious on campus compared to 806 the week before.

Rigorous surveillance testing, enhanced COVID-safe practices, vaccination clinics and other prevention efforts may be contributing to that decline, Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said during a joint news conference with Department of Health officials.

“In-person learning is really important. Kids do better when they’re in school, so we’re working really hard to keep schools open and keep kids safe,” Steinhaus said. “We’re really happy about this data because it shows this approach is working.”

All 89 New Mexico school districts and 98 state-chartered schools have until Oct. 1 to submit Enhanced Covid-Safe Practices to implement in case of rising student or staff infections. Plans are unique to each local educational authority but may include steps like staggering student arrival and departure times, reorganizing hallway traffic or banning school visitors. Those and other possible steps are listed in a template the Public Education Department is using to evaluate local plans.

Those plans, which must be posted on district/school websites by Oct. 1, replace last year’s requirement that schools automatically switch to remote learning upon reaching four Rapid Responses in 14 days. That threshold applied whether a school had 120 or 1,200 students. (A Rapid Response was defined as one or more positive cases at a school that were infectious while on campus. All cases that a school was notified of on a single day, along with all cases with test dates through the following day were grouped into a single rapid response.)

“If a local school board is concerned about an infection rate, they can decide to close on their own. That’s now a local decision, and it’s working exceptionally well,” Steinhaus said.

Since Aug. 6, about 30 schools have opted to temporarily return to remote learning because of COVID concerns. As of today, no schools to the department’s knowledge are in remote learning.

Surveillance testing — testing asymptomatic individuals for the virus — is another critical component of the new school safety plan. Weekly testing is required for unvaccinated staff, and voluntary testing is available at every school for students, with a goal of testing 25% of the student population weekly.

A new $63 million Department of Health grant will make surveillance testing easier by providing funds and direct assistance to help New Mexico schools pay for and execute mandated COVID-testing programs.

Through a grant-funded contract, Premier Medical Group is offering to send clinically capable personnel to every New Mexico school to test all unvaccinated staff and unvaccinated students who have parental permission. Additionally, schools may use funding from the grant to hire school nurses or health assistants or otherwise strengthen their testing-related health services.

Vaccination remains the key to ending the global pandemic, health officials said. Since Aug. 1, 59 school-based vaccination clinics have been held across New Mexico, and the Public Education Department continues to encourage schools to sponsor those.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 10, 2021

PED announces 2021-22 State Ambassadors

21 New Mexico teachers selected for leadership program

SANTA FE — Twenty-one New Mexico classroom teachers will be State Ambassadors for the 2021-2022 academic year, the Public Education Department announced today.

The department’s leadership program, which started in 2017, gives educators a voice in New Mexico’s PK-12 public education programming and initiatives. The program also supports a vibrant educator ecosystem, a top priority for the department and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

“I’d like to personally welcome these talented, committed educators to the State Ambassadors program and thank them for the opportunity to tap into their expertise for new ideas to continue improving public education in New Mexico,” Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said.

The 21 chosen are solutions-oriented level II or level III classroom teachers who want to advance their profession by learning about state policy, advocating for teacher growth opportunities and keeping the teacher pipeline filled with highly qualified professionals.

This year’s cohort, led by the Public Education Department’s Community Engagement team, will focus efforts on strengthening the teacher pipeline and providing insight on how best to help keep teachers in the classroom.

“Our educators have a front row seat to the world of education every day, so it is vital that we hear their voices as well as honor and learn from their experiences,” said Mandi Torrez, the department’s teacher liaison. “This incredible group of Ambassadors has a shared vision of moving New Mexico classrooms forward by moving the profession forward. The PED is committed to building our teacher workforce by creating a vibrant ecosystem where teachers can grow and thrive because they are supported and valued.”

The ambassadors were selected through a process that included a written application and virtual interview. They represent a range of grade levels, subject areas and regions within the state.

The ambassadors will attend a program orientation Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque. Over the year, they will meet with stakeholders from across the state and work to lift up the teaching profession through awareness campaigns and by supporting rising educators.

The new ambassadors are:

• Allan Didier, computer science teacher, Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos
• Adri Cuen Flavian, English Language Arts Teacher, Santa Teresa High School, Gadsden
• Amber Valencia, special education teacher, Farmington PreK Academy East, Farmington
• Amanda Wauneka, kindergarten teacher, Jefferson Elementary School, Gallup
• Audrey Colwell, resource teacher and first grade EL teacher, Bandelier Elementary, Albuquerque
• Catherine Brijalba, special education and English Language Arts teacher, Houston Middle School, Hobbs
• Christine Otero, first-grade teacher, Moriarty Elementary, Moriarty
• Edward Pena, counselor, Cobre High School, Cobre
• Gregory Brown, physical education teacher, Albuquerque High, Albuquerque
• Jamie Torres, special education teacher, Kearny Elementary, Santa Fe
• Janisse Vazquez, social studies teacher, The Ask Academy, Rio Rancho
• Joy Gouripaga, English Language Arts teacher, Cuba High School, Cuba
• Kimberly Landry, second-grade teacher, Sunset Hills Elementary, Alamogordo
• Kristin Lewis, first-grade teacher, Bluffview Elementary, Farmington
• Kathryn Mitchell Gonzales, STEM teacher and librarian, Alvarado Elementary, Albuquerque
• Mary Bissell, math teacher, V. Sue Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho
• Miskee Blatner, Career and Technical Education teacher, Eldorado High, Albuquerque
• Monica Garcia-Roach, lead special educator, UNM Mimbres School,
• Robbi Berry, fifth-grade teacher, Monte Vista Elementary, Las Cruces
• Robin Stevens, English Language Arts teacher, Highland Middle School, Hobbs
• Silvia Miranda, reading specialist, Mesa & James Bickley Elementary School, Clovis

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 10, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Sept. 18

SANTA FE — Two Mobile Vaccination School Events are currently scheduled for the week ending Sept. 18.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Monday/13

Tuesday/14

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 9, 2021

PED releases interactive school funding dashboard

Public can see how federal resources are being spent on education

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department 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.

The CARES-ESSER fund provided nearly $13.2 billion to states to support the nation’s schools in safely reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Mexico’s share was more than $108 million of which 90% was awarded as subgrants to school districts and state-chartered schools. The money is allocated to districts and state charter schools on a reimbursement basis.

The dashboard’s first page represents requested reimbursements. The second page includes a table representing how districts and state charter schools planned to use these funds. Districts and state charters have until Sept. 30 to use CARES Act funds, and the dashboards will be updated as new data is collected on the first and 15th of each month.

Additionally, users can apply filters to select data for individual school districts and state charter schools and hover a cursor over any visual to see additional data elements. The dashboard includes two reports that can be accessed by using arrow keys at the bottom of the page to scroll back and forth between pages.

The dashboard was designed and built by Falling Colors, a contractor that specializes in creating analytic, interactive dashboards that help organizations provide transparency and measure outcomes.

Congress passed the CARES Act in March 2020 to help state and local governments navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, Congress passed additional COVID-19 relief through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. A third round of funding was approved under the American Rescue Plan in March.

Altogether, the federal government has appropriated nearly $189.5 billion to support the nation’s schools in safely reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PED dashboard will be updated to include rounds two and three of funding as data becomes available.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 9, 2021

New Mexico Student Connect completes startup phase

110 districts applied for federal connectivity funding by deadline

SANTA FE – A Public Education Department program to help New Mexicans get internet access helped 110 school districts, tribal affiliated schools and charter schools apply for federal connectivity funds and is focused now on helping families apply for another benefit.

With help from New Mexico Student Connect, 64% of the state’s school districts, 31% of the tribal affiliated schools and 45% of state-chartered charter schools applied for more than $65 million from the federal Emergency Connectivity Fund to help eligible households pay for broadband Internet, connectivity devices like hotspots, routers and modem hardware, and connected devices like laptops or computers.

The application deadline was Aug. 13. Applicants will learn if they received an award between Oct. 13 and Nov. 25.

“Closing New Mexico’s digital divide is a costly, complicated, expensive task, and we can’t afford to leave a single dollar on the table,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “By helping districts and schools tap this federal program, we’re bringing millions of dollars into New Mexico to help us get every student the tools they need to learn, whether broadband access or digital devices.”

The Emergency Connectivity Fund is a $7.17 billion program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to help schools and libraries support remote learning. It is one of two programs funded by that law to help bridge the digital divide through a once-in-a-generation public investment. The second is the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit, which provides a monthly benefit to help eligible households pay for broadband Internet.

These federal resources give districts important opportunities to invest in critically needed infrastructure that will help level the playing field and continue to serve future generations of students.

The Public Education Department established the New Mexico Student Connect program in June to help New Mexicans access both federal programs and solve other connectivity issues, particularly in the 23 school districts that were the focus of the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit over educational equity.¹ The department’s private broadband consultant, CTC Technology & Energy, operates New Mexico Student Connect, which has already developed connectivity plans for all 23 focus districts.

“The partnership between Taos Schools, the Public Education Department and New Mexico Student Connect has been amazing,” said Lillian Torrez, superintendent of Taos Municipal Schools, one of the focus districts. “We are grateful for this opportunity to support the connection of all students to broadband for this school year. This collaboration will make a significant difference for our families and community.”

Since the application window closed for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, the program expanded its focus on helping individual households apply for the Emergency Broadband Benefit. That assistance is available through direct outreach and a multilingual Help Desk that has already fielded more than 48,000 calls and email requests for assistance with EBB information.

“New Mexico Student Connect has been a terrific resource. One third of the families in the Peñasco district were able to call the help desk and get help applying for the Emergency Broadband Benefit program,” said Michael Noll, community schools coordinator in Peñasco Independent School District, another focus district.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit program opened March 8. Income-eligible households apply directly through participating internet service providers for a benefit of $50 per month off the cost of broadband internet service. The benefit is $75 per month for eligible households on Indian land. Additionally, households may be eligible for a one-time $100 benefit for the cost of a digital device.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit requires a participating internet provider serving the area where the applicant lives. New Mexico Student Connect has collected and mapped data to locate internet service providers participating in the program and to identify essential network infrastructure requirements.

Steinhaus, who developed innovative approaches to classroom technology while superintendent of Los Alamos Public Schools, said expanding broadband access is the state’s biggest technology challenge.

“New Mexico has internet deserts where fiber networks have never reached, and we have families who can’t afford internet connections where fiber is available,” Steinhaus said. “No one program is going to close the digital divide, but NM Student Connect is an important piece of that puzzle because it’s connecting districts, schools and households to funding that’s already available.”

¹The 23 focus districts are: Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Cuba, Española, Gadsden, Gallup-McKinley, Grants-Cibola, Hatch, Jemez Valley, Lake Arthur, Las Cruces, Los Lunas, Magdalena, Moriarty-Edgewood, Peñasco, Pojoaque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Silver City, Taos, Tucumcari, Zuni

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 8, 2021

Program to help education assistants become teachers

PED launches New Mexico Educator Fellows Program

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department has earmarked $37 million in federal pandemic relief funding to ease New Mexico’s persistent educator shortage and improve student outcomes by building a pipeline that supports anyone interested in becoming a teacher.

The agency will use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to create the new Educator Fellows Program, which will create opportunities for those interested in becoming educators by providing resources to districts and state charter schools. Those resources will help fund recruitment and retention of teaching assistant positions, with the ultimate goal of creating a workforce of highly trained and prepared teachers.

The program also aligns with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s goal to get more highly trained educators into the field.

Following back-to-back pay raises in 2019 and 2020 initiated by the governor, teacher vacancies in New Mexico actually declined, but the shortage remains significant, with almost 600 teacher vacancies statewide in 2020. The problem is worse in some areas than in others.

“Our goal is to create one of the nation’s best educator ecosystems,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “This program can serve as a pathway for more people to enter the education profession.”

In addition to improving workforce development around education, the program also would increase the ratio of adults to students within the classroom for more personalized learning. The additional support for teachers and targeted small-group instruction would support students, especially as they continue to rebound from the pandemic.

“Support staff are key to making big improvements in schools,” said Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment, architect of the Educator Fellows Program. “Not only does this program provide support for existing teachers and students, it gets people into classrooms so that they know what it’s like. Then they can go on to become counselors, school nurses, and yes, teachers.”

“As schools return to the classroom after a year of online learning, teachers will need additional help to provide small group instruction and targeted tutoring,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich, who was on hand Wednesday in Las Cruces with the Public Education Department to announce the program. “We also have many caring, capable folks in our communities who are interested in the education field but who may lack classroom experience. I’m pleased that the New Mexico Public Education Department is using some of the over $1 billion of federal funding that I helped secure in the American Rescue Plan for New Mexico’s public schools to stand up this new Educator Fellows Program. This is a promising solution for both our schools’ short-term needs and our state’s long-term educator workforce pipeline challenge.”

This program will help address one of the greatest challenges that have impacted our schools, even before the pandemic: teacher shortages,” said “As schools return to the classroom, teachers need this additional help. We need more adults in the room to deliver that extra help.”

School districts and state-chartered schools have until Sept. 20 to apply to participate. Those chosen will receive grants to cover these costs:

• An educational assistant’s full salary plus benefits
• A $4,000 stipend to support each fellow’s postsecondary education
• All licensure and background fees.

Additionally, the department will provide a boot camp-style training before fellows start in the classroom, as well as coaching and support throughout their time in the program.

Any district or state-chartered school may apply by responding to this Request for Information. Priority will be given to districts and schools with larger populations of at-risk students and elementary schools.

Many states, including New Mexico, continue to struggle with the recruitment and retention of teachers. Data show that fewer people are entering preparation programs, and those who do complete them often leave the profession in the first three years due to lack of training and support.

Of New Mexico’s 889 educator vacancies last year, 571 were teacher vacancies, according to the 2020 New Mexico Educator Vacancy Report compiled by the Southwest Outreach Academic Research Evaluation & Policy Center at New Mexico State University.

The 2020 report showed a statewide decrease in educator vacancies compared to 2019, when there were 1,054 total. Educator vacancies include counselors, administrators, instructional assistants and speech language pathologists.

Elementary teacher vacancies (163) and special education teacher vacancies (153) made up half the total teacher need in 2020, the report showed.

While total vacancies decreased statewide last year, northwest New Mexico saw an increase, with 113 in 2020 compared to 96 in 2019. Northwest New Mexico includes Farmington, Española, Gallup, Grants and the Jemez Valley.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 8, 2021

NM students to shoot, produce short films for contest

State launches Film Prize Junior New Mexico in 23 schools

SANTA FE — Students from across New Mexico will be creating short films this school year to learn valuable skills and gain experience in one of the state’s rapidly growing industries, with opportunities to earn scholarships for themselves and grants for their schools.

Thirty-eight schools from 10 counties have already signed up to participate in Film Prize Junior New Mexico, a statewide short-film contest that will end with a festival next April at theater partners in Santa Fe. Interested teachers may still register their classes at filmprizenm.com, and students may register on their own with a teacher sponsor.

“This project exposes K-12 students to filmmaking at a time when they are beginning to contemplate college and career,” said Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus, whose department is a partner in Film Prize Junior New Mexico. “Many New Mexico colleges and universities offer filmmaking programs, and this initiative could point students in that direction.”

Film Prize Junior New Mexico will provide K-12 students and teachers access to film editing software, help procure other equipment and provide professional mentors from the industry and interns from New Mexico higher education institutions. The mentors will provide in-person and virtual workshops to guide students and teachers through the filmmaking process, from developing concepts, scripts and storyboards through all phases of production and post-production.

“Film Prize Junior New Mexico is a forward-thinking program that will provide the youngest of New Mexicans an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience and insight into the film industry,” said Amber Dodson, director of the New Mexico Film Office. “As the New Mexico film industry continues to rapidly expand, we are looking to quickly build up the state’s crew base, and we hope this program will turn out a new generation of New Mexico filmmakers.”

The finished short films will be shown during the student-produced festival April 22-24, 2022, in Santa Fe.

Students will compete in multiple categories to win digital media and filmmaking grants for their schools, student scholarships and teacher recognition awards. Prizes will be provided by sponsor, public and private funding.

Film Prize Junior New Mexico is sponsored by two nonprofits: New Mexico-based Stagecoach Foundation and Prize Foundation of Louisiana. Other partners include the New Mexico Public Education Department, GEAR UP New Mexico, Adobe and Watchbeem.

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Contact:

Sept. 8, 2021

DOH grant to help NM schools fund COVID-testing

Districts may use money for any testing-related activities

SANTA FE — The Department of Health has begun distributing a $63 million federal grant to provide funds and direct assistance to help New Mexico schools pay for and execute mandated COVID-testing programs.

The award from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Funding program is for use in this fiscal year to help schools meet surveillance testing requirements and keep students and staff in schools.

“Testing and vaccination are two of the most important tools we have to protect our students, our schools, our communities, and our state,” said DOH Acting Secretary David R. Scrase, M.D. “Thanks to this new grant, schools will have even more resources to support safe, in-person learning.”

“Surveillance testing is a critical part of our protocols to keep schools safe and students and staff healthy,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “With this grant, schools will have the funding and hands-on support they need to complete this task without pulling money from academic programs.”

All 50 states received an award in April from the ELC Reopening Schools grant, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. The grant specifies that 85% of funding must go directly to schools to improve testing, which is believed to be a major factor in COVID mitigation and significant in keeping schools open.

New Mexico’s initial plan — which is subject to change based on many unknown variables — would support three major components:

• The state has contracted with a national vendor to make tests more readily available and less burdensome to schools. Premier Medical Group will provide clinically capable personnel to every New Mexico school that wishes to perform testing every week on all unvaccinated staff and unvaccinated students who have parental permission. PMG staff could begin appearing in schools as early as this week to administer tests and perform administrative and reporting services.
• About $30 million is being divided among public, charter, private, Bureau of Indian Education and tribal schools to strengthen their testing-related health services. Shares will be based on a uniform, basic minimum coupled with a per-enrolled student amount. Schools may use this funding for a broad range of COVID-testing activities, including hiring school nurses, health assistants, social workers and mental health counselors or supplementing salaries of existing staff who support any component of the school’s COVID mitigation program. Funds can also be used for costs like licensing, waste management service fees, and associated equipment requirements.
• Any remaining funding after those priorities are met will be used to improve the information technology infrastructure to reduce the time testing administrative activities take from educational activities and staff.

The Public Education Department requires surveillance testing for all schools providing in-person student services, including athletics. The purpose of surveillance testing is to detect COVID-19 outbreaks as early as possible by screening asymptomatic individuals.

COVID-19 surveillance testing programs test unvaccinated, asymptomatic individuals to discover undiagnosed cases and to better understand the rate of infection in the community. Staff and students who provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination and those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days are not included in surveillance testing.

Districts and charter schools must ensure that any staff member who has not provided evidence of COVID-19 vaccination and who works onsite participate in COVID-19 testing each week that student services are provided at school.

Schools are required to provide student surveillance testing programs to all unvaccinated students on a voluntary basis. In alignment with CDC guidance, those who participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities are strongly encouraged to participate in surveillance testing. Schools have a weekly goal of testing 25% of unvaccinated students.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 3, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Sept. 11

SANTA FE — COVID-19 vaccines are available at nine Mobile Vaccination School Events for the week ending Sept. 11.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Tuesday/7

Wednesday/8

Thursday/9

Friday/10

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 3, 2021

PED receives $9M mental health grant

Funds to help three districts expand mental health services

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department has been awarded a five-year grant worth nearly $9 million to help three New Mexico school districts expand their mental health services to promote healthy development of school-aged youth and prevent youth violence.

Farmington Municipal Schools, Santa Fe Public Schools and Socorro Consolidated Schools will participate in project AWARE with funding provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. AWARE stands for Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant, which we believe will show that spending on preventative mental health care at the front end of a child’s life prevents more extensive interventions later in life,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “Children need these services. Families need these services. Communities need these services.”

The grant required participation from three districts or state-chartered schools. The department chose a handful of districts based on demographics, need, geographic location (to assure variety) and existing mental health infrastructure. Of those, Farmington, Socorro and Santa Fe committed to the project.

All three districts have high rates of families speaking languages other than English in the home: Socorro 39%, San Juan 30%, and Santa Fe 36%. They also have high rates of children living in poverty: 26.3% in San Juan, 35.5% in Socorro, and 19% in Santa Fe.

“New Mexico’s success hinges not only on the academic success of its youth, but also on their mental health and emotional stability,” said Gregory Frostad, director of the Public Education Department’s Safe and Healthy Schools Bureau, which applied for three federal grants in the last 18 months to increase the number of behavioral health services and to improve the quality of behavioral health services available to students.

Two of the three proposals were successful, bringing more than $15 million to New Mexico over the next five years.

“We recognize and are addressing how important it is to create safe and supporting learning environments for all students, staff, parents and families. We know that when the conditions for learning are created and the behavioral health needs of all are addressed, we see improved academic outcomes, school attendance, less teacher burnout and greater retention, decreased discipline issues, improved school climate and increased overall wellbeing,” said Leslie Kelly, behavioral health coordinator in the Public Education Department’s Safe and Healthy Schools Bureau.

Project leaders expect to serve 100 youth annually and 500 over the life of the grant by connecting those who need it to mental health services.

Additionally, the program intends to develop the infrastructure to sustain mental health services and supports for school-aged youth after funding ends; to provide training for school personnel to detect and respond to mental health issues, and to increase awareness of mental health issues among school-aged youth.

AWARE is a joint project of the Public Education Department, the Children, Youth and Families Department and the three districts.

The funding consists of $5.3 million total for years one through three, with another $1.8 million in each of years four and five for a total of $8.9 million.

As soon as the funds are budgeted, work will begin to hire a project director.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Sept. 2, 2021

PED seeks $21.3 million in ‘fuel’ for education moonshot

Request matches administration’s historic ambitions

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department is requesting $21.3 million from the state’s General Fund for Fiscal Year 2023 to support school districts in helping students succeed academically. The budget also will help meet judicial and statutory mandates and the urgent moral obligation to provide all students with a sufficient public education while also fueling the governor’s moonshot to create the nation’s best cradle-to-career education system.

The budget request, submitted Wednesday to the Department of Finance and Administration, includes funding to fulfill requirements outlined in the Martinez-Yazzie consolidated lawsuit, to increase capacity in the Public Education Department, and to improve education overall in New Mexico.

The base agency budget request and the corresponding Public School Support requests in FY23 will allow for hiring essential staff needed to address the Martinez-Yazzie consolidated lawsuit and to meet the critical teacher shortage by recruiting and retaining diverse talent and providing extra teacher supports and resources to develop strong school leaders.

The request also reflects the development of college and career pathways for students as well as resources and accountability to ensure that students in New Mexico are engaged in culturally and linguistically responsive learning that meets the social, emotional, and academic needs of all students.

“This is an ambitious budget to meet ambitious goals,” Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus said. “We have a historic opportunity to solve many of the problems that have long plagued New Mexico’s education system, to close learning gaps and to invest in a bright future for our children.”

The budget request aligns with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s education moonshot, launched in 2019, and with the Public Education Department’s strategic plan. The proposal seeks to expand the agency’s capacity by creating new strategic roles and supportive contracts to help serve all students, but in particular, to promote strong outcomes for the student groups identified by the Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 31, 2021

PED secretary affirms Los Lunas board suspension

Accepts hearing officer’s report in its entirety

SANTA FE — Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus today made permanent the May 25 suspension of the Los Lunas school board due to actions by certain members that created an environment that impeded or halted the educational process.

In his decision, Steinhaus accepted in full a report issued Aug. 26 after an automatic administrative hearing for the five suspended board members. That report identified actions by three school board members that were contrary to the Government Conduct Act and professional ethical standards. Those board members are Steven Otero, Eloy Giron and Bryan Smith. It also determined there was no evidence of wrongdoing by board members David Vickers and Frank Otero.

Superintendent Arsenio Romero continues to be responsible for day-to-day operations and serves as the chief instructional leader for Los Lunas Schools. He reports to five Los Lunas residents who were appointed to assume temporary governance of the district when the board was suspended.

“The focus is on support for students, staff and families in the Los Lunas School District,” Steinhaus said. “The current governing committee is functioning well and providing necessary budget and policy decisions for the district.”

Steven Otero, Giron and Smith are accused in the report and decision of intimidation and hostility directed at Los Lunas School District staff.

“One of those board members, Steven Otero, was the main contributor to this environment,” the decision states. In 2018, Otero applied for a job in the school district but was not selected. After he was elected to the school board, he sought retaliation against those who had not hired him, the decision states.

The New Mexico State Police is conducting a criminal investigation relating to Steven Otero’s actions while on the board.

Giron was accused of participating in questioning district employees along with Steven Otero and, by doing so, demonstrating “hostile conduct towards staff inconsistent with the responsibilities of a board member,” the decision states.

Smith was accused separately of trying to retaliate against former Superintendent Dana Sanders.

“These retaliatory actions impacted the educational process by impacting the work of the educational agency, taking away from the administration’s ability to carry out its functions in the best interest of the students. The baseless and retaliatory questioning of the competency of staff was also contrary to the roles and responsibilities of a board member, and further contributed to the actions impeding or halting the educational process,” the decision states.

“As demonstrated above, rather than focusing on doing its statutorily required job, the board instead found itself sidetracked over personal petty grievances resulting in a dysfunctional School Board,” the decision states.

The Public Education Department first warned the Los Lunas board of reported violations in November and followed that by providing training to board members.

“Despite the notice provided in November 2020 and the training provided in January 2021, the board continued to operate in a completely dysfunctional fashion,” the decision states.

Former Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart indefinitely suspended the district’s five-member elected board on May 25, triggering an automatic hearing, which began July 28 and continued Aug. 24. Per state statute, the secretary has authority to remove an entire school board but not individual members.

The temporary board governing Los Lunas schools consists of:

• Tina Garcia, a retired magistrate judge, former county clerk and resident of District 1
• Sonya C’Moya, former school board member who lives in District 2.
• Jessie Lewis, a landscape architect and resident of District 3
• Ragon Espinoza, a behavioral health care provider and resident of District 4
• Bruce Bennett, a retired educational assistant and coach and former vice president of the National Education Association-New Mexico and a resident of District 5.

The suspended board members have a right to appeal the secretary’s final decision to the appropriate district court.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 27, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Sept. 4

SANTA FE — COVID-19 vaccines are available at nine Mobile Vaccination School Events for the week ending Sept. 4

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Monday/30

Tuesday/31

Wednesday/1

Thursday/2

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Contact:
Carolyn Graham
505-490-7644
Carolyn.Graham@ped.nm.gov

August 20, 2021

PED Secretary issues statement on Floyd school board ruling

SANTA FE — The New Mexico First Judicial District Court denied the Floyd school board’s request today for a temporary restraining order stemming from the New Mexico Public Education Department’s suspension of the board on Aug 4. The five-member board was suspended after twice voting to disregard the Public Education Department’s COVID-19 Safe Practices for school reentry. Floyd filed for a temporary restraining order after the Public Education Department filed suit against the Floyd School Board, seeking the court’s intervention when the board refused to step down following its suspension.

Secretary Ryan Stewart issued the following statement in response to today’s ruling:

“This ruling is an affirmation that we, as a state, have a responsibility to our children to ensure that they have safe and healthy learning environments,” said Secretary Ryan Stewart. “We continue to take that responsibility very seriously and are grateful that the court shares that point of view.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 20, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Aug. 28

SANTA FE — COVID-19 vaccines are available at 11 Mobile Vaccination School Events for the week ending Aug. 28.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Monday/23

Tuesday/24

Wednesday/25

Thursday/26

Friday/27

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 17, 2021

PED to offer home visit training for educators

Part of multi-year plan to ramp up family engagement in education

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department today announced the launch of a multi-year program to encourage and train educators across New Mexico to engage more deeply with families through home visits, ongoing communication, relationship building and intentional academic partnership.

With $1.5 million from the state’s federal pandemic response funds allocated to support family engagement programming, the department will offer free professional development to New Mexico schools and districts beginning next spring. That would equip educators with the skills, information and resources they need to launch home visits next summer.

The goal is to promote student success in school and beyond through improved communication and equitable partnerships between educators and the families of students.

“Education is not something children are sent off to receive from strangers. Families must be part of the equation,” said Kurt Steinhaus, who takes over Aug. 21 as the Public Education Department’s secretary designate. “For students to fully succeed, all the adults in their lives — at home and at school — need to come together as equal partners.

“I can’t think of a better time than during this Year of Literacy to launch this opportunity for deeper family engagement. Home visits have a demonstrated impact on reducing chronic absenteeism, while increasing literacy rates. There is a research-based argument supporting the science of relationships and promoting home visits across grade levels. Simply put – relationships matter,” Steinhaus said.

The department is currently accepting proposals through the state procurement process to hire a contractor to design and implement the professional learning series, which will be offered to public schools and districts in New Mexico at no cost.

The professional training is part of a multi-year plan to scale up family engagement programming. In the initial stages, the department will conduct listening sessions with families and educators across New Mexico and offer leadership development and networking opportunities, capacity building and support.

“Families deserve to be seen, heard, and respected for the experts they are throughout the educational journey of their child. And children deserve to see their entire village (school and home) working together in support of their success,” said Katherine Avery, director of Strategic Outreach at the department. “One positive note we heard over the course of the pandemic was that folks – teachers and families – were grateful for the opportunity to deepen their engagement. Where engagement was strong, it showed.”

The Public Education Department launched NMengaged.com several years ago, as a framework for districts and schools to promote and support family engagement in their communities. The upcoming, federally funded work will build on those efforts and bolster engagement practices statewide.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 13, 2021

PED: Statement on school shooting in Albuquerque

SANTA FE –Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart and Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus issued the following joint statement regarding a shooting today in Albuquerque Public Schools:

“This is a horrendous day for New Mexico. Today’s tragic event at Washington Middle School in Albuquerque means the terrible scourge of school violence has landed on our doorstep. While many details are still unknown, we do know that shots were fired, that a child is dead, and that someone is in custody. We can only imagine the terror felt by students, teachers and staff as they took cover in a place where they should feel safe. We can only imagine the terror felt by families rushing to pick up their children, fearing the worst. And the senseless and violent death of a child in our protection is, indeed, the worst. We share in your grief and pain as we once again are called upon to reflect on our failure — as adults and as a society — to protect and preserve the lives and health of our children. We are reaching out to offer our assistance to Principal Angela Rodriguez and to Superintendent Scott Elder.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 13, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Aug. 21

SANTA FE — COVID-19 vaccines are available at 19 Mobile Vaccination School Events for the week ending Aug. 21.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Sunday/15

Monday/16

Tuesday/17

Wednesday/18

Thursday/19

Friday/20

Saturday/21

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Contact:

August 13, 2021

State reminds public: Faking vax cards is a crime

Fraudulent use endangers public health, safety

SANTA FE — The state of New Mexico is reminding the public that it is a crime to falsify or fraudulently use a CDC vaccination card because it puts the health and safety of others at great risk, including children who are too young to be vaccinated.

As the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus surges nationally, a cottage industry has developed to provide fake vaccination cards, which some unscrupulous individuals who refuse to be vaccinated are using to avoid face mask requirements or other COVID safety protocols.

“This national trend of providing imitation vaccination cards is dangerous, and it’s carelessly placing countless New Mexicans at risk,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “Don’t do it. If you do, New Mexico law enforcement and criminal justice agencies are poised to address that behavior with the full weight of the law. Get vaccinated instead and help protect our state — schedule an appointment today at VaccineNM.org.”

Anyone who suspects fraudulent use of a vaccination card should report it immediately by calling the Department of Health at 1-833-551-0518 or by submitting your concern through this online portal.

“Getting vaccinated is an opportunity to protect ourselves, our children, our seniors, and our friends and neighbors who may be immunocompromised. Falsifying vaccine cards does just the opposite. Please, get vaccinated today,” said Dr. David Scrase, acting Department of Health secretary.

Reports will be forwarded to the appropriate state or federal law enforcement agency for investigation and possible civil and criminal enforcement.

“These fake COVID vaccine cards threaten the health of our communities. Any fraudulent cards need to be reported to law enforcement immediately,” said Department of Public Safety Interim Secretary Tim Johnson.

Individuals who violate state Public Health Orders or the New Mexico Public Health Act may be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 per violation and up to six months in jail. Making or using fake vaccination cards is also a federal crime if it includes the unauthorized use of the seal of an official government agency.

At present, state guidance allows students and staff in middle schools and high schools to go mask-less in school buildings if they show proof of being vaccinated. Those who are unvaccinated or unwilling to show proof of vaccination are required to wear masks, and many districts have enacted stricter policies requiring masks for everyone.

“These policies were formulated with expert advice in order to allow as much personal freedom as possible while still protecting children from this dangerous virus. Flouting these requirements puts our communities and our youngest at great risk amid the rapid spread of the Delta variant and cannot be tolerated,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 11, 2021

NM students agree school meals are fresh, nutritious

Meals will also be free again this school year for all students

SANTA FE — New Mexico children agree their school meals are nutritious and include fresh fruits and vegetables, but they’re slightly less enthusiastic about how they taste, according to survey results released today by the Public Education Department.

More than 5,400 students participated in the Food Quality Survey conducted in the spring. Of those, 78% agreed to some degree that school meals are nutritious, and 86% agreed to some degree that they include fresh, natural ingredients. Smaller majorities strongly agreed, agreed or somewhat agreed that school meals taste good (62%) or that they look forward to school meals (57%).

“The findings weren’t surprising. They confirmed that while New Mexico schools are meeting federal nutrition standards for school meals, there’s room for improvement in appealing to student’s tastes,” said Michael Chavez, director of the Student Success and Wellness bureau in the Public Education Department. “This is the feedback we need to keep improving.”

New Mexico schools serve 40 million breakfasts and 56 million lunches each year.

The survey didn’t ask, but students and their families are likely enthusiastic about another facet of school meals: They’ll be free again this school year after the federal government extended waivers first offered last year because of the global pandemic.

Schools are still required to determine income eligibility for the national School Lunch Program, but that information will be used to qualify children for other income-based programs.

“We are just delighted that we can again provide nutritious breakfasts and lunches to all of our students without collecting fees,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said.

The 5,420 total responses came from students in 79 districts, with 41% coming from students in Clovis Municipal Schools. Those responses were overwhelmingly positive, and the district will receive the Public Education’s Quality of Food Gold Star Achievers award in September.

“It is a complete collaborative effort with all school nutrition staff. For students to have quality food to enjoy during the school day, is very important to us,” said Deborah Westbrook, food service director for Clovis Municipal Schools.

The waivers also allow more flexibility for sodium, grain, and milk targets, which can reduce plate waste.

“These actions help provide certainty for many children whose families have been impacted by COVID-19, and they increase flexibility and relief for school districts to successfully administer school meal programs,” Chavez said.

Every day, nearly 31 million children receive low-cost or free lunches through the National School Lunch Program, a federally assisted meal program operating in more than 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child-care institutions.

The program serves 4.9 billion school lunches annually, more than the nation’s largest restaurant chains. But unlike restaurants, schools are required by law to meet strict requirements for calories, protein, fat, fiber and vitamins — all for about $1.30 per meal, which has to cover ingredients, labor and other overhead costs.

The School Breakfast program has been providing millions of additional meals each day to children in public and non-profit private schools and residential child-care institutions since it started as a pilot program in 1966.

School meal programs began in 1946 with the National School Lunch Act. In the 1980s, budget cuts to the program caused districts to rely on cheaper, processed foods until 2010, when the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act required cafeteries to offer more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in every meal.

The online Food Quality Survey was created by the Public Education Department under the leadership of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham with the goal of learning more about students’ perception of school meals.

The survey, sent to all 187 school districts and state-chartered schools, consisted of five basic questions, to be answered by students, related to the quality of school meals. Questions focused on variety, taste, freshness and acceptance. Fliers in English and Spanish were sent home to notify family members and ask their help in administering the survey to younger children.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 10, 2021

PED secretary delegates Floyd district governance

Stan Rounds is appointed to act in lieu of suspended school board

SANTA FE — The executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders will serve in place of the Floyd School Board while the board remains suspended, the Public Education Department announced today.

Secretary Ryan Stewart said Stan Rounds, who has served as superintendent in four New Mexico school districts, now has the legal authority, the rights and the responsibilities of any New Mexico school board member to govern the small Floyd district in Roosevelt County.

“Your passion for service to the students of New Mexico, your professional expertise, and your standing as a dedicated and highly respected member of the New Mexico community of educational leaders make you an ideal fit to serve in this capacity,” Stewart wrote in the letter designating Rounds on Monday.

Stewart suspended the five-member Floyd board Aug. 4 after it twice voted to disregard the Public Education Department’s COVID-19 Safe Practices for school reentry and then placed on administrative leave the superintendent who refused to carry out the board’s wishes.

Stewart reinstated Superintendent Damon Terry the same day he suspended the Floyd board. Terry, who has been reporting directly to Stewart, will now report to Rounds.

“I want to be sure I don’t usurp Damon’s role. I’m there to serve him. He’s my only employee,” Rounds said. “New Mexico communities are each uniquely wonderful. I see my task as one that assists the school children of Floyd, the teachers and staff who serve those children and to assure that we act in a responsibly fiduciary fashion to support the mission of the district.”

Stewart held open the option of designating additional individuals to serve with Rounds as an interim governing council as he has done in previous cases.

“As Secretary of Education, I or my successor will continue to reserve the ability to appoint additional designees to serve alongside you in this capacity,” Stewart wrote. His resignation as PED secretary is effective Aug. 20.

Rounds is eligible to receive any per diem, mileage reimbursement or other financial consideration established by local policy for school board members. Rounds said he doesn’t expect to make any claims for financial compensation unless some unforeseen large expense comes up.

Rounds is a New Mexico native who now lives in Las Cruces. He spent 27 years in the superintendent’s role, first in Des Moines, N.M., which is about the same size as Floyd. Later, he became superintendent in Alamogordo, Hobbs and Las Cruces with a stint at the Public Education Department.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 10, 2021

Public Education Department launches ‘Year of Literacy’

Incoming secretary wants to celebrate reading in new school year

SANTA FE — The 2021-2022 school year will be the Year of Literacy across New Mexico, and everyone is invited to find unique ways to celebrate reading, the Public Education Department announced today.

Kurt Steinhaus, who will take over as Public Education secretary-designate on Aug. 20, proposed the Year of Literacy as a way to engage all New Mexicans in the single skill that is most essential to unlocking education.

“Reading is the key to learning. It’s an essential skill that really makes it possible to expand your horizons in any direction,” Steinhaus said. “This isn’t just for schools and students — it’s for everyone. We want all of New Mexico to participate in celebrating a literacy that honors the rich cultures of our state.”

In 2019, only 34% of New Mexico public school students were rated “proficient and above” in reading.

“The Year of Literacy is an important reminder that until every New Mexico child can read at grade level or above, our education system is not serving our state as it should,” said Ryan Stewart, who is stepping down as Public Education secretary for family reasons. “We need to be a state of avid readers, and we’ll only get there when students see their role models reading for information and reading for pleasure.”

The Year of Literacy will include participatory events, beginning with a “Get Caught Reading” campaign. To participate:

• Families: Take a picture of your child reading independently or with other family members and send it, along with a caption, to family.engagement@ped.nm.us.
• Teachers: Take a picture of how you are promoting reading in your classroom and send it, along with a caption, to teacher.liaison@ped.nm.gov.
• Businesses: Take a picture of how your business is promoting reading or access to quality books and materials and send it, along with a caption, to community.engagement@ped.nm.gov.

The Public Education Department will use the photos on social media with the #GetCaughtReading hashtag and for other Year of Literacy events.

The department is also looking for partners to conduct book drives, establish little free libraries, and provide mentoring and tutoring opportunities. Email community.engagement@ped.nm.gov to express interest or offer other ideas.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 6, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Aug. 14

SANTA FE — COVID-19 vaccines are available at two Mobile Vaccination School Events for the week ending Aug. 14.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Wednesday/11

Wednesday/12

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

August 4, 2021

Floyd school board suspended for refusing to follow health orders; superintendent reinstated

Superintendent will report directly to Public Education secretary

SANTA FE — The five-member Floyd school board was suspended today after twice voting to disregard the Public Education Department’s COVID-19 Safe Practices for school reentry and then placing on administrative leave the superintendent who refused to carry out the board’s wishes.

Following the order suspending board members Leon Nall, Jeff Essary, Vicki Banister, Charlsea Lee and Ryan Bollema, Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart reinstated Superintendent Damon Terry. For now, Terry will report directly to Stewart, whose resignation, announced last week, is effective Aug. 20. Stewart may designate that oversight to someone else, as he has done in previous cases.

“The PED takes its responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all staff and students incredibly seriously. We cannot put students, staff and their families at unnecessary risk as we continue the fight against the Delta variant. By ignoring these basic safety measures, the board impairs the ability of the district to offer safe and uninterrupted in-person learning opportunities,” Stewart said in the suspension memo.

The Floyd board voted July 26 at a special meeting to make masks and social distancing optional and to disregard state guidelines on indoor air quality, transportation, surveillance testing and other COVID Safe Practices.

Stewart sent board members a memo the next day, advising that their actions were inconsistent with state requirements, which align with guidance from national health experts — including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics — to protect the health and safety of staff and students and to prevent a disruption of in-person learning from spread of the COVID-19 virus.

That memo gave the Floyd board a deadline of noon Tuesday to rescind its actions or face, among other consequences, suspension of the school board.

Before issuing the suspension, Stewart called Nall, the board president, on Tuesday, offering PED support and assistance to establish an outdoor learning program, to streamline testing practices, to facilitate conversations with public health experts, and to collaborate with the district to address safety implementation concerns.

“While the conversation was honest and respectful, Board President Nall indicated that the board would remain firmly committed to the actions originally taken on July 26,” Stewart’s memo said.

The board met in special session Monday, voting to uphold its July 26 decision and to disregard the memo from PED.

Floyd Municipal Schools operates an elementary, middle and high school serving about 225 students in all. The district has about 20 teachers and 22 support staff members, along with the superintendent and a principal.

“The board’s actions placed educators in the untenable position of, on the one hand, risking adverse licensure measures for violating PED guidance on COVID Safe Practices, and on the other hand, risking adverse employment measures if they followed COVID Safe Practices in contravention of the board’s actions,” the memo noted.

While suspended, school board members may not carry out board functions, use district property, devices or technology, and may not use the district email system. In addition, they may not be represented by the district’s legal counsel.

This is the third school board suspension during this administration. Stewart suspended the Questa Board of Education on Nov. 12, 2019, citing unstable leadership, chronic failure to accommodate students with disabilities and multiple violations of New Mexico’s Open Meetings Act. On May 26, he suspended the Los Lunas School Board based on credible evidence that certain members persistently violated procurement and public access laws, the state Public School Code, and professional ethical standards.

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Contact:
Christian Naranjo
505-231-6236
christian.naranjo@state.nm.us

August 3, 2021

PED initiative provided summer internships to students

Approximately 2,300 students participated in paid, summer internships

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department is wrapping up its inaugural summer internship initiative, which provided quality, paid internships and career experience to about 2,300 high school students across New Mexico this summer.

Through the Summer Enrichment Internship Program, the PED distributed $9.89 million in federal funding to 22 tribal and county governments that placed high school students in six-week internships within government, non-profit or business partners of their choosing.

“After an incredibly difficult year, it was pivotal to provide high school students an opportunity to explore career opportunities while earning a paycheck this summer,” said Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus. “I am proud of the collaborative effort between the College and Career Readiness Bureau, county and tribal governments, non-profits, businesses and our high school students to arrange this successful program on short notice.”

Working 20 hours per week, students participated in dozens of career opportunities in fire operations, emergency management, human resources, maintenance and other fields. The following county and tribal government took part in the program:

• Bernalillo
• Curry
• De Baca
• Dona Ana
• Grant
• HELP New Mexico: Cibola, Colfax, McKinley, Rio Arriba, and San Miguel
• Los Alamos
• Roosevelt
• Sandoval
• San Juan
• Santa Fe
• Socorro
• Taos
• Torrance
• Valencia
• Jicarilla Apache
• Laguna-Cibola
• Navajo Nation
• Ohkay Owingeh
• Picuris
• Pojoaque
• Santo Domingo

The program’s costs were covered by the third round of funding from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, part of federal COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts. The funding covered wages of student interns and adult coordinators.

Student interns were paid the hourly minimum wage of their designated county or tribal government. The intern coordinators, who were subject to background checks, received $500 per week to help seek, train and oversee the interns on a weekly basis.

“I loved it,” said Aztec High School student Brooklyn Shaw, who interned with San Juan County’s Human Resources Department. “My mentor helped me make my resume better, and I received all the interpersonal communications and telephone etiquette training I need to get an entry-level job one day. It’s given me the confidence that if there is something I want to do, I can do it.”

“It shows you not every job is going to be a piece of cake,” said intern Alexander Wood, who worked with San Juan County’s Fire Operations team. “There’s always going to be something that throws a knot into the ropes and you think, ‘I can’t get out.’ But figuring it out is what helps you moving forward.”

The following parties contributed to the implementation and administration of the Summer Enrichment Internship Program: The PED’s College and Career Readiness Bureau, the Department of Workforce Solutions, Future Focused Education, and Farmington Municipal Schools.

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Contact:

August 3, 2021

New Mexico education departments thank outgoing Secretary Stewart, welcome Secretary Designate Steinhaus

Early Childhood Education, Public Education, Higher Education Departments will continue to collaborate

SANTA FE – New Mexico’s three education departments thank outgoing Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart for his partnership over the past two years in serving students and educators and look forward to continuing this work with Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus.

While the Early Childhood Education, Public Education and Higher Education departments focus on particular parts of the education system, collaboration has increased in recent years under Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham toward expanding teacher pipelines, improving college readiness, supporting parents going back to school, and increasing equity and inclusion in the classroom to name a few.

“I’d like to thank Secretary Stewart for his steady leadership and guidance during these past two years. I’m among the many who will miss him. I’d also like to thank my colleagues at the Higher Education and Early Childhood Education and Care departments for their warm welcome and expressions of support,” Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said. “I look forward to collaborating with them regularly as we work together to build the nation’s best cradle to career education system. We are united in that commitment.”

Secretary Designate Steinhaus is a longtime New Mexico educator who began his career as a music teacher and has worked twice previously at the Public Education Department. He retired in May as superintendent of Los Alamos Public Schools. “Secretary Stewart has been a steadfast advocate for educational excellence in our state and a big part of why I came to New Mexico in the first place after he was kind enough to share my resume with the governor’s administration during the search for someone to lead the new Early Childhood Education and Care Department,” said Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “We are immensely grateful for Secretary Stewart’s support in getting the new department off the ground, especially as we collaborated to transition public PreK from the Public Education Department to its new home at ECECD. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and offer a warm welcome to Secretary Designate Steinhaus. We look forward to continuing the close partnership between our two departments under his leadership.”

“Secretary Stewart and I began our work together to advance K-12 education on his very first day of the job when I greeted him at the Jerry Apodaca Education Building. Many things in my career path have changed since then, but his support of me was unwavering through our agency collaborations, such as the New Mexico Longitudinal Data System and dual credit to name a few. I thank Secretary Stewart for his partnership, and wish him the best,” Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez said. “The Early Childhood Education and Care and Higher Education departments will continue our commitment and promise to collaborate with the Public Education Department to foster a cradle to career education system for our state, and I look forward to working with my new colleague, Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus.”

In the two years Secretary Stewart led the PED, some of the agency’s top accomplishments included:

• Replacing the existing, punitive teacher evaluation system with one that supports educator growth and development;
• Launching an online educator licensure platform and significantly reducing licensure processing times;
• Training PED staff, district, charter and Tribal education departments in culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices;
• Replacing the A-F school grading system and the PARCC assessment system with new, more robust systems of assessments;
• Launching the New Mexico Vistas accountability platform;
• Initiating screening for all first-grade students for dyslexia;
• Developing a biliteracy framework for the state;
• Launching the Governor’s STEM Challenge in which over 500 students have participated in over two years;
• Establishing a statewide learning management system (Canvas) that allows for virtual teaching and learning for all students and educators across the entire state with over 140,000 courses created on the platform to date;
• Establishing a citizen-led equity council in every school district and charter school to elevate historically underserved populations in the decision-making process;
• Launching a special education working group;
• Developing – with help from more than 200 educators — the New Mexico Instructional Scope to support all educators across the state align and enhance rigorous instruction;
• Initiating the overdue revision of social studies standards for the state;
• Expanding participation in K-5 Plus and Extended Learning time from 83,000 in 2019-20 to 150,000 in 2021-22;
• Increasing the number of community schools from 32 to 54 and the number of students served from 10,000 to 18,500;
• Serving 42 million meals to students during the pandemic;
• Launching the Family Income Index to provide $30 million for additional resources to schools most impacted by concentrated poverty;
• Developing a statewide Social and Emotional Learning Framework for all district and charter schools;
• Increasing graduation rates by 2 percentage points;
• Developing a statewide career and technical education program (Next Gen CTE) and increased the percentage of schools funded for CTE programs from 30% to 80%;
• Launching a statewide computer science strategic plan, hiring a state computer science specialist, and awarding $1 million in grants to develop computer science programs across the state;
• Closing the digital divide for the vast majority of New Mexico students; and
• Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 in schools

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Contact:judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 30, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending Aug. 7

SANTA FE — COVID-19 vaccines are available Monday through Saturday at nine Mobile Vaccination School Events for the week ending Aug. 7.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form, but parents do not have to be present for student vaccination.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 eligible people, who can include family and community members.

Monday/2

Tuesday/3

Wednesday/4

Thursday/5

Friday/6

Saturday/7

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 30, 2021

PED launches New Mexico Virtual Course Consortium

Provider network of ers online courses to any student in state

SANTA FE — A new consortium of public school districts and charter schools will allow New Mexico students to enroll in virtual courses from anywhere in the state, the Public Education Department announced today.

So far, seven districts and charter schools are participating in the New Mexico Virtual Course Consortium by agreeing to enroll students from other districts in their online course offerings, but more are moving to participate as well. Students will remain enrolled in their home district, which will pay the providing district $375 per course, per student.

“The pandemic showed us the full potential of virtual learning as a way to expand student access to courses that may not be available in every district,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “As this consortium continues to grow, New Mexico students will be able to explore new topics and take advanced courses no matter where they live.”

The participating districts and charter schools are: Cuba Public Schools, Taos Academy, Siembra Leadership High School (Albuquerque), School of Dreams (Albuquerque), Tucumcari Public Schools, San Jon Municipal Schools and Carlsbad School District.

Their course offerings and other information are available on the consortium’s new website: The New Mexico Virtual Course Consortium (NMVC²)

“The virtual consortium allows us to honor the strengths of our schools and districts and build innovation using the very assets that have blossomed in the state,” Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment said.

Any public school district or charter school that can provide high quality online courses that align with state standards is eligible to join the consortium. Any district or school in New Mexico can request to enroll a student in an online course through the consortium.

Districts providing online courses and the student’s home district will sign a memorandum of understanding for each course. Students and their parents must sign an agreement committing to the project and attesting that they have the needed technology to fully participate.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 26, 2021

PED statement on latest CDC mask guidance

The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today issued new guidance that recommends a return to universal mask-wearing in schools in light of the fast spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. This is the New Mexico Public Education Department’s response. It may be attributed to Secretary Ryan Stewart:

The New Mexico Public Education Department’s guidance included in the COVID-19 Response Toolkit we issued yesterday stands for now as we review the latest recommendations from the CDC with our public health colleagues.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 26, 2021

PED releases updated school reentry toolkit

New guidance to align closely with CDC on masks, social distancing, surveillance testing

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department today released updated school reentry guidance designed to make sure New Mexico K-12 students can safely return to in-person learning this fall while easing the universal mask requirement in secondary schools.

Secondary students – along with their teachers, school staff, visitors and volunteers – will not be required to wear masks at school this fall if they show they are fully vaccinated. Masks will continue to be required for all individuals in elementary schools regardless of vaccination status as well as for those who are unvaccinated and anyone who doesn’t provide proof of vaccination.

The decision to ease the universal mask mandate at secondary schools was made in collaboration with the Department of Health and the governor’s medical advisory team based on evidence of the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines and the latest guidance from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“In-person learning for New Mexico children is my top priority,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “And with safety guidelines and unobtrusive health requirements in place, it can happen safely – and for the well-being and growth of our children, it must happen.

“Until vaccinations are available to children of every age, it will be incumbent on each of us, in school environments, to do everything we can to minimize risk – and that includes face-coverings,” the governor added. “Various studies and federal data have shown school environments are and can be safe – and a return to comprehensive classroom activities is essential for the well-being and growth of New Mexico children.”

The governor reminded New Mexicans: “Vaccinations remain the fastest and safest way out of the pandemic and the best way to reduce the risk of illness in our state. It is imperative that unvaccinated New Mexicans who are age-eligible get their shots – lives and livelihoods hang in the balance.”

The new guidelines prioritize in-person learning, which can be done safely by following the latest COVID Safe Practices, including vaccinations for all who are eligible and mask-wearing for unvaccinated individuals. Masks also will not be required outdoors for any individual.

“Our priority is to keep children in school, and it’s great news that the CDC guidance shows that secondary students and staff who are vaccinated can safely attend school without masks,” said PED Secretary Ryan Stewart. “It’s one more positive change in the trajectory of this pandemic, and this guidance is possible because these vaccines are so highly effective. At the same time, we remain cognizant that the virus and its more contagious variants are still among us, and that continued efforts are needed to protect those who are not yet vaccinated.”

While the state mask mandate is eased in the Public Education Department’s newly updated COVID-19 Response Toolkit, schools may choose to have more restrictive mask requirements.

Nothing in the updated guidelines requires anyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine or to reveal vaccination status. However, those who don’t must continue wearing masks at school and at school-sponsored events to prevent infection and community spread of COVID-19.

Masks will be required for unvaccinated individuals on school transportation. Unvaccinated students and elementary students must maintain 3 feet of social distance to the extent possible from other students and 6 feet from adults, and must keep masks on except:

• For eating and drinking during allowed times;
• During designated rest periods for very young students;
• While outdoors.

Masks are not required outdoors, and the PED encourages all schools to maximize their use of outdoor learning and encourages districts to use their federal funds to support the implementation of outdoor learning.

The updates to the toolkit, the first since April 20, take effect immediately and govern school reentry this fall. Included for the first time are protocols for schools to verify vaccination status, to allow staff to quickly identify vaccinated individuals, and to enforce mask requirements for students who remove or refuse to wear them.

Vaccination Status

Those who wish to go maskless at school must provide either an original or copy of a vaccination card or a printout or screen shot from NMVaxView indicating a completed course of COVID-19 vaccination at least 14 days prior.

Replacement vaccination cards are available at regional public health offices. Family health providers can provide a printout from NMVaxView.

Schools will develop a system to allow staff members to quickly verify those who may go maskless and those who must wear a mask. Schools also may require universal mask wearing while in a school building, at an indoor school-sponsored event, and on school transportation.

Enforcement

Unvaccinated students cannot be in a school building without a mask. Schools will provide masks to unvaccinated students. However, students who remove face masks or refuse to wear them will be sent home. While waiting for pickup, such students will be supervised and quarantined from other students.

Schools will individually determine student discipline regarding mask violations, but the toolkit says such discipline will be supportive and instructional and will not include suspension or expulsion. Schools must provide notice to families about updated discipline policies.

The new guidelines also ease some of the reporting requirements for schools. For example, schools are no longer required to report COVID cases over weekends and holidays.

Other Changes

• The definition of a close contact is reduced from 6 to 3 feet if both students were correctly masked and other prevention strategies were in place; it’s still 6 feet between adults and students, and between adults.
• Vaccinated students, teachers and staff are no longer required to practice social distancing while eating. Unvaccinated students should sit on only one side of a table and maintain the prescribed social distance.
• Cohorting of students is encouraged but no longer required.
• School-related events — assemblies, dances, award ceremonies and the like — are permitted with masking and social distancing requirements for unvaccinated individuals.
• Schools must maintain a voluntary student surveillance testing program with a new weekly goal of testing 25% of unvaccinated students participating in sports and other extra-curricular activities. The previous goal was 1% of the overall student population and 10% of students participating in sports and other extracurricular activities.
• All schools must test 25% of unvaccinated staff members each week; previously, only schools in red counties had to test at that level.

Surveillance testing of asymptomatic individuals identified 663 COVID cases in schools last academic year and is a proactive way to catch undiagnosed cases, better understand the rate of infection in the community and monitor school health conditions.

Both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend surveillance testing as an effective weapon in mitigating the spread of COVID to unvaccinated individuals in schools.

“The New Mexico Department of Health strongly endorses these recommendations,” said Dr. Thomas Massaro, a state Department of Health epidemiologist. “Vaccinations are the most effective defenses against COVID today, but not all children can be vaccinated at this time. Testing allows early detection of infections and, therefore, reduces the spread of the virus to others. In doing so, it decreases the potential for the virus to mutate and create additional variants.”

An individual is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after completing a course of COVID-19 vaccinations, which is two injections for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and one injection for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 22, 2021

Vaccination events for week ending July 31

SANTA FE — Six Mobile Vaccination School Events are scheduled for the week ending July 31.

Anyone can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these events, although the focus is on eligible students. Those under age 18 need to provide a signed consent form but parents do not have to be present.

Schools may request an on-site vaccination event through this Department of Health webform. Schools should have at least 25 people to be vaccinated — which can include family and community members. Parents who have signed students’ vaccine consent forms do not need to be present for student vaccination.

Monday/26

Wednesday/28

Thursday/29

Saturday/31

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 22, 2021

PED awards two teacher training grants

NMSU and UNM to launch Teacher Residency Programs

SANTA FE — New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico will share nearly $1 million in funding from the New Mexico Public Education Department to recruit and train new K-12 public school teachers for New Mexico.

New Mexico State University will receive $581,400, and the University of New Mexico will receive $415,600 through the Public Education Department’s Teacher Residency Program.

Five colleges applied for the competitive grants. The two awardees will offer students stipends of at least $20,000 per year for participating in the Teacher Residency Program.

“New Mexico has a critical need for teachers and an expectation that we will meet that need by hiring the best and brightest students graduating from demanding teacher training programs,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “This residency program will make sure that qualified, interested students can afford the rigorous training needed to succeed in the classroom, and it will help get great teachers to areas of greatest need.”

The Public Education Department recently listed New Mexico’s chronic teacher shortage as one of the three most critical issues facing the state’s education system.

Educator vacancies in the state hover between 550 and 700 — about 28% of the total educator workforce. At least 10 of New Mexico’s 840 public schools have no fully-licensed, professional educators in place.

“If national retirement trends impact New Mexico, and current patterns for vacancy continue without a lack of concerted efforts on pipeline development, schools and districts will be struggling to provide adequate instruction for years to come,” the Public Education Department wrote in its state plan for spending money from the American Rescue Plan and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund.

“New Mexico’s colleges and universities have always been key to growing and sustaining our educator pipeline in New Mexico, and by building up teacher residency programs, we can ensure that more highly-trained educators from diverse backgrounds can enter the classroom,” Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez said. “This is yet another step toward ensuring the success of all New Mexicans from cradle to career.”

The grants will go directly to the two universities, which will use the funding to design, promote and support residency programs to ensure educator diversity and fill high-need teaching positions in the state.

To fulfill grant requirements, the universities must establish a relationship with at least one high-needs district early in the program. As part of the residency program, students will co-teach with an expert teacher in such a school.

“New Mexico State University is proud to support NM PED’s efforts to address teacher shortages in the state and to reflect diversity of students in its schools and communities,” said Luis Cifuentes, dean of the Graduate School at New Mexico State University. “This program will support the university’s mission to serve the diverse needs of New Mexico through comprehensive programs of education, research, extension and outreach, and public service.”

“The College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of New Mexico is honored to receive this crucial funding to help prepare and retain high-quality teachers in every classroom in New Mexico. We believe teacher residencies will be an important part of the future of teacher preparation in the State of New Mexico,” said Marjori Krebs, a professor in the University of New Mexico’s College of Education & Human Sciences.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 22, 2021

U.S. Department of Education approves NM’s spending plan

Approval triggers distribution of remaining $327M to state

SANTA FE — New Mexico will receive another $327 million in federal funding for schools now that the U.S. Department of Education has approved the state’s plan for spending American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funding.

The U.S. Department of Education announced today it has approved New Mexico’s plan, which details how the state is using and plans to use ARP ESSER funds to safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and equitably expand opportunity for students who need it most, particularly those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, the department distributed two-thirds of the ARP ESSER funds, totaling $81 billion, to 50 states and the District of Columbia. The remaining third of the funding to states becomes available once state plans are approved. New Mexico joins 14 other states and the District of Columbia with approved plans.

New Mexico is receiving more than $979 million total in ARP ESSER funds, and today’s approval of their plan will result in the release of the final $327 million.

“The state of New Mexico is proud to have the ARP ESSER state plan approved,” said New Mexico Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart. “This plan reflects the input of hundreds of stakeholders throughout the state. The use of these funds will bring relief and opportunity to every student in our state, and will position New Mexico to bounce back strongly from the pandemic. We look forward to the impact these investments will have on students and educators for years to come.”

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said this unprecedented infusion of federal resources provides critical support to schools and communities, particularly as the new academic year approaches.

“The approval of these plans enables states to receive vital, additional American Rescue Plan funds to quickly and safely reopen schools for full-time, in-person learning; meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs; and address disparities in access to educational opportunity that were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic,” Cardona said.

“The pandemic posed a serious challenge to our students, teachers, and schools, and it’s crucial that students, families, and teachers have the resources and support that they need to learn and succeed,” said Sen. Ben Ray Luján. “The American Rescue Plan included robust support for K-12 schools, and I’m glad that the Department of Education approved New Mexico’s plan to respond to students’ needs and ensure that they can safely return to school, accelerate their learning, and address disparities that were exacerbated by the pandemic.”

“Faced with an unprecedented pandemic, Congress and the Biden Administration responded with life changing resources for our communities,” said Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez. “The American Rescue Plan provided the investments needed for our students and teachers to get back into the classrooms. I’m glad to see the Department of Education approve New Mexico’s plan to keep our schools safe and help our most vulnerable students thrive as we come out of this pandemic. These funds will allow our schools to address learning loss and help our students and educators through the social and emotional toll of the pandemic.”

New Mexico’s ARP ESSER plan demonstrates how the state will use federal pandemic resources to support safe in-person instruction and meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students—with a focus on the students most impacted by the pandemic. For example, the state Public Education Department:

• Will use $22 million to support strategies to accelerate learning. This includes professional learning on academic acceleration, communities of practice for educators and administrators, developing high-dosage tutoring programs which include evidence-based curriculum and pedagogy, and peer-to-peer tutoring and mentoring;
• Is using $6 million to pay for student internships in tribal, county, or municipal governments to help reengage at-risk youth;
• Will use $3.8 million to provide grants to districts and partner organizations to run summer programs that focus on STEM, environmental education, museum-based arts or that particularly serve at-risk youth and teens.
• Will request applications from community organizations to provide evidence-based services to students, including expanding Community Schools, which provide extended learning time and wraparound services. These programs will use hands-on learning experiences and encourage discovery and team building.
• Will use ARP ESSER funds to provide paid internships for high school students.

New Mexico’s plan is available here.

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Contact:

July 14, 2021

NM announces back-to-school pharmacy partnership

Local pharmacies extend walk-in hours for COVID-19 vaccine

SANTA FE- The New Mexico Department of Health and Public Education Department today announced a partnership with local pharmacies to provide back-to-school COVID-19 vaccinations for students 12 years and older.

Participating pharmacies have committed to giving free COVID vaccines without appointments from July 15 to Aug. 15.

“New Mexico schools are eager to welcome students back for a safe, healthy new school year. To that end, it’s critical that children get all their required and recommended immunizations well ahead of time, and that includes the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 and up,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We are so grateful to New Mexico pharmacies for making this as easy as possible for parents and families with convenient walk-in hours for COVID shots.”

“New Mexico has led the nation in adult vaccinations, and now we encourage parents to get their children vaccinated as quickly as possible,” said DOH Cabinet Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins. “Every New Mexican who gets vaccinated is taking a step to protect themselves and their loved ones — and helping prevent the virus from doing further damage.”

Depending on the pharmacy, the walk-in hours will be either 2-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or 2-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday 9 a.m-noon.

Here is a list of participating pharmacies around the state and their walk-in hours.

Please note: CVS and Walgreens will service walk-in patients anytime their pharmacies are open. We would also like to encourage parents to have their child’s confirmation code from the DOH portal – vaccineNM.org – ready when they arrive at a pharmacy.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit https://cv.nmhealth.org/.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 2, 2021

Nearly 16,000 NM students got free academic coaching last year

Report: Students averaged 35.5 coaching sessions each

SANTA FE – A Public Education Department program to prevent students from slipping through the cracks during the pandemic provided free academic coaching to nearly 16,000 students over the last year, and 71% of high school seniors in the program graduated.

A report released Thursday also said that since the ENGAGE New Mexico program began in spring 2020:

• 38,515 students were referred by educators or families
• 22,806 families responded to outreach
• 15,883 families accepted academic coaching
• The average was 35.5 coaching sessions per student.

“This program was vital to helping New Mexico students conquer the obstacles that prevented them from learning during the pandemic,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “With an academic coach to help them, these students improved their grades and attendance just as we expected.”

The Public Education Department contracted with Graduation Alliance early in the pandemic to operate ENGAGE New Mexico with a focus on re-enrolling high school students who had disengaged from school as a result of the pandemic, were chronically absent, were considered academically at risk, were homeless or in foster care, or who requested additional support.

The program continued to expand over the pandemic year and eventually served students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

“We knew that for many students and their families, going from a structured classroom setting to learning from home was going to be a very big challenge. It makes perfect sense that some families needed help during this transition,” said Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment, who oversaw the program.

Of New Mexico’s 187 districts and state-chartered schools, 134 opted in to the program and referred a total of 38,515 students over the year. ENGAGE New Mexico workers reached out to those families by phone, email, text, social media and U.S. mail offering academic coaching. Almost 70% of those who responded to that outreach accepted coaching.

Students who opted-in to coaching were asked a series of questions to help outreach counselors assign them to the appropriate intervention support level:

• Level 1 for students with a single identified barrier that could be resolved by a single intervention. 14.7% of students were placed in level 1.
• Level 2 for students with home support but multiple barriers. 26.8% of students were placed in level 2.
• Level 3 for students with significant, on-going barriers that could require as much as daily intervention. 58.5% of students were placed in level 3.

The questions determined that 17% of sixth to 12th graders in the program lacked adult engagement in their school work, and 18% had responsibilities caring for siblings; 36% of 11th and 12th graders in the program had commitments outside of school, and 49% of families in the program with students in kindergarten through 5th grade didn’t know how to use educational technology.

“New Mexico led the nation in recognizing the need for additional supports for students and families and committed the resources required to ensure every student and family who wanted assistance had it,” said Rebekah Richards, co-founder and chief strategy officer for Graduation Alliance, a national company that partners with government agencies and educators across the U.S. to recruit, re-enroll, educate and mentor students.

ENGAGE New Mexico had no access to attendance and grade data for the students who got coaching. Instead, it conducted surveys of districts, parents and students to gauge the program’s success. Survey results indicated high percentages of each group reported that participating students had maintained or increased engagement in school:

• 96% of districts
• 91% of parents
• 92% of participating 6th through 12th graders

Additionally, 91% of participating 6th through 12th graders reported they had either maintained or improved their grades, and districts reported a 71% graduation rate for participating seniors. The report summarizes Graduation Alliance’s yearlong, $3 million contract.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

July 1, 2021

PED develops computer science strategic plan

K-12 computer science education to become a priority by 2026

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department has created a five-year plan to ensure that New Mexico students learn the computer skills they need to participate as digital citizens and contribute to New Mexico’s economy.

The New Mexico Computer Science Strategic Plan is an outgrowth of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s goal to expand and promote student pathways into careers in science, technology, engineering and math, and a recognition that computer skills are essential in those and every other 21st century career field.

“Computer science is a vital part of each student’s educational pathway,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Through this strategic plan, our department will prioritize K-12 computer science education so all of our students are empowered to develop the skills necessary to contribute to New Mexico’s growing STEM economy.”

By 2026, computer science education will be a priority in K-12 public schools to improve students’ computational thinking, skills and literacy.

The plan outlines specific policy, implementation and educator development goals and a timeline to achieve them. For example:

• By 2026, teachers will have a pathway to earn a computer science endorsement.
• By 2026, 50% of districts and charter schools will have their own K–12 computer science implementation plan.
• By 2023, every high school will offer a secondary computer science course.
• By 2026, teachers will be offered ongoing professional learning to integrate computer science in K-8 classes.

To ensure a commitment to the strategic plan, the PED will develop and administer a comprehensive needs assessment to various stakeholder groups, then collect and analyze data. The PED will revisit and update the strategic plan annually to inform stakeholders of progress toward meeting the goals.

A computer science taskforce was convened in the fall of 2019 to identify the vision and mission and outline the strategic plan. The task-force included individuals from across New Mexico who are invested in the improvement of computer science for the state’s students. It included pre-K-20 educators, students, legislators, industry partners and professional organizations.

The group submitted its recommendations to the PED in early 2021, leading to completion of the computer science strategic plan this month.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 30, 2021

Black Education Act takes effect July 1

State to establish reporting hotline, educator training, curriculum

SANTA FE – Anti-racism training for educators, culturally inclusive curriculum and a hotline for reporting school-based incidents of racial bias are among the strategies to be implemented in the coming school year to meet requirements of the Black Education Act, which takes effect July 1.

“For too long, the needs of Black students in New Mexico have not been adequately recognized or supported. We are very grateful to the legislature and the governor for elevating this longstanding need to the level of statute and giving it teeth,” said Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart, the first Black person to serve as New Mexico’s chief school officer. “This legislation sets clear expectations and provides training and accountability. It also makes explicitly clear that racism will never be tolerated in New Mexico’s public schools. Period.”

The law also requires:

• Anti-racism policies in every district and state-chartered school;
• An advisory council to advise the secretary, districts and schools on ways to improve public school education for Black students;
• A liaison within the Public Education Department to coordinate this work;
• An annual report to the governor and legislature on progress.

The legislation, House Bill 43, was co-sponsored by Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton and Sen. Harold Pope, both of Albuquerque.

“I introduced this legislation because Black students in New Mexico are lagging desperately in school achievement,” Rep. Stapleton said. “The national trend shows that gap is widening since the pandemic, so I thought it was time to do something about it.”

Implementation planning began immediately after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the measure into law on April 5. Already, the department has built a list of possible advisory council members.

“I want to have a fully approved, fully functioning council before the end of July. I may not hit the exact targeted deadline, but that’s absolutely what I will work hard to do,” said Deputy Secretary Vickie Bannerman, who is overseeing the work.

Dr. Bannerman has also completed paperwork to create four new positions within the Public Education Department: a Black education liaison, a professional development/training coordinator; a curriculum coordinator; and a hotline manager.

“This is year one, and our goal is to plan, develop and implement what we can. I don’t want a fast failure. I’d rather take the time to build it well so it’s sustainable,” Dr. Bannerman said.

The advisory council, which may have up to 23 members, will advise the secretary, school districts and charter schools on ways to improve public school education for Black students, increase Black parent involvement and increase the number of Black high school graduates who succeed in college or in professional or vocational training.

The state also has Indian Education, Hispanic Education and Bilingual Multicultural Education advisory councils.

The 2020 four-year graduation rate for Black students in New Mexico was 74%, 3 points below the state average and 7 points below the average for white students.

“The gaps in educational attainment for Black students were a source of concern as well as activism for years in New Mexico Black communities,” said Amy Whitfield, executive director of the New Mexico Office of African American Affairs. “We know this legislation will have a real impact by increasing equity in our schools. I’m grateful that the Public Education Department has included so many community leaders and experts in preparing to implement the Black Education Act, with the foundation being Black children and families.”

The legislation also calls for New Mexico’s Public Education and Higher Education departments to cooperate in developing programs and instructional materials that recognize and teach Black culture and anti-racism, and that seek to improve job opportunities for Black New Mexicans in public and higher education. This will be in coordination with New Mexico’s public colleges and universities.

“We are committed to ensuring equitable representation for Black students and educators in classrooms and course materials at all levels in New Mexico,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez. “We look forward to collaborating with our partners at the secondary and postsecondary levels, and with community leaders as we work to bring the Black Education Act to fruition.”

Hiring the liaison is a critical early step because that person will help develop and implement a five-year strategic plan for public elementary and secondary education of Black students and manage the work of the other three team members.

The law requires all school personnel to participate in annual anti-racism training. For this first year, most districts will meet the requirement through existing programs, but eventually, the training coordinator will develop a New Mexico-specific program.

The hotline manager will develop guidance and standards for operating a hotline that the public can use to report incidents of racism, injustice or discrimination against anyone — not just Black students — in a school setting. The hotline should be up and running by January, Dr. Bannerman said.

With the council, the liaison also will produce reports on current research and best practices to address the Black student achievement gap and to combat discrimination and racism in the public school system.

The liaison also will prepare an annual status report, due to the governor and legislature no later than Nov. 15 each year. That report will include — for both K-12 and higher education — data by ethnicity on enrollment, student achievement, attendance and truancy, and licensed school employees or faculty.

New Mexico’s population is about 2% Black, but that small percentage is irrelevant to the need.

“Racism is a problem in our schools. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it,” Dr. Bannerman said. “So whether we have one or 1 million, this is needed. Every child deserves a quality education with the same access to opportunities and equity. We will not sacrifice equity, inclusion, representation or quality based on quantity.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 28, 2021

Four more to serve on Los Lunas Governing Committee

Appointees now represent all areas of the district

SANTA FE — Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart today announced four additional designees to assume temporary governance of Los Lunas Schools, with every area of the district now represented:

• Tina Garcia, a retired magistrate judge, former county clerk and resident of District 1
• Jessie Lewis, a landscape architect and resident of District 3
• Ragon Espinoza, a behavioral health care provider and resident of District 4
• Bruce Bennett, a retired educational assistant and coach and former vice president of the National Education Association-New Mexico and a resident of District 5.

They join former Los Lunas School Board member Sonya C’Moya, who was designated on May 28 and lives in District 2.

“It’s great to have this many highly qualified citizens who are willing to step in and do the important work of governing the Los Lunas Schools in this time of need,” Stewart said. “These outstanding individuals will ensure that the district has the responsible and representative governance it needs to keep the district focused on the needs of students.”

“Today, Los Lunas Schools welcomes the newly appointed members to the governing committee,” Superintendent Arsenio Romero said. “I want to thank all of them for stepping up and helping to lead this amazing school district, and I look forward to working with each of them. As we move forward, we will have the opportunity to improve teaching and learning for all students in the school district.”

Stewart indefinitely suspended the district’s five-member elected board on May 26 due to credible evidence that certain members persistently violated procurement and public access laws, the state Public School Code, and professional ethical standards. The offices of the state auditor and state police are investigating.

Per state statute, the secretary has authority to remove an entire school board but not individual members.

One member of the ousted board, David Vickers, was among the 24 Los Lunas residents to express interest in serving as a secretary’s designee on the governing committee. Had he been designated to serve on the governing committee, the appointment would have been delayed pending a public hearing on the board suspension and a ruling by the hearing officer. Stewart said he didn’t want that delay.

“At this stage, we have no reason to believe anything other than the fact that David Vickers has been an upstanding public servant, and I hope he runs again in the future,” Stewart said.

Following the elected board’s suspension, Superintendent Romero began reporting directly to Stewart until the secretary could delegate that responsibility. When Stewart designated C’Moya, he announced his intention to designate others and requested letters of interest from Los Lunas residents. He received 24 letters and interviewed eight people.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 25, 2021

PED launches program to get students connected

New Mexico Student Connect will help families access available assistance

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department has launched a program to help thousands of New Mexico students quickly get the digital connections they need by accessing available federal assistance.

The New Mexico Student Connect program is part of a broader strategy to make reliable, high-speed internet and digital devices universally available for public education, even in areas with no internet infrastructure.

“Since the pandemic started, we have been investing in and supporting the rapid deployment of digital devices and internet connections. By the time the new school year starts, we will have used every resource available to make sure that every student in the state has what they need to participate, not only in the remote learning program, but also in the many other ways we use technology for learning,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We are getting people connected and closing the digital divide.”

The New Mexico Student Connect program, operated on PED’s behalf by broadband consultant CTC Technology and Energy, has already made calls to 1,000 students and families to see if they have high-speed internet and digital devices and know about the Emergency Broadband Benefit program. That federal program offers eligible households a $50 per month credit on broadband internet service from participating providers ($75 a month for households on tribal land), and a one-time $100 credit for the purchase of a computer or laptop.

That outreach will bring millions of federal dollars to New Mexico to help bridge the digital divide.

Congress appropriated $3.2 billion to create the Emergency Broadband Benefit as part of a nearly $900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed in December 2020. The benefit is paid directly to internet service eligible providers and appears as a credit on the participant’s bill.

New Mexico Student Connect will help families apply for that benefit during direct outreach, or families can contact a help desk — by phone at 1-888-723-4505 (toll free) or online — for support with connectivity issues. The help desk currently offers support in English and Spanish, with plans to quickly add Diné (Navajo) and Zuni.

New Mexico Student Connect is starting its efforts by working with the 23 focus groups identified in the landmark Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit. Those districts are Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Cuba, Española, Gadsden, Gallup-McKinley, Grants-Cibola, Hatch, Jemez Valley, Lake Arthur, Las Cruces, Los Lunas, Magdalena, Moriarty-Edgewood, Peñasco, Pojoaque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Silver City, Taos, Tucumcari and Zuni. The effort will expand to other districts in the near future.

On April 30, 1st Judicial District Judge Matthew J. Wilson reaffirmed the urgency of the need to get students connected by ruling that the state must immediately determine the need for digital devices and connectivity for at-risk students and their teachers, and to ensure this technology is supplied to any student in those districts needing them. On May 18, the judge entered a written order applying his ruling to the 23 focus districts.

The Public Education Department began collecting that data on May 6 through a digital survey for those who could complete it and through school district data-sharing elsewhere. The information arrived in various formats that the PED has compiled into a single database.

Preliminary analysis indicates that almost 40,000 of about 199,000 students (20%) enrolled in the focus districts lack broadband internet service at home and about 12,000 (6%) lack the technological tools they need for successful learning despite public, private and nonprofit efforts throughout the pandemic to close the digital divide.

The PED continues analyzing the data to determine digital access for the entire state — not just the focus districts.

“We’re going beyond the court order and making sure every child in New Mexico has what they need to succeed academically in the digital age,” Stewart said.

CTC is also gearing up to help school districts apply for a second federal program when a 45-day application window opens next week. The Emergency Connectivity Fund covers reasonable costs for eligible schools to provide laptop and tablet computers; Wi-Fi hotspots; modems; routers; and broadband connectivity for off-campus use by students and school staff. Schools — not individuals — apply for this funding.

The Emergency Connectivity Fund began with $7.1 billion appropriated through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that was signed into law

March 11. ECT funds will be awarded through the federal E-rate program, which helps make educational technology more affordable.

That program will help provide at least temporary connections for tens of thousands of New Mexico students who live in internet deserts — places where no one has ever laid fiber. Additionally, PED is working with the Department of Information Technology to find longer-term infrastructure options.

“To be clear, this is a network issue not a Public Education Department issue. Nobody has built the broadband network to serve these students,” said Patrick Mulhearn of CTC, which is working with the state to collect data and develop and implement solutions.

The Public Education Department worked throughout the pandemic to expand digital access. That work included distributing 6,282 Chromebooks; providing 102 Cradlepoint wireless routers and adapters; and, in partnership with the Indian Education Division, allocating funds for 101 mobile hotspots and 700 residential hot spots in Indigenous communities.

“This new data shows how much more work remains to really close the digital divide once and for all,” Stewart said.

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June 16, 2021

NM launches program to help fund educator training

6 teacher prep programs applied for Teacher Residency funding

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department is offering $1 million in competitive grants to higher education institutions to attract and train new K-12 public school teachers in New Mexico.

Five teacher preparation programs applied by Monday’s deadline: University of New Mexico, Northern New Mexico College, San Juan College, New Mexico Highlands University and New Mexico State University. Those applications are being reviewed and awards will be announced by June 30.

Colleges and universities receiving the grants will offer students stipends of at least $20,000 per year for participating in the Teacher Residency Program.

“New Mexico needs well trained, professional educators, and this program will help make it affordable for many highly qualified people to get that training and serve in some of our neediest classrooms,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “This is a win-win for public education in New Mexico.”

Before Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took office, New Mexico had about 740 unfilled teaching positions. Since then, the state’s three education departments have provided funding to support educators and increase the recruitment and retention of bilingual and multicultural teachers, and the number of unfilled positions has dropped to about 570.

“Many of our higher education institutions in New Mexico originated with the mission to prepare educators and serve the diverse communities of our state,” Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez said. “Our agency and partners are renewing our commitment to this legacy by expanding the educator pipeline through financial aid programs and increasing recruitment efforts in underrepresented communities.”

The grants will go directly to the higher education institutions, which will use the funding to design, promote and support residency programs to ensure educator diversity and fill high-need teaching positions in the state.

Recipient colleges and universities will establish a relationship with at least one high-needs district early in the program. As part of the residency program, students will co-teach with an expert teacher in such a school.

“It’s invaluable to spend time co-teaching with an expert. You can learn about best practice in a college classroom, but those skills are developed through experience. Guidance in that experience is key to setting the stage for successful teaching,” said Alisa Cooper de Uribe, New Mexico’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 14, 2021

Schools chosen for Family Income Index pilot project

PED awards $15M to 108 schools to fight concentrated poverty

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department has allocated $15 million in targeted aid to 108 New Mexico schools based on the new Family Income Index designed to fight concentrated poverty in schools.

This is the first round of funding in a two-year pilot project approved by the Legislature to direct additional aid to schools serving the most economically disadvantaged students. Another $15 million will be distributed to qualifying schools in Fiscal Year 2023.

“Unlike most programs that funnel money through school districts, the Family Income Index gets extra aid directly to the schools that need it most to offset the effects of concentrated poverty,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Schools will use this extra funding expressly for evidence-based programs known to improve academic outcomes.”

The awards ranged from the legislative minimum of $20,000, received by 13 schools with enrollments of fewer than 50 students, to $434,174 to El Camino Real Community School in Santa Fe, which has 840 students.

Funding was spread across 69 of New Mexico’s 89 districts and 10 of its 98 state-chartered schools. In all, 42% of New Mexico local educational agencies qualified for funding per rules established in the legislative pilot program.

The New Mexico Public Education Department first proposed a Family Income Index in December as a partnership with the Taxation and Revenue and Human Services departments. The goal is to offset known disparities in academic outcomes in schools with concentrated poverty. The Legislature passed it as Senate Bill 17, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed on April 5.

The funding must be used for reading and math interventions; hiring school counselors and social workers; creating family information and resource centers; adopting culturally and linguistically diverse classroom texts; offering innovative professional learning opportunities for educators; and after-school enrichment programs.

The project began by using income and Census data to identify the household income of every New Mexico public school student. Next, the Public Education Department calculated each school’s Family Income Index, which is the percentage of students in families with extremely low or very low incomes. A family of four earning less than about $34,000 a year would fall into one of those categories.

To allocate the $15 million, PED identified the half of all New Mexico schools with the highest Income Index, effectively creating a list of schools with the highest concentrations of poverty. Any district with at least one school on that list will receive funding for that school; those with multiple schools on the list will receive funding for up to 10% of all district schools. No qualifying school will receive less than $20,000.

As with many awards, schools can begin spending the award after July 1 and then seek reimbursement from the Public Education Department.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 11, 2021

Public Education Department set to Inspire

Conference for educators, families starts Wednesday

SANTA FE — After a one-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, the Public Education Department’s annual Inspire conference resumes next week in a virtual format, open this year to educators, school staff, families, students and other stakeholders..

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will kick off the 2021 conference with a welcome speech at 10 a.m. Wednesday (June 16). Keynotes and workshops throughout the four-day event will develop the 2021 conference theme: “AIR: Advocate, Innovate, Renew,” with a focus on wellness, special education and advocacy, and opportunities for educator celebration and professional learning.

“This is a time just after the end of the school year for everyone to take a deep breath and think about how we’ve grown and learned in this pandemic year and how we can use those lessons to better serve every New Mexico student going forward,” said Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart, who will give a keynote Thursday afternoon.

Each day’s programming has a unique focus, beginning with Wellness Wednesday, which features sessions promoting physical and mental well-being. Thursday’s programming is built around a Special Education Summit, during which educators, parents and advocates will discuss issues affecting students with disabilities and learn skills for working with those students.

“As we all know, students with disabilities are general education students first,” said Deborah Dominguez-Clark, director of the Special Education Division at the Public Education Department. “We can build on that fact to raise overall expectations across the board for all students.”

On Friday morning, 2020 New Mexico Teacher of the Year Mandi Torrez, now the department’s teacher liaison, will moderate a packed panel discussion on the future of education in New Mexico. Panelists are Secretary Stewart, state Sen. William Soules, Tracey Cordero of the Indigenous Montessori Institute and vice-chair of the Indian Education Advisory Council, Patricia Jimenez-Latham of Transform Education New Mexico and Hope Morales of Teach Plus New Mexico.

A family engagement leader salon Friday afternoon will bring together stakeholders who are committed to maintaining momentum in their schools and districts to build and strengthen school-home partnerships that promote student success.

Saturday kicks off with a keynote by 2021 New Mexico Teacher of the Year Alisa Cooper de Uribe as the conference winds down to a 1 p.m. closing.

The conference will offer opportunities for stakeholders to cultivate advocacy skills, innovate on existing and best practices, and renew their own spirits with celebrations of the diversity of our communities.

“The Inspire AIR conference will encourage educators and families to see their children and students through a shared lens — a lens through which children are validated for the historical gifts they contribute, the dynamic individuals that they are, and the genius they ignite within as they move through their educational journey,” said Katherine Avery, the department’s director of strategic outreach and a co-organizer for the conference.

Educators, parents and other family members are especially encouraged to enroll in the virtual conference, which is free and open to all. Registration is required at BIT.LY/INSPIRE21ENROLL.

“The goal of the Inspire AIR conference is to promote discussions and catalyze activities around wellness and healing, equity and inclusion,” Avery said.

Workshops will cover both adaptive and technical change in the classroom and provide opportunities for educators and key stakeholders to network, share stories of success, and push one another’s thinking and practice in service of all children in New Mexico, with a particular emphasis on students and families most impacted by inequity.

“Many of our children are suffocating in schools. They are stifled by dry, antiquated content that reflects so little of who they are and what they believe,” said Deputy Secretary Vickie Bannerman. “Let’s be bold and intentional in our equity-focused, student-centered approach to advocacy, innovation, and renewal of our collective belief that because we can do better, we will do better for children.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 8, 2021

Programs keep families in homes, students in school

PED urges NM families to apply for mortgage, rent, utility help

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department is urging eligible New Mexico families to apply for two programs to help pay the mortgage or rent and keep the lights on so children will not be uprooted from their local schools:

• The federal Emergency Rental Assistance program was created to reduce evictions or utility service cut-offs due to financial challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The New Mexico Homeowner Assistance Fund offers grants of up to $10,000 to maintain housing and reduce housing cost delinquency related to the pandemic.

“This has been an incredibly difficult year for so many New Mexico families that lost jobs or income due in one way or another to the pandemic,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We owe it to our children to keep their families intact and in their homes so they can focus, as they should, on their education without fear of being suddenly uprooted.”

Under the Emergency Rental Assistance program, the state of New Mexico is distributing nearly $170 million to pay back, current or future rent and utility bills for eligible families.

Eligible households may receive up to 15 months of assistance plus three additional months — if funding is available — to ensure housing stability. Assistance awards can be used for unpaid, current and future rent and utilities, although priority will be placed on paying past-due rent and utilities.

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. In New Mexico, the Department of Finance and Administration has been administering the program since April 5 in partnership with the City of Albuquerque.

Renters across the state are eligible for the program — except for residents of Bernalillo and Doña Ana counties and those who live in a pueblo or tribal area. Those two counties, as well as tribal governments, will administer their own Rental Assistance Programs, which can be accessed through links at RentHelpNM.org.

An application for rental assistance may be submitted by either an eligible household or by a landlord on behalf of that eligible household. In general, funds will be paid directly to landlords and utility service providers. If a landlord does not wish to participate, funds may be paid directly to the eligible household.

Landlords and utility providers are encouraged to download a W9 and submit it to the Department of Finance and Administration via ERAVendor.Relations@dfa.nm.gov as soon as possible to ensure a streamlined process for receiving payment.

In addition, the New Mexico Homeowner Assistance Fund — a $1 million, six-month pilot program co-sponsored by the state and the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority — was announced this week and is the first state program specifically for homeowners.

The assistance covers past-due and current mortgage payments for income-eligible New Mexicans who have experienced a financial hardship associated with the COVID-19 health crisis.

The New Mexico Homeowner Assistance Fund replaces the COVID-19 Homeowner Assistance Program, which also served homeowners with housing cost assistance payments. The Mortgage Finance Authority will make payments directly to mortgage or loan servicers, escrow companies, or other housing providers. To be eligible for the program, household income must not exceed 100 percent of the area median income.

Applications can be made online at housingnm.org or by calling 505.308.4206 or toll-free 866.488.0498 to request a paper application.

More information about both programs, including income eligibility and frequently asked questions, are available on the Department of Finance and Administration website.

Other assistance programs available right now to eligible New Mexicans include:

• Connectivity: The Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a $50 monthly credit on the cost of high-speed internet ($75 for households on tribal land) and a one-time credit of $100 to buy a digital device. For more information, including an FAQ and a list of participating providers: fcc.gov/emergency-broadband-benefit-program
• Health care: Lower your costs and sign up for health care at Healthcare.gov or call 800-318-2596. If you lost your insurance, get help with the cost of COBRA coverage here: DOL.gov/general/topic/health-plans/cobra
• Food: Connect with New Mexico’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Students ages 1-18 can also pick up free grab-and-go summer meals at more than 700 sites across New Mexico. Find one near you: summerfoodnm.org.
• Unemployment: Get an extra $300 per week and unemployment benefits extendeduntil Sept. 6. Sign up at the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
• Free COVID-19 vaccine: Get an appointment for a free shot near you at vaccinenm.org. You can also sign up at vax2themaxnm.org for a new statewide vaccination incentive program that is offering a total of $10 million in prize money, free travel packages, state parks passes and more.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 3, 2021

4th school out of 840 required to close for 14 days

4 Rapid Responses return Santa Rosa school to remote instruction

SANTA FE — Santa Rosa High School, on the last day of the school year, became the fourth of New Mexico’s 840 public schools to face a mandatory, 14-day return to remote instruction in the two months following widespread school reentry.

The Public Education Department sent a closure notice Thursday to Santa Rosa High School after it reached four Rapid Responses in 14 days, the state’s conservative threshold to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Thursday was the last day of classes at Santa Rosa High, which has about 180 students in grades 9-12. The school has up to seven days to close and then must remain closed for 14 days. The school is required to cease in-person student services, with the exception of small groups in a 5:1 student-teacher ratio.

School leaders were planning to start in-person credit recovery but instead will do that through remote instruction. During the closure period, only students who have tested negative for COVID-19 will be allowed to compete in athletics.

Since widespread school reentry on April 5, three other schools have been required to close:

• April 13: Eldorado High School in Albuquerque
• May 11: Yucca Middle School in Clovis
• May 25: Piedra Vista High School in Farmington

About 40 schools have returned voluntarily to remote instruction temporarily since April 5 in an abundance of caution after a few cases or due to student or staff quarantines as close contacts.

On Wednesday, schools reported only two school-based COVID-19 cases — one involving a staff member and the other a student.

“The number of school-related cases continues to drop, and, as schools move into summer break and more New Mexicans get vaccinated, we fully expect that trend to continue,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Mandatory school closings, although rare, are part of our community safety net, and it’s working.”

The Rapid Response system, which tracks potential outbreaks at the earliest stages, is part of New Mexico’s COVID safety net.

A Rapid Response is one or more positive cases at a school that were infectious while on campus. All cases that a school was notified of on a single day, along with all cases with test dates through the following day, are grouped into a single rapid response. Read the complete COVID-19 Rapid Response Watchlist here.

Only the individual school that reaches the four-in-14 threshold is required to return to remote learning. Other schools in the same district are not impacted.

The New Mexico Environment Department keeps track of Rapid Responses based on its own reports and those from other state agencies, including the Public Education Department.

In addition to the closure list, the Environment Department produces a Watchlist of locations with two or more Rapid Responses. On Thursday, 14 New Mexico public schools were on the Watchlist, down from a high of 68 on May 6.

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June 3, 2021

Summer food programs for NM kids resume

More than 700 locations statewide to offer free meals for children, youth

SANTA FE – Free meal programs for children and youth are resuming at more than 700 locations statewide this summer, the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care and Public Education departments announced today.

The two departments work together on summer feeding programs to make sure children and youth from 1 to 18 have access to nutritious meals from June through August.

“These programs fill an important nutrition gap when school-based meal programs go offline for the summer and are an important part of our state’s fight against child hunger,” ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky said.

“Nutrition needs for growing children don’t end when schools break for the summer,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Having summer feeding sites across New Mexico ensures students have seamless access to nutrition programs year-round.”

Summer feeding programs are available in almost every community and neighborhood across New Mexico. Each site has been mapped and listed in a searchable format at summerfoodnm.org.

More than 70% of New Mexico public school students qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, although that is not a requirement for participating in the summer programs. All children ages 1-18 (as well as those older than 18 with disabilities) can receive free meals through the summer programs.

Additionally:

• No prior registration or enrollment is required for participation.
• In consideration of ongoing safety concerns due to the COVID-19 health emergency, meals will be provided in a “grab-and-go” format.
• Meals at all sites meet U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional standards.
• Nearly all sites serve lunch, and many serve both breakfast and lunch

The summer feeding programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fight childhood hunger in a state where 1 in 5 children face food insecurity.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

June 2, 2021

NMPED releases updated school reentry roadmap

Evolving document evokes best practices, answers questions

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department has released a new school reopening roadmap with updated research, guidance and best practices for school leaders at this stage of the global pandemic and with the flexibility to stay current in the next.

Reopening Roadmap 2.0 was developed to help district, charter school and tribal leaders prepare to offer all students a guaranteed, viable, safe, culturally responsive and equitable curriculum and experience during the next school year.

It’s a comprehensive update to the previous Roadmap to Accelerated Learning and Renewal released in March. Additionally, version 2.0 has moved to a spreadsheet format to allow for interactive work and regular updating as new information becomes available.

“We wanted a document that keeps up as new information emerges and informs new best practices,” said Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart. “Reopening Roadmap 2.0 will allow us to share new guidance with school leaders much, much more quickly, and that will help keep our schools safe for our students, educators and communities.”

Roadmap 2.0 is divided into eight content sections, each with its own tab. A timeline offers guidance for planning, professional development and assessment tools and other supports. Content was determined through regular meetings with school leaders, who indicated which topics were most urgent:

• Academics
• Budgeting
• Communication and Engagement
• Equity, Language and Culture
• Logistics, Scheduling and Extended Learning
• Special Education
• Staffing
• Student Social and Emotional Learning Supports

“During this time of great uncertainty and unlimited potential for our students, families and educators, engagement with this tool can help facilitate a strong reopening experience,” Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment wrote in the introduction.

Each category includes a topic overview and key steps school leaders can take each month throughout the summer.

The content sections are followed by an FAQ tab and then a list of recent updates to help school leaders quickly determine what has changed. Additionally, the digital format includes lists and links to supporting documents and resources.

“As superintendents and school leaders look toward fully reopening schools in fall of 2021, it’s been vital to have the opportunity to partner with PED to create a roadmap showing how to get there and how to accelerate learning for students who have unavoidable gaps and get them back on track for graduation,” said Dennis Roch, president of the New Mexico School Superintendents Association.

The Roadmap will be reviewed for school leaders during workshops at the July 19-23 meeting in Albuquerque of the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 28, 2021

Editors Note: Ms. C’Moya pronounces her last name as if the apostrophe were a period — C. Moya.

Former Los Lunas board member assumes interim role

PED secretary seeks nominations for additional designees

SANTA FE — Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart today announced former Los Lunas School Board member Sonya C’Moya as his first designee to assume temporary governance of the school district and called for nominations of others to join her.

Stewart on Wednesday indefinitely suspended the district’s five-member elected board due to credible evidence that certain members have persistently violated procurement and public access laws, the state Public School Code, and professional ethical standards.

Per the suspension, Superintendent Arsenio Romero began reporting directly to Stewart until such time as the secretary could delegate that responsibility. Stewart indicated he will delegate governance to a newly appointed group of Los Lunas residents, including C’Moya.

C’Moya served on the Los Lunas Schools Board of Education from 2015 through 2019, including two years as vice president and one year as secretary. She also spent four years on the Finance Committee, including two years as chair, and she is currently a community representative to the board’s Audit Committee.

“Ms. C’Moya’s experience and her deep knowledge about the workings of the Los Lunas district will make her a steadying influence during this transitional time,” Stewart said.

“When I chose not to run for re-election to the school board in 2019, I never intended to turn my back on the Los Lunas School District,” Ms. C’Moya said. “I’m very interested in restoring the credibility and function of the district and working again with its wonderful staff and students.”

The secretary intends to name additional designees, and is requesting letters of interest from those who meet the following qualifications:

• Live within the boundaries of the Los Lunas School District;
• Be able to devote the time necessary to serve as a designee and to participate in required trainings;
• Be committed to making decisions in the best interest of the students of Los Lunas;
• Be committed to the responsible stewardship of public resources with the highest degree of integrity;
• Be a collaborative member of a team, able and willing to engage with others in a professional and performance-focused manner;
• Have no felony convictions.

Anyone meeting those qualifications who wishes to be considered should submit a letter of interest (up to 250 words) and a resume via email to Lucy.Valenzuela@ped.nm.gov by 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 8.

Letters of interest must include:

• The applicant’s address;
• Which School Board District the applicant lives in;
• The names and contact information for up to three professional references;
• Whether the applicant has a child/children currently in the district and, if so, the school(s) they attend.

Applicants are asked to use the following naming convention for files:

• FirstName_LastName_Resume (example: John_Doe_Resume)
• FirstName_LastName_LetterOfInterest (example: Jane_Smith_LetterOfInterest)

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 26, 2021

Los Lunas school board suspended based on credible evidence of law violations by some members

Superintendent will report directly to Public Education secretary

SANTA FE — The entire Los Lunas school board has been suspended due to credible evidence that certain members have persistently violated procurement and public access laws, the state Public School Code, and professional ethical standards, the Public Education Department announced today.

Secretary Ryan Stewart informed the five-member elected board of the suspension in a letter that also directed Superintendent Arsenio Romero to begin reporting directly to Stewart or his designate.

In the letter, Stewart cited the solemn trust voters place on school board members to act with integrity as effective stewards of public resources.

“The conduct of certain Los Lunas School Board members is antithetical to these standards and has impeded the ability of the board as a whole to act as it should,” Stewart wrote. “This conduct has created a sense of instability and ethical ambiguity that negatively impacts all aspects of the district’s operations and that severely impairs the educational process in the district.”

According to the letter, the Public Education Department first warned the Los Lunas board of reported violations in November and followed that by providing training to board members in January and March regarding the relevant laws and rules.

Despite those efforts, certain board members — who are not named — persisted in engaging in improper conduct, the letter said.

“Good governance is a responsibility we take very seriously,” Stewart said. “We make these tough calls in the best interest of the students.”

“The role of the school board member is integral to student success,” Superintendent Romero said. “Los Lunas Schools wants to ensure the community that every student has the best opportunity for a great learning experience. We will continue to move forward toward that goal.”

The letter said PED has credible evidence of these and other violations by one or more board members:

PUBLIC ACCESS CONCERNS

• Knowingly misrepresenting information in public meetings;
• Violating the Open Meetings Act by using rolling quorums;
• Acting on matters not described with reasonable specificity on board meeting agendas;
• Violating the Inspection of Public Records Act by refusing to produce records as required.

PROCUREMENT CONCERNS

• Interfering with district contracts and not following the Procurement Code;
• Directly asking or demanding a vendor to redo a part of a contract;
• Attempting to extort vendors by suggesting they would receive a district contract if they agreed to personally enrich a board member;
• Soliciting bids;
• Providing confidential bid information to potential vendors;
• Demanding contracts for goods and services be awarded to certain vendors, bypassing appropriate procurement procedures;
• Soliciting services and contracts without working with the district’s chief procurement officer and central procurement office.

ETHICAL CONCERNS

(Possible violations of board policy and/or Public School Code)

• Addressing a district employee in an inappropriate and threatening manner in a public meeting;
• Inducing an employee to lie about a supervisor;
• Falsifying allegations about financial misconduct of school administrative personnel;
• Attempting to extort school administrative, support and maintenance personnel through intimidation and threats;
• Interfering with personnel matters, including demanding the demotion, suspension and/or termination of school personnel, decisions and responsibilities properly assigned by law to the superintendent;
• Interfering with overall district operations;
• Demanding family members be hired, in violation of prohibitions on nepotism;
• Interfering with the superintendent and administrative staff roles.

The suspended school board consists of President Eloy G. Giron, Vice President P. David Vickers, Secretary Frank A. Otero and members Bryan C. Smith and Steven R. Otero.

Per the letter, they may not contact school staff or use school equipment or facilities during the indefinite suspension, and they cannot use the board’s attorney to represent them.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 25, 2021

3rd school in nearly 2 months required to close for 14 days

4 Rapid Responses return Farmington school to remote instruction

SANTA FE — A high school in Farmington has become the third of New Mexico’s 840 public schools to face a mandatory, 14-day return to remote instruction in the nearly two months following widespread school reentry.

Piedra Vista High School received the closure order Tuesday after reporting four Rapid Responses in 14 days, the state’s conservative threshold to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Piedra Vista, which has about 1,460 students, has up to seven days to close and then must remain closed for 14 days.

Eldorado High School in Albuquerque on April 13 became the first public school required to return to remote instruction for 14 days, a period that ended April 27. Yucca Middle School in Clovis received a closure order May 11 and returned to in-person learning today (May 25).

About 40 schools have returned voluntarily to remote instruction temporarily since April 5 in an abundance of caution after a few cases or due to student or staff quarantines as close contacts.

“All the metrics continue to show that schools are safe places and are not contributing to community spread,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Our safety protocols, including three mandatory closures, are keeping us safe as overall school case numbers decline, positivity rates remain incredibly low and vaccination numbers for everyone age 12 and up continue to increase.”

The Rapid Response system, which tracks potential outbreaks at the earliest stages, is part of New Mexico’s COVID safety net.

A Rapid Response is one or more positive cases at a school that were infectious while on campus. All cases that a school was notified of on a single day, along with all cases with test dates through the following day, are grouped into a single rapid response. Read the complete COVID-19 Rapid Response Watchlist here.

Only the individual school that reaches the four-in-14 threshold is required to return to remote learning. Other schools in the same district are not impacted.

The New Mexico Environment Department keeps track of Rapid Responses based on its own reports and those from other state agencies, including the Public Education Department.

In addition to the closure list, the Environment Department produces a Watchlist of locations with two or more Rapid Responses. On Monday, 14 New Mexico public schools were on the Watchlist, down from a high of 68 on May 6.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 24, 2021

New Mexico expands community school model

50 grants award $6.6M for 2021-2022 school year

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department has issued 50 grants totaling $6.6 million to schools across New Mexico to plan for or to implement the community school strategy in the 2021-2022 school year.

The latest round of funding brings to 109 the number of grants issued since April 2019, when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law the New Mexico Community Schools Act. Last year, 29 grants were issued totaling $5.2 million.

“New Mexico continues investing in the community school strategy because we know that academic success for many students requires an integrated focus on all their needs, which partnerships with community agencies and local government can provide,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “This strategy works, and we’re grateful to the governor and the Legislature for recognizing that and funding this important initiative.”

Funding for these grants comes from $10.3 million appropriated by the Legislature and $3.7 million from the federal government for school improvement.

Community schools are existing schools that implement specific strategies to provide students with whatever they need to be academically successful, often by leveraging community resources. In New Mexico, the community school strategy is intended to improve the conditions for learning, which should lead to increased attendance and graduation rates, among other outcomes.

Each community school identifies its own needs and capacities, which may include on-campus health and dental clinics, after-school programming, deep engagement with families and community organizations, and collaborative leadership and practices.

These strategies are effective in any school but are especially designed to meet the educational needs of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools. The community school model aligns with New Mexico’s response to the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit over education equity.

Schools that receive planning grants are eligible to apply for three additional rounds of implementation funding if grant requirements are met annually. If each grant recipient fully implements the community school model, New Mexico will have 54 federal and state-funded community schools in three years — up from 33 now.

Grants for the 2021-2022 school year include 21 planning grants, first-time awards ranging from $32,000 to $50,000:

ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• Del Norte High
• East San Jose Elementary
• Edward Gonzales Elementary
• Helen Cordero Primary
• Mark Armijo Academy
• Reginald Chavez Elementary
• Truman Middle
• APS Charter: ACE Leadership High
• APS Charter: Albuquerque Sign Language Academy
• APS Charter: Gordon Bernell

CENTRAL CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

• Newcomb High

LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• Alameda Elementary

MORIARTY-EDGEWOOD SCHOOLS

• Moriarty Elementary

PEÑASCO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

• Peñasco High

SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• Kearney Elementary
• Milagro Middle
• Nina Otero Community

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS

• Truth or Consequences Middle

STATE CHARTERS

• Albuquerque Bilingual Academy
• School of Dreams Academy (Los Lunas)
• Taos Academy Charter

The remaining grants went to schools that previously received an implementation grant and are now in either year two or year three of implementing the community school strategy. Those implementation grants were for $150,000 each. Three community schools funded with school-improvement funds continued their $1 million award for a period of two years . (A complete list is available here on the Community Schools page on the Public Education Department website.)

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 21, 2021

Participation increases in extended learning programs

More NM districts, charters sign up for 2021-22 school year

SANTA FE — About 60% of New Mexico K-12 students will spend additional time in school next year based on preliminary reports of expected participation in the state’s two extended-learning-time programs.

The Public Education Department now expects 191,000 students — out of 317,000 enrolled — to participate next year in either the K-5 Plus program or Extended Learning Time Program. Additional classroom time is a powerful tool to accelerate learning, and the two programs are a core component of the state’s strategy to improve educational outcomes for every student in alignment with the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit.

The expected numbers would be a 29% increase over last year’s participation rate but far short of the full participation New Mexico legislators hoped for when appropriating an additional $80 million for the programs this year. A proposal before the legislature to make participation mandatory failed to pass, leaving it to districts and state charter schools to decide whether to participate. Fifty-two districts and charter schools declined, and those that opted in could select which schools in the district will participate.

“These are local-control decisions, and we respect that,” said Deputy Secretary Katarina Sandoval, who oversees the extended learning time programs. “We heard from a number of districts that their people — educators, students and families — are just exhausted after this pandemic year, but that in a year, they’ll be in. We’re looking forward to even more participation next year.”

The Public Education Department promoted participation in the extended learning time programs during weekly group calls with superintendents and charter school leaders and individual outreach.

In the end, 127 of New Mexico’s 187 districts and state charter schools opted to participate in one or both of the extended learning time programs, with eight districts that haven’t reported yet.

K-5 Plus adds up to 25 days to the school calendar for kindergarten through fifth grade, while the Extended Learning Time Program adds up to 10 days. Both programs provide funding for districts and charters to extend the regular school year. They are not remedial programs.

K-5 Plus grew out of a K-3 Plus pilot project the Legislature funded in the 2004-2005 school year. The goal was to show that increased time in kindergarten and the early grades narrows the achievement gap between at-risk and other students, increases cognitive skills and leads to higher test scores for all participants.

In its early years, the program required districts and charter schools to add 25 additional days to the beginning of the regular school year, and it required K-5 Plus teachers to continue with the same student cohort in the fall. Those requirements made it difficult for some districts to staff the programs.

This year, Senate Bill 40 gave districts and charter schools more flexibility in implementing the K-5 Plus program by allowing the 25 days of additional instructional time to be added at any point during the school year. The legislation also required that, at schools where a program is implemented, every student must participate. Previously, participation has been voluntary.

The expected participation numbers for the 2021-22 school year are based on a survey that districts and charter schools completed this spring. The first window opened in March and early April; the second window opened in May and closed last week.

Some districts that opted in during the first window of the survey had adjusted participation numbers by the second window due to the results of family and teacher surveys and other community input that is required as part of the budget process. Their budgets will be adjusted to eliminate the extra funding that comes with participation in the extended learning time programs.

Unspent funds appropriated for the two programs reverts to the Public Education Reform Fund, which can be used for future educational purposes.

The 2021 Legislature also funded a two-year pilot project called K-5 Plus Pilot 140. Through that program, selected high-poverty and low-performing schools will add a minimum of 10 Extended Learning Time Program instructional days to the base instructional calendar, offer an after-school program and provide 80 hours of professional development to teachers. Each pilot school must add 45 minutes to each instructional day. The goal is to evaluate how equivalent instructional time affects students’ academic and nonacademic outcomes.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 13, 2021

Public Education staff take cultural training

Everyone learns about culturally, linguistically responsive education

SANTA FE — Employees at the Public Education Department completed a three-hour training this week on culturally and linguistically responsive education, a pillar of New Mexico’s education policy that is designed to help close equity gaps.

Most of the department’s 234 employees attended the virtual training, offered Tuesday with a repeat session Wednesday. Additional sessions scheduled for Thursday and Friday are open to New Mexico educators, school board members and tribal education directors. In all, nearly 500 people pre-registered for the course.

“Our vision — rooted in the immense strengths of the families and students of New Mexico — specifically and unapologetically places stakes in the ground in affirmation of our belief in a culturally and linguistically responsive educational system,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said in an email to department staff. “Through this vision, we take up the opportunity and the responsibility to lead by example.”

To that end, all Public Education Department employees — including Stewart — were required to attend the three-hour virtual training led by Sharroky Hollie, Ph.D, a former classroom teacher who became a national expert in the area of culturally responsive teaching and learning. Since 2000, Hollie has trained more than 150,000 educators and worked in nearly 2,000 classrooms.

“In my 21 years of doing this work, it is the first time for me that state employees in the education department have been required to attend,” Hollie said. “But let’s not get caught up in the moment. Significance and impact are two different things. We can mandate trainings. Can we mandate change?”

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive education practices validate and affirm a student’s home culture and language to create connections with other cultures and languages in various social contexts.

“As a state agency, we have the responsibility of ensuring that all children in New Mexico receive an equitable education while we reaffirm their individual home culture and language,” said Lashawna Tso, assistant secretary for Indian education, who introduced the presenter. “We do so by honoring and respecting the diverse languages and cultures our children bring to the classrooms and ensuring our actions match our words and intentions.”

The Public Education Department has asked New Mexico districts and charter schools to adopt Culturally and Linguistically Responsive strategies as one part of a comprehensive effort to create an effective and equitable system of supports for all students.

That plan emerged in response to the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, in which a court found the state had failed to provide a sufficient education to all public-school students, especially those who are Native American, economically disadvantaged, English learners and those with disabilities. Other key components of the state’s response include equity councils and a district-level assessment of root-causes of problems and readiness for improvements.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 11, 2021

Clovis school only second required to close for 14 days

Four Rapid Responses result in school returning to remote instruction

SANTA FE — A middle school in Clovis became only the second of New Mexico’s 840 public schools to face a mandatory, 14-day return to remote instruction based on COVID-19 spread following widespread school reentry on April 5.

Yucca Middle School, which has about 600 students, received a closure order Tuesday based on four Rapid Responses in 14 days, the state’s conservative threshold to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus. The school has up to seven days to close and then must remain closed for 14 days.

Portales High School, which has almost 800 students, was ordered closed on Friday for 14 days, but the order was rescinded after determining the district had misreported a daycare case as occurring in the high school. While the daycare is located on high school property, the two populations are separate.

Eldorado High School in Albuquerque on April 13 became the first public school required to return to remote instruction for 14 days, a period that ended April 27.

Some districts or schools have returned voluntarily to remote instruction temporarily since April 5 due to some aspect of the pandemic. For example, some schools found they had too few students or staff members for in-person learning due to quarantines of close contacts. Others decided after a few school-related cases to return to remote learning in an abundance of caution before reaching the threshold.

“Our system of safety protocols is, indeed, working to keep our schools and communities safe from unchecked COVID spread,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Most New Mexico students have enjoyed the benefits of in-person learning uninterrupted since at least April 5, but we are prepared for brief spells of remote learning when needed and understand that will be the situation until the virus is finally defeated.”

The Rapid Response system, which tracks potential outbreaks at the earliest stages, is part of New Mexico’s COVID safety net.

A Rapid Response is one or more positive cases at a school that were infectious while on campus. All cases that a school was notified of on a single day, along with all cases with test dates through the following day, are grouped into a single rapid response. Read the complete COVID-19 Rapid Response Watchlist here.

Only the individual school that reaches the four-in-14 threshold is required to return to remote learning. Other schools in the same district are not impacted.

The New Mexico Environment Department keeps track of Rapid Responses based on its own reports and those from other state agencies, including the Public Education Department.

In addition to the closure list, the Environment Department produces a Watchlist of locations with two or more Rapid Responses. On Monday, 50 New Mexico public schools were on the Watchlist, down from a high of 68 on May 6.

Staff cases since the beginning of March have stayed flat despite a return to in-person learning.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 10, 2021

NM makes progress on closing digital divide

Recent court ruling confirms students need broadband and devices

SANTA FE — State government officials have been working hard to get digital devices and broadband access to students across New Mexico; the challenge presented by a recent court order is how to accelerate the process.

“There is no higher priority than getting every student what they need to succeed,” said Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart. “The Public Education Department has been working at full tilt since March 2020 to expand student access to digital devices and high-speed internet services, and we continue to push aggressively to expand that work.”

The Public Education Department has launched a cross-agency broadband working group to hasten completion of wide-reaching, planned broadband connectivity work, including:

• Quickly getting devices to students who don’t yet have them;
• Quickly utilizing all available options for students who are not yet connected to high-speed internet;
• Getting all eligible students to sign up for the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit;
• Implementing a help desk dedicated to assisting students with connectivity and devices;
• Moving forward expeditiously on legislatively authorized broadband capital projects;
• Providing generators for students lacking home electricity to power their devices;
• Testing and investing in innovative technologies to extend the reach of existing broadband networks in communities.

On April 30, 1st Judicial District Judge Matthew Wilson ordered the state to move faster. The ruling came in a hearing in the landmark Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit over education equity.

“Children who are lacking access to internet and technology for remote learning are not getting much of an education, if at all, let alone one that is sufficient to make them college and career ready,” Wilson said at the time.

Stewart said the court order reinforced the urgency but did not set forth a new objective.

“We don’t need a court order to do what’s right for New Mexico students,” Stewart said. “We’ve been working on solutions for our students who are impacted by a lack of resources, including electricity and other needs that go beyond just the classroom.”

The court ordered the state to identify at-risk students and their teachers who lack digital access, a process that was already under way. The Public Education Department last week launched a data collection effort to identify students who still need computer devices or connectivity. That survey now will become a recurring part of school enrollment processes to ensure continually updated data.

“The ruling just reinforced our efforts to get an updated snapshot of the remaining student needs following all the work and investment that PED and districts have made in the past year to get students connected,” said John Chadwick, the Public Education Department’s educational technology coordinator. “This is really going to provide the granularity we need to keep moving forward.

Once families complete the survey, responses will be linked through an educational database with student addresses and academic status to identify geographical areas and at-risk students needing priority attention.

The broadband working group will build on work accomplished since last March when the pandemic forced schools into remote learning. Since then, the state and its public, private and nonprofit partners already have:

• Distributed 6,282 Chromebooks to students who had no digital devices;
• Added some 1,250 WiFi hotspots — 550 fixed hotspots plus 700 mobile hotspots;
• Provided an updated map to help New Mexicans find the nearest hotspots;
• Negotiated with internet service providers to offer free or reduced-price plans for students or educators;
• Partnered with the Navajo Nation to build 380 new miles of fiber, a $43 million project, to connect homes, businesses, health care facilities and public safety;
• Worked to renew data plans for the Navajo Nation and tribes;
• Installed WiFi on 101 school buses;
• With schools, libraries and service providers, created more than 200 WiFi hotspots around the state;
• Urged school districts and state charter schools to use emergency federal funding through the federal CARES Act for connectivity and technology needs, resulting in tens of millions of dollars being spent toward these products and services;
• Distributed $5.75 million from the Governor’s Emergency Educational Relief fund to districts and charter schools for connectivity and technology needs;
• Provided $925,000 in emergency funding to tribal communities to use to connect 35,000 students.
• Notified families and school leaders about the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which will provide discounts to eligible households for monthly broadband service and a one time purchase of a digital device.

“We are determined to equip New Mexico’s K-12 students with all the tools they need to succeed, even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic,” Stewart said. “We are leaving no potential funding source untapped, and we will continue to work with our partners in the private sector to strengthen our information technology infrastructure well into the future.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 7, 2021

Public Education Department asks kids to rate school meals

Input sought on student perception of nutrition, freshness, taste

SANTA FE — New Mexico school children are being invited to praise — or complain about — the meatloaf, pizza, mac-and-cheese and scrambled eggs served by their school cafeteria.

The state Public Education Department is conducting a food quality survey through May to determine what students think about the 40 million breakfasts and 56 million lunches served in New Mexico school cafeterias across the state each year.

“School meals have come a long way in the last decade with more locally sourced, fresh food and real care about meeting nutrition standards. Now we’re asking students to give us some feedback on what they like or don’t so we can continue improving,” said Michael Chavez, director of the Public Education Department’s School Success and Wellness Bureau.

The online survey, which takes about 5 minutes, will be open through May for students to complete outside of instructional time. Fliers in Spanish and English will be sent home to notify family members and ask their help in administering the survey to younger children.

“We don’t want parents and grandparents who may be remembering their own school meals to exert any influence on how students today feel about what they’re being served,” Chavez said. “We really want to know what today’s customers think about the freshness, taste and nutritional value of their meals.”

Every day, nearly 31 million children receive low-cost or free lunches through the National School Lunch Program, a federally assisted meal program operating in more than 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child-care institutions.

The program serves 4.9 billion school lunches annually, more than the nation’s largest restaurant chains. But unlike restaurants, schools are required by law to meet strict requirements for calories, protein, fat, fiber and vitamins — all for about $1.30 per meal, which has to cover ingredients, labor and other overhead costs.

The School Breakfast program has been providing millions of additional meals each day to children in public and non-profit private schools and residential child-care institutions since it started as a pilot program in 1966.

Even when schools moved to remote learning during the pandemic, school nutrition programs continued churning out meals for grab-and-go pickup or direct delivery. New Mexico served more than 32 million school meals from March 2020 through February 2021.

School meal programs began in 1946 with the National School Lunch Act. In the 1980s, budget cuts to the program caused districts to rely on cheaper, processed foods until 2010, when the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act required cafeteries to offer more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in every meal.

While the federal government sets nutrition requirements for school meals, local school authorities decide which specific foods to serve and how to prepare them.

“Schools have a lot of autonomy to build creative menus. Now it’s the students’ turn to tell us how we’re doing,” Chavez said.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

May 5, 2021

Four NM educators named finalists for prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

SANTA FE — Four New Mexico educators are state finalists for the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching:

Math finalists:

• Teresa Butcher of Laguna-Acoma High School, Grants/Cibola County Schools;
• Marila Mancha-Garcia of NextGen Academy High School, Albuquerque Public Schools;
• Tara Palomares of Sandia High School, Albuquerque Public Schools

Science finalist:

• Lesha Harenberg of Eldorado High School, Albuquerque Public Schools;

State finalists represent the most outstanding teachers New Mexico has to offer and serve as both a model and an inspiration to students and fellow teachers.

Each year, a national committee of prominent mathematicians, scientists, mathematics/science education researchers, district-level personnel and classroom teachers recommends up to 108 teachers to receive PAEMST awards.

Up to two teachers—mathematics or science—from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Territories and schools operated in the United States and overseas by the Department of Defense Education Activity receive the award.

Teachers who are selected as PAEMST awardees receive a trip to Washington, D.C., where they attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities. They also receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, a presidential certificate, and join an elite cohort of award-winning teachers who can influence state/jurisdiction and national STEM teaching.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

April 30, 2021

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to launch May 12

Eligible New Mexicans can get discounts for services, devices

SANTA FE — Tens of thousands of eligible New Mexicans can enroll for federal assistance beginning May 12 to help pay for monthly broadband services and to receive a one-time discount to purchase a computer.

The Federal Communications Commission, which is administering the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, announced the May 12 start date in a news release Thursday that urged state officials to use the interim to inform eligible households about the program.

The program provides discounts on the cost of high-speed internet for eligible households working with approved providers. Benefits include:

• Up to $50 month discount for broadband services per household;
• Up to $75 month discount for broadband services per household on tribal lands;
• A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop or tablet computer purchased through a participating provider.

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of these criteria:

• Qualifies for the FCC’s existing program, Lifeline, to help make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers;
• Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
• Experienced a substantial loss of income since Feb. 29, 2020, and the household had a total income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and below $198,000 for joint filers; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating providers’ existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

The Public Education Department estimates that 75 percent of families of New Mexico students could be eligible based on their eligibility for other federal assistance, including the National School Lunch Program.

“This could amount to tens of millions of dollars to help New Mexico families pay for the connectivity and devices their students need to learn in a digital age,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We want to make sure families know about and take advantage of this program, which, along with other initiatives, will go a long way toward closing the digital divide in New Mexico.”

Eligible households will enroll through participating broadband providers, who will be reimbursed for delivering qualifying broadband services or devices to eligible households. In New Mexico, the Department of Information Technology is signing up service providers to participate in the program. So far, 38 New Mexico providers have signed up for the program. That list is available here. Nationally, more than 600 providers are committed to the program, the FCC reported last week.

The FCC began testing the program with participating broadband providers last week to prepare for Tuesday’s consumer launch to go as smoothly as possible.

More information about the EBB program, including an FAQ, is available on the FCC website.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

April 26, 2021

NM to get $6.4 million for students experiencing homelessness

Funding to pay for needed services and other support

SANTA FE — New Mexico will receive $6.4 million from the federal government over the next two months to help identify and provide services to children and youth experiencing homelessness, the Public Education Department announced Monday.

The funding is New Mexico’s share of $800 million authorized by Congress in the American Rescue Plan Act to enable children and youth experiencing homelessness to attend school and participate fully in school activities, including in-person instruction this spring and upcoming summer enrichment programs.

The new funds can be used for almost any purpose that achieves those goals — for example, providing needed supplies, transportation, short-term temporary housing and mental health services.

“This is a wonderful new asset to help meet students’ most basic needs so they can succeed academically despite their families’ current housing situation,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Every child should be able to participate fully in their education no matter the barriers. Congress recognized that when it appropriated this money to help our neediest students.”

At last count, New Mexico had 6,573 students experiencing homelessness.

The U.S. Department of Education announced the allocations in a letter sent Friday that included directions for administering, distributing and spending the money.

This funding will supplement money states already receive through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. In the current fiscal year, New Mexico received $793,000 through that act. Part of that money pays for a state program coordinator, who also will administer the new funds.

States will receive 25% of their total allocation immediately — that’s $1.6 million for New Mexico. That first distribution must be used to address urgent student needs, whether academic, social, emotional or mental health. The Public Education Department will reserve no more than 25% for state-level programs including training, technical assistance and engagement with local educational agencies, which will receive the bulk of the new funds.

Funding per district or charter school from this new allocation will be based on the current distribution of McKinney-Vento funds.

The remaining 75% will be released after the state submits a plan describing how the funds will be used at the state level and how money will be distributed to individual districts and state charters. That could be as soon as June, the letter stated.

State coordinators of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act are meeting virtually this week to receive additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. New Mexico’s plan will take shape following that meeting, said Dana Malone, the New Mexico Public Education Department’s coordinator.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

April 22, 2021

Feds approve New Mexico request for spring testing waiver

Testing focus shifts to information-gathering to target resources

SANTA FE – New Mexico students will take annual standardized tests this spring to the greatest extent possible, but the results will be used only to inform families, educators and the public about academic achievement after a year of mostly remote learning.

The U.S. Department of Education this week granted New Mexico’s request for an accountability waiver, which means no student, school or district will be graded, rated or ranked based on this year’s test scores.

“This waiver will allow New Mexico educators to get the student achievement data we need to guide accelerated learning programs without adding stressful consequences at the end of an already stressful school year,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Education was attentive and receptive to our state context and request for flexibility.”

The notification letter, sent Wednesday, also waives the requirement to test 95% of all students.

Students who returned to in-person learning will be encouraged but not required to participate in spring assessments. For students who remained in remote learning based on family choice, schools and districts will have the option of using locally designed assessments, the state’s formative assessment system or other local measures of academic progress.

The Public Education Department, anticipating the waiver would be granted, asked K-12 public schools last month to conduct spring assessments to the greatest extent possible — language that gives districts and schools the flexibility to determine how many students participate in spring testing.

“We are not proposing a particular threshold but will leave it to districts and charter schools to determine the extent testing is possible,” Stewart said.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Education waived spring tests across the country after schools moved to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the federal agency said it would not issue a blanket waiver but invited states to request flexibility. New Mexico first applied for a waiver Feb. 17.

Because of the waiver, the state will not be required to use 2020-2021 testing data to identify schools for comprehensive support and improvement, targeted support and improvement and additional targeted support and improvement. Instead, schools so identified in the 2019-2020 school year will retain that status for another year.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

April 13, 2021

3 NM schools close voluntarily due to COVID-19

Neither reached the threshold for mandatory closing for 14 days

SANTA FE – Three New Mexico public schools will return temporarily to remote-only instruction in an abundance of caution based on a handful of COVID-19 cases among students, the Public Education Department announced today.

The schools are:

• Mesa Alta Junior High in Bloomfield
• Central Primary in Bloomfield
• Socorro High School

All three schools will return to remote-only instruction Wednesday and reopen on April 26.

Bloomfield Superintendent Kimberly Mizzell made the decision to close Mesa Alta because there were enough potential exposures among staff members who chose not to be vaccinated that Mesa Alta could no longer support in-person learning. The decision to close Central Primary was due to the fact that a majority of the students at the school would have had to quarantine as close contacts to two positive cases.

“They were in the lunch line. They were at recess. They were in the pickup line. The potential exposure was very widespread,” Mizzell said. “We were going to have to quarantine 223 elementary students.”

In Socorro, Superintendent Ron Hendrix decided to close the high school because seven students have tested positive since Thursday.

“Hopefully this will shut [potential virus transmission] down,” Hendrix said.

Socorro Consolidated Schools will hold a COVID-19 testing clinic Thursday at Sarracino Middle School for any student in the district who wants to be tested.

“We are not out of the woods when it comes to this virus, and we will not hesitate to move a building to remote learning if safety conditions warrant such actions,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “I thank the school staff and district leaders for taking these cases seriously and making the necessary and tough decisions to ensure that schools do not spread the disease and that students and staff are kept safe.”

None of the schools reached the state threshold to trigger a mandatory closing. That threshold is four Rapid Responses in 14 days. A Rapid Response is one or more cases reported in a single day of a person being infectious while on campus, along with any positive cases with a testing day up to one day after the reported cases.

Mesa Alta has reported no Rapid Responses since Jan. 26, and Central Primary has reported none since Jan. 29, when it had two. Socorro High has had two recent Rapid Responses — a single case on April 8 and two cases on April 9.

As a proactive measure to identify asymptomatic cases and keep close track of student infection trends, the PED has asked every district and state charter school to develop and implement a voluntary student testing program no later than April 26.

The goal is to provide families with opportunities to get students tested. Additionally, student testing could uncover asymptomatic cases in the school community and provide additional information about the prevalence of COVID-19 to help stop the spread.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

April 12, 2021

Eldorado High to close for 14 days after 4 Rapid Responses

Closure is precautionary to prevent spread of COVID-19

SANTA FE – Eldorado High School in Albuquerque will return to remote-only instruction for two weeks after reaching the state’s conservative threshold for COVID-19 spread, the Public Education Department announced today.

The school, which serves about 1,800 students on Albuquerque’s east side, is the first public school in New Mexico to have four Rapid Responses in 14 days, the threshold that triggers a temporary return to remote-only instruction.

Eldorado High had Rapid Responses on March 29, April 2, April 6 and April 10.

Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Scott Elder and Eldorado High Principal Martin Sandoval were notified by email that the school has seven calendar days in which to begin the mandatory 14-day closure. Sandoval said the school will close beginning Tuesday.

A Rapid Response is a series of interventions designed to prevent COVID-19 spread, beginning when the New Mexico Department of Health notifies a school that an employee or student has a confirmed positive case and was on campus/in the facility during the infectious period.

A school or business with two Rapid Responses in 14 days goes on the Environment Department’s Rapid Response Watchlist. Those that reach four Rapid Responses in the same time frame go on the department’s Closure List.

Only the individual school that reaches the four-in-14 threshold is required to return to remote learning. Other schools in the district are not impacted.

The school is required to cease in-person student services, with the exception of small groups, adhering to the 5:1 ratio in the Public Education Department’s re-entry guidance.

The school was also advised to identify and notify all close contacts immediately to identify any related cases and stop the virus from spreading further.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

April 12, 2021

Students to be offered surveillance testing for COVID

Goal to test 1% of students per week on voluntary basis

SANTA FE – New Mexico public school students will be offered school-based COVID-19 testing opportunities as a further tool to enhance safety amid the continuing pandemic, the Public Education Department announced today.

Student testing will be completely voluntary and at no cost to those who participate. Districts and charter schools will implement student testing programs as soon as possible but no later than the week of April 26.

Students who show proof of being fully vaccinated and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days will not be asked to participate.

Testing identifies cases in the school that might otherwise go undetected, allowing the virus to spread further among students and staff. High rates of negative test results inspire confidence that protective measures are working, especially in high-risk activities like sports.

“This is a voluntary student surveillance testing program — it’s a service we’re putting out to the community. This will help build public confidence that schools are safe,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “By testing student volunteers, we can get better information about what’s happening in schools with the virus and get communication out into the community about how our precautionary measures are working.”

The goal is for schools to test 1% of students in the general pool weekly and 10% of individuals participating in sports and activities.

“We still have significant transmission in many of our communities, and we are not past the risk of another surge in disease that results in significant risk to life and health. Testing is one of the tools we have to minimize the risk of this happening,” said Dr. Daniel Sosin, an epidemiologist at the state Department of Health.

Schools are already required to conduct surveillance testing of unvaccinated staff members at rates determined by each county’s color on the Department of Health heat map. Turquoise counties must test 5% of eligible staff per week; green and yellow counties must test 12.5%; and red counties must test 25%.

To facilitate staff and voluntary student testing, the Public Education Department and the Department of Health are offering schools a range of testing options at no cost. The options include BinaxNOW antigen tests, the statewide VAULT mail-in testing program, and on-site tests administered through Curative.

BinaxNOW Testing

BinaxNOW testing is an option, not a requirement, to help schools with a range of testing situations. For example, BinaxNOW can be used for individuals with chronic conditions such as asthma or allergies that present with mild COVID-19 like symptoms; individuals with negative test results may return to class without a doctor’s diagnosis. It also could be used for weekly testing of students with disabilities who cannot wear a mask as a way for them to stay in school.

Rather than testing for antibodies, antigen tests determine if a patient currently has COVID-19 virus. BinaxNOW is a nasal swab, but the swab does not need to be inserted beyond the front part of the nose, and results are available in just a few minutes.

Schools received an order form Thursday for BinaxNOW tests, and the test kits will begin arriving next week. Online training will begin Monday. Any trained individual can administer the BinaxNOW test, so testing does not require schools to have a health office.

VAULT Testing

Families will have the option to order VAULT test kits, now used in staff testing, for student testing. Those tests — available at no cost from the statewide VAULT testing program, can be completed at home with results provided — voluntarily — to the school.

Curative Testing

The Department of Health can give schools access to the Curative Testing Co., which can come onsite to collect a minimum of 20 specimens for COVID-19 testing. Curative also may be able to train staff to collect the specimens themselves.

Student testing programs are voluntary, opt-in services. No student is required to be tested. Consent from parents will be required for minor children or from students for students who have reached the age of majority.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 23, 2021

Session ends with significant gains for public education

Winning investments include Family Income Index, community schools

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s education moonshot got a $400 million boost during the just-concluded legislative session, including more than $200 million that will go directly to school districts and charter schools and $215 million to fund various innovative, evidence-based initiatives.

“In 2019, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham promised a moonshot to create the nation’s best cradle-to-career education system. The New Mexico Legislature has provided much-needed fuel as we continue on that historic trajectory,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said.

K-12 education highlights from the just-concluded legislative session include:

• The Family Income Index, funded with $30 million over the next two years, would target money toward schools serving the most economically disadvantaged students for evidence based interventions.
• The community schools program would expand with a $5 million appropriation for FY22 and an additional $20 million to be used in future years.
• In support of the governor’s ongoing priority of improving education for Native American students, the legislature appropriated $10.6 million for tribal education departments, tribal libraries and tribally based Native American language programs.
• New Mexico will end a longstanding and controversial practice of reducing state funding based on Impact Aid to districts, including those with high proportions of Native American students.
• Voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to tap the Land Grant Permanent Fund to provide reliable funding for early childhood and K-12 education.

The budget also includes $45 million to restore funding that was reduced during the 2020 first special session.

Family Income Index

The Legislature approved Senate Bill 17, creating an innovative tool to pinpoint schools serving large low-income populations in order to direct additional funding to them. The Public Education Department first proposed the Family Income Index in November, and it became one of the governor’s priority bills. The bill received a $30 million, two-year appropriation to support math and reading interventions and other student-support strategies.

Community School Strategy

The Legislature signified its support for the community school strategy with a $5 million appropriation for FY22 and $20 million more after that. Currently, the state funds 33 community schools. The new funding will allow more New Mexico schools to adopt this strategy, which involves schools partnering with the local community to provide high-quality resources and other supports to help mitigate barriers to school success.

Impact Aid

House Bill 6 gives districts with federally impacted land access to more than $60 million to better serve their students. It also requires transparency and accountability for the use of discretionary funds. A $35 million appropriation from the general fund added to a $31 million appropriation from the special session holds districts harmless from the impact of this change in policy.

This measure ends the longstanding practice of reducing state funding by an amount equal to 75% of federal funding received by school districts for impact aid — including many districts serving high proportions of Native American students. The governor identified it as a priority bill and part of her administration’s response to the Martinez and Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit.

Permanent Funding

Voters will decide in November whether the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund should be tapped annually to access more than $100 million for use in K-12 and early childhood education. The Legislature adopted House Joint Resolution 1, sending the proposed constitutional amendment to the ballot.

“This is an opportunity to impact generations of New Mexico students,” Secretary Stewart said. “Assuming voters agree, New Mexico’s children would be protected from the boom-bust cycles of state revenues with a reliable and fixed source of annual revenue. This would mitigate concerns that sound, evidence-based programs that work one year would be curtailed the next because of budget shortfalls.”

Culturally Sensitive, Inclusive Education

• The Public Education Department would hire a new liaison to oversee the educational needs of Black children under House Bill 43, the Black Education Act. Provisions of the act would be carried out over the next few years.
• The Special Education Ombud Act, House Bill 222, provides resources to help families better advocate for the needs of students with disabilities.
• Students could not be penalized for wearing traditional hairstyles like dreadlocks or braids or religious coverings under House Bill 29/Senate Bill 80.
• The governor has already signed into law House Bill 52, which codifies in statute the Bilingual Multicultural Education Advisory council.

Educator Workforce

• Gov. Lujan Grisham has signed House Bill 22, amending the Grow Your Own Teachers Act to expand who qualifies for the scholarship program, which is designed to increase the number of teachers in the state.
• House Bill 188 would require the Public Education Department to create a license endorsement in secondary computer science. All licensed teachers could qualify by demonstrating sufficient content knowledge.
• Scholarships totaling $5 million would be available for educators who want to apply for National Board Certification. The funding is included in the General Appropriations Act, House Bill 2.
• The General Appropriations Act also includes:
  • $1 million for teacher residencies
  • $1 million for New Mexico’s new educator evaluation program, Elevate NM
  • $1 million for mobile panic buttons for classroom teachers

More School Time

Senate Bill 40 gives districts and charter schools more flexibility in implementing the K-5 Plus and Extended Learning Time programs. The measure was amended to remove a requirement that all districts adopt the programs. Additionally, House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Bill, includes a $70 million non-recurring appropriation for a pilot project on extended learning using equivalent hours.

“Increasing the time students spend learning is a proven strategy to improve academic outcomes. Although the Legislature decided against making these two programs mandatory, we appreciate the new flexibilities afforded by SB40 and the pilot project outlined in HB2,” Stewart said. “Because of these important changes, we fully expect many more districts and schools to adapt an extended school year program in the coming year as a powerful tool to accelerate learning as students return to full in-person learning.”

By-the-Numbers

$220 million: Increase in funding for the State Equalization Guarantee, the formula used to distribute funds to districts and charter schools. Includes:

• $45 million to remove a credit the state was taking for funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act
• $35 million to hold districts harmless from impact aid credits
• $80 million for the K-5 Plus and Extended Learning Time programs
• $5 million for instructional materials

$135 million: One-time expenditures for priorities of the governor, including:

• $25 million for community schools
• $30 million for the Family Income Index over two years
• $1.5 million for cyber security
• $20.9 million for Impact Aid liability to the state support reserve fund
• $15.5 million for state support reserve fund to increase aggressive approach to unit value
• $2 million for data systems upgrades
• $25 million for statewide digital access and broadband initiatives
• $10.6 million for Tribal Remedy Framework
• $3 million for Career Technical Education

$79 million: One-time expenditures for priorities of the Legislature, including:

• $70 million for extended learning and equivalent hours pilot
• $5 million for National Board scholarships for teachers
• $1 million for teacher residencies
• $1 million for educator evaluation
• $1 million for mobile panic buttons
• $400,000 for Black Education Act
• $500,000 to supplement STEM programs

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 20, 2021

Family Income Index legislation receives final approval

Bill to direct $30 million to low-income students

SANTA FE — The New Mexico House of Representatives gave final legislative approval late Friday to a measure establishing the Family Income Index, an innovative strategy to direct additional funding to schools with concentrated poverty.

Following the 52-18 vote in the full House, the measure goes to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to be signed. It was one of her priority bills. The measure passed the Senate 35-6 on March 13.

“The Family Income Index addresses inequities in our educational system by directing additional funds to schools in economically disadvantaged communities,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Schools with many economically disadvantaged families have students who are less likely than their peers to score well on tests, earn high grades, graduate from high school and succeed in college. This innovative new tool will level the playing field for so many students who deserve the opportunity to succeed.”

The New Mexico Public Education Department first proposed a Family Income Index in December as a partnership with the Taxation and Revenue and Human Services departments. Sen. Mimi Stewart of Albuquerque championed the idea and introduced it as Senate Bill 17. Reps. G. Andres Romero and Patricia Lundstrom marshaled the bill through the House.

Research has shown that concentrated poverty complicates teaching and learning and creates and sustains disparities in academic outcomes.

“The need is great, and resources are limited. That’s why it’s critical to target extra funding to the schools where it is most needed. We are grateful to Senator Stewart, Representative Romero, and to the full Legislature for passing the Family Income Index,” the education secretary said.

The bill would allow the Public Education Department to use data from the other two agencies and census data to identify the household income of every New Mexico public school student.

The agency then would calculate for every school the percentage of students in five income categories ranging from above average to extremely low, resulting in a ranked list of schools with the highest populations of low-income students. Per the legislation, “very low income” means a household income greater than 75% but less than 130% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that equals a maximum income of about $34,000 per year.

For fiscal year 2022, which begins July 1, the Family Income Index for each public school would be the sum of the percentages of the school’s students in the extremely low and very low income categories during the preceding fiscal year. After that, two- and then three-year averages would be used.

The Legislature appropriated $15 million for the Family Income Index for each of the next two years, and that amount will be divided among eligible schools.

The funding is to be used for reading and math interventions as well as other student supports such as hiring school counselors and social workers; creating family information and resource centers; adopting culturally and linguistically diverse classroom texts; offering innovative professional learning opportunities for educators and after-school enrichment programs.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 20, 2021

Legislation ending impact aid credit wins final approval

Bill is part of administration’s equity-in-education proposals

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Senate gave final approval late Friday to legislation ending credits for impact aid payments in the public school funding formula, giving school districts with federally impacted land access to more than $60 million to better serve their students.

A recurring $67 million appropriation from the general fund ensures all districts are held harmless from the impacts of this change.

This measure ends the longstanding practice of reducing state funding by an amount equal to 75% of federal funding received by school districts for impact aid — including many districts serving high proportions of Native American students.

The vote was 40-1 for House Bill 6, which was one of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s priority bills. It now awaits her signature. The House passed the bill 67-1 on March 1.

Impact aid is intended to offset property tax losses from tax-exempt federal and tribal lands within the districts’ boundaries. In New Mexico, property taxes are used to fund school capital projects — new buildings and building improvements.

“Ending the impact aid credit has been a decades-long challenge, and today’s passage of HB6 marks a historic milestone. This bill removes a systemic inequity in the way we fund New Mexico public schools that has resulted in huge disparities between have and have-not districts,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “It will ensure that every penny provided to offset the cost of federal installations and tribal lands goes to the students affected.”

House Bill 6 also includes important transparency measures for districts and charter schools to report how they spent the federal funding to improve student outcomes or improve the condition of a school building.

Ending the impact aid credit is one of several equity-in-education proposals the governor is backing. The governor is also backing funding for Native language programs, tribal broadband, tribal libraries and tribal education departments. These appropriations are aligned with the Tribal Remedy Framework, a broad plan created by tribal communities, families and indigenous education experts to promote academic success for Native students.

Generally, states are prohibited from considering impact aid when allocating state aid, but federal law includes an exception for states that maintain a system of school finance designed to equalize educational expenditures. New Mexico has been applying for and receiving that exception year after year since the 1970s.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 19, 2021

List of unaccounted-for students now 2,522

PED, partners down to hardest-to-reach students

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department and its partners are searching for the final and hardest-to-reach students after months of work to determine that all New Mexico students are safe and receiving education services despite the pandemic.

As of this week, about 2,500 names remained on a list once numbering over 12,000 of students who were enrolled in public schools last spring but not this fall and were therefore feared to be outside the educational system.

A cross-agency team has been whittling the list since November by working with districts, cross-referencing databases, making phone calls and making COVID-safe home visits. In the first months of the effort, the list dropped by thousands each month, but now the going is slow.

Of the remaining unaccounted-for students, 100 are believed to be homeless, a figure calculated by comparing the unaccounted-for list to a list of students who were in a federal program for homeless students last spring.

“We’re getting close, but the last ones are the hardest to reach,” said Katarina Sandoval, the Public Education deputy secretary leading the project. “We are still doing everything we can. Ultimately, we want to ensure that every student is accounted for, but we also have to consider the fact that they’ve possibly moved outside our systems.”

The PED and its partners — the Early Childhood Education and Care Department; the Indian Affairs Department; the Office of African American Affairs; the Children, Youth and Families Department, the Human Services Department and the Graduation Alliance — have called hundreds of families since early January, talking directly to some and leaving messages for others. Those who didn’t call back received a second and sometimes third call.

In mid-February, the partners were down to about 2,700 unaccounted-for students, including some 650 for whom no recent contact information existed. A cross-check with a national database turned up contact information for about 550 of those, and outreach to those families is now under way, with almost 200 already located and accounted for so far.

Some students are turning up on their own to re-enroll as in-person learning expands across New Mexico. When students re-engage with learning, the state partners don’t always know why they left in the first place. However, an earlier analysis indicated most had enrolled in private schools (26 percent) or moved out of state (23 percent). About 15 percent were found to be enrolled in a public school, and 7 percent are being home-schooled. About 3 percent have dropped out of school altogether.

There are now fewer than 100 students on the original list for whom no contact information is available. Those names are being sent back to the 18 school districts and charter schools where they were once enrolled with instructions to keep looking.

Districts are required to report enrollment and attendance data to PED at regular intervals, beginning in late October. That data is usually not released until it is carefully verified — a weeks-long process — but because of growing public concern about disengaged students amid remote and hybrid learning models, the department broke protocol in November by announcing the unverified data suggesting more than 12,000 students were unaccounted for

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 17, 2021

New Mexico to receive $979M in federal school aid; 90% to be distributed to districts, schools

Funding to of set learning loss, improve school safety

SANTA FE — New Mexico will receive $979 million in new federal aid for education, with 90% to be allocated by the Public Education Department to individual school districts and state charter schools to help safely reopen schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on students.

Of the remaining 10%, half ($48.9 million) will be earmarked for evidence-based interventions to address learning loss; 1% ($9.8 million) will be used for evidence-based summer-enrichment programs; and 1% ($9.8 million) will go toward evidence-based comprehensive after-school programs.

After those earmarks, the Public Education Department will spend the nearly $30 million remaining on previously established priorities including accelerated instruction, closing the digital divide and supporting students with disabilities and students at-risk.

The funding, which covers a 2 ½-year period, is available through the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund established by Congress on March 11. The legislation provides nearly $122 billion for states and schools nationwide through September 2023.

The funds will be available to states later this month, the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday. The Public Education Department will distribute 90% of the total to school districts and state charter schools through the same process as Title 1 allocations. Districts and state charter schools should receive the funding no later than July 1.

“This new round of federal support for our schools is a critical investment and comes at an ideal time as New Mexico safely reopens all our K-12 schools,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “This funding will support the very evidence-based initiatives New Mexico has already targeted to help our schools and our students recover from the COVID-19 pandemic between now and September 2023.”

Districts and state charter schools must use 20 percent of their share of the new funds to address learning loss through evidence-based interventions that also respond to students’ social, emotional and academic needs. Those interventions also must address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on historically underserved student subgroups, including Native American students, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness and children and youth in foster care.

What remains of district/charter school funding after that may be used for a wide range of activities to address needs rising from the pandemic, with a special emphasis on implementing public health protocols that align with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is the third round of federal pandemic aid for public schools. The $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided about $130 million to New Mexico for K-12 education last spring. That was followed by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), which sent $435 million to New Mexico for K-12 education after it became law in late December.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 8, 2021

All educators to be offered vaccine by end of March; schools to move rapidly to expand in-person learning

Goal: All schools in full reentry no later than April 5

SANTA FE — All New Mexico school staff members will be offered a COVID-19 vaccine before the end of March as a gateway to further expanding safe in-person learning with a goal of reaching full reentry by April 5, the Public Education Department and Department of Health announced today.

“I bring you good news today — news you’ve been waiting to hear for a year: We’re going back to school,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “The time has come to get back to the gold-standard in education, which is students and teachers together in classrooms. Our message to New Mexico public schools is that you can and should move as quickly as possible to get everyone who wants it back for in-person learning.”

Additionally, all schools may immediately begin offering New Mexico Activities Association-sponsored activities, including sports, and may resume other curricular and extracurricular activities such as band, choir and drama.

The announcement moves New Mexico public schools to the third and final stage of the Public Education Department’s COVID-19 Safe Operating Categories. All schools were in the remote category until Sept. 8; most elementary schools were eligible for the hybrid category in the fall; all schools became eligible for the hybrid category Feb. 8; and all schools are now eligible for full reentry, which means all students can return to their school buildings for in-person each school day.

COVID-Safe Practices will remain in place, including mask-wearing, frequent hand-washing, enhanced indoor air quality and social distancing to the greatest extent possible. Schools will be encouraged to use large communal spaces and outdoor spaces to maximize social distancing, especially during meal times.

Vaccinations for school staff members

Based on an increase in supply of vaccines, the state’s substantial progress in vaccinating priority groups and recent federal guidelines on vaccine priority, New Mexico is offering vaccines to every school staff member in the next three weeks. This week, vaccines will be offered to all school staff members who are registered for the vaccine and are outside the Albuquerque metro area. Next week, vaccines will be offered to all registered school staff members in the Albuquerque metro; school staff members not currently registered and who register in the interim will be offered vaccines in the week ending March 26.

“As part of New Mexico’s nation-leading vaccine distribution effort, DOH is focusing on vaccinating K-12 educators, early childhood professionals and staff. We are eager to support the safe return of educators and students to the classroom,” Department of Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins said.

“Our goal has always been to welcome students back to school as quickly and safely as possible. The statewide mobilization to vaccinate all school staff is a game-changer in creating increasingly safe working conditions and school environments for all,” Stewart said.

More than 45,000 New Mexicans have registered as educators to receive the vaccine, which includes those in early childhood and higher education. Of the registered educators, almost 15,000 have already received the vaccine as members of previously eligible groups — health care workers; those 75 and older, and those with certain health conditions that place them at high risk for serious outcomes should they become infected.

New Mexico currently has 50,864 K-12 school staff members — including classroom teachers, administrators, bus drivers and food handlers.

Once school staff members provide evidence of full vaccination, they will no longer be required to participate in asymptomatic surveillance testing, which is used to prevent outbreaks. Since school reentry began Sept. 8, the overall positivity rate of school staff surveillance testing is 1%, well below the state’s 5% target. The positivity rate since the expansion of in-person learning on Feb. 8 is 0.3%.

Moving quickly to full reentry

The PED and schools have been working since summer to make this return possible, with longstanding requirements for surveillance testing, case monitoring, improved air quality and evidence-based COVID Safe Practices like mask-wearing, hand-washing and social distancing. Before moving into hybrid, districts had to sign assurances that those practices would continue, and site visits by either PED officials or fire marshals were conducted to assure readiness.

With those protections in place, 52,200 of New Mexico’s 330,000 public school students are already attending in-person learning, most in the hybrid mode, which means they attend school in person two days a week and study remotely the other three days. Of the 50,000-plus people who staff public schools, 17,000 have already returned to in-person work.

PED is urging districts and schools to move quickly to get many more educators and students through school doors in the coming weeks, with an expectation that all schools will be in full reentry no later than April 5.

“While we know our communities need time to plan, we expect them to move quickly. As a state, our expectation is for all schools to be offering in-person learning for every family that wants it. You tell us your start date, but that start date should be soon,” Stewart said.

Families still may choose for their students to study remotely, and if any district has a significant portion of students making that choice, the Public Education Department will provide whatever flexibility is needed.

“We are phasing out what we’ve been calling ‘hybrid’ learning, although there will continue to be a fully remote option for those families who choose it,” Stewart said.

In no case will a student be required to return to in-person learning if doing so would violate the requirements of a sovereign tribe or nation, some of which are still in a “lockdown” environment.

Extracurricular activities and sports

Sports and other extracurricular activities may resume immediately at all schools, with explicit safety precautions in place.

For sports, precautions include no congregating during warm-ups or breaks in play; no overnight travel, and masks required for all except when eating or drinking. A complete list of sports guidelines is available on P. 23 of this document.

Choir and band will be allowed outdoors. Students may not share instruments and must follow COVID-safe practices such as the use of cloth bell covers on wind instruments. Both singers and musicians must be appropriately masked and must maintain enhanced social distancing of 9 feet when playing or singing in groups. A complete list of music guidelines is available on P. 22 of this document.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 5, 2021

New Mexico high school graduation rate up 2%

Every demographic category saw improvement

SANTA FE — New Mexico’s high school graduation rate moved 2% higher for the cohort that graduated amid the global pandemic, and improvement was evident across every demographic group, the Public Education Department announced today.

Nearly 77% of New Mexico’s high school seniors graduated in four years in spring 2020, up from 75 percent the year before. Female students had an 81% four-year graduation rate, up from 79 percent, while the rate for males was 73%, up from 71 percent.

Every demographic group showed improvement, with African American students improving by 7 percentage points and homeless students by 5. Caucasians, Native Americans and English learners each saw a 3-point gain.

The 2020 graduation rates for demographic groups include:

“This achievement amid an unprecedented upheaval in the education system is a true testament to the hard work of students who were determined to graduate and educators who were determined to get them across the line,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said.

The Public Education Department calculates the graduation rate for each “cohort” of students who enter high school the same year and are expected to graduate four years later. The cohort of 2020 entered high school in the fall of 2016 and consisted of 25,995 students who were ever enrolled for one or more semesters during those four years.

The 2019 cohort’s overall four-year graduation rate was 75 percent. When students from that cohort who graduated in May 2020 after five years in high school are added in, the rate jumps to 78.3 percent.

New Mexico’s 10 largest communities had these 2020 graduation rates:

Download the complete data file here.

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Contact:

March 4, 2021

PED: Spectators now allowed at school sporting events

Capacity allowance varies with color of county

SANTA FE — Effective immediately, spectators will be permitted at all school-related sports to the extent allowed by the current Public Health Order under the limits applicable to large entertainment venues, New Mexico Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart announced today.

This means that schools may allow spectators as follows:

Turquoise Counties:

• Up to 75% capacity of an outdoor spectator area
• Up to 33% capacity of an indoor spectator area

Green Counties:

• Up to 50% capacity of an outdoor spectator area
• Up to 25% capacity of an indoor spectator area

Yellow Counties:

• up to 25% capacity for an outdoor spectator area

In every case, the host team’s county color governs the spectator capacity.

“It makes sense to align student athletics with what’s now permissible in the current Public Health Order,” Stewart said. “We understand the importance of sports in the lives of our students, families and communities. We encourage participation in sports by students as a healthy outlet and by parents as supportive spectators. At our core we want to keep athletes and families safe.”

“We are so excited about the opportunity to have spectators at some school sporting events,” said Sally Marquez, executive director of the New Mexico Activities Association. “We have been working hard with the Governor’s Office, the Public Education Department and the Department of Health to find a way to safely allow fans at the games. We all have something to cheer about.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 3, 2021

PED Secretary statement on APS’ return to in-person learning

SANTA FE — New Mexico Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart issued the following statement Wednesday on Albuquerque Public Schools’ decision to expand in-person learning options for secondary students:

“Throughout the pandemic, the New Mexico Public Education Department has been open to innovative options presented by school districts that adhere to our guidance and meet our goals to assure student, staff and community safety, optimize opportunities for in-person learning, and base decisions on available data and evidence. Albuquerque Public Schools was able to work with its high schools to offer in-person learning in the hybrid mode for families who choose to opt in. We are happy the district was able to expand in-person learning — a critical step in resuming athletic and other activities. This is a strong first step in the process of getting all students back for in-person learning.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

March 3, 2021

Report: Community schools grantees are meeting goals

Schools are implementing strategies to meet student needs

SANTA FE — New Mexico’s 33 state-funded community schools and their partners provided expanded learning time and social and health services for 11,048 students in the last 18 months despite the global pandemic, according to a report released Tuesday by the Public Education Department.

The State of the State Brief by the department’s Community Schools and Extended Learning Bureau reports on progress in implementing the New Mexico Community Schools Act, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law in April 2019.

The legislation provides grants, managed by the Public Education Department, to support coordination of programs and services for students and families through community partnerships. The goal is to give students, families and communities a broader voice in school decision-making and to better leverage community resources to meet the needs of the whole child.

The pandemic hit just as grantees were beginning to launch the community school strategy at their sites.

“These schools had to quickly pivot from longer-term implementation plans to emergency responses that addressed new and immediate family and student needs, including distance learning formats,” the report notes.

“The pandemic response by our community schools was incredibly nimble,” PED Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Although barely launched, they succeeded in supporting students and families with continuous remote learning and nutrition over this past year. The community school strategy holds great promise for better serving the academic, social and health needs of New Mexico children and their families.”

Every community school is unique because each reflects its own needs, assets and priorities. Nevertheless, the report notes that all 33 state-funded community schools in New Mexico have a full-time community school coordinator whose job includes integrating families and community partners into school decisions in order to create a shared vision of student and school success.

Of the 33 community schools in New Mexico, 26 are traditional public schools, four are local charters and three are state charters. The 11,048 students they serve fit these demographic profiles:

• 88 percent are economically disadvantaged
• 71 percent identify as Hispanic
• 22 percent receive English learner services
• 18 percent receive special education services
• 10 percent identify as American Indian

Community schools are required to develop programs and services that fall within four broad evidence-based strategies: Integrated student supports; expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities; active family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership and practices.

The report highlights individual strategies schools have created to meet each goal. For example, Robert F. Kennedy Charter School in Albuquerque established a school-based health center; Los Padillas Elementary in Albuquerque added a “Genius Hour” to the end of the school day, providing time for student-driven enrichment activities; Peñasco Elementary has become a central hub of family and community information about resources and social services; and Enos Garcia Elementary in Taos established a Community School Council that identifies needs and develops strategies to meet them.

The complete report will be available on the PED website here.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Feb. 25, 2021

PED Secretary issues statement on spring assessments

SANTA FE — New Mexico Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart issued the following statement Thursday regarding spring assessments:

“The New Mexico Public Education Department has not canceled spring end-of-year assessments. We have a request before the U.S. Department of Education to waive a requirement that 95 percent of New Mexico students participate in these assessments. Instead, we have asked to test a representative sample of students, which would provide us with the information educators, families and communities need to gauge academic progress.

“We submitted our request on Feb. 17. On Monday, the USDE announced it would not waive spring assessments across the board and across the country as it had in spring 2020 but invited states to request whatever flexibility they needed to accomplish testing amid a continuing pandemic. That is what we’ve done. We have not asked to cancel testing; we’ve asked for flexible options that will work for our schools and students.

“Reporting by a few sources that our waiver was denied is simply inaccurate.”

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Feb. 25, 2021

COVID in schools: Testing up, positivity rate down

Cases on and of campus continue to decline

SANTA FE — Two weeks after New Mexico schools began expanding in-person learning, the Public Education Department reports scant evidence of school-based COVID-19 spread.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday this week, only nine school facilities were on the Environment Department’s COVID-19 Watchlist and none appeared on the department’s Closure List. By comparison, 56 school buildings (the highest number to date) appeared on the COVID-19 Watchlist on Nov. 25.

“This is great news for New Mexico schools. It shows that all the required protocols our school communities have worked so hard to put in place are, indeed, creating a safe environment for our students, educators and school staff as we expand in-person learning,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We are meeting our commitment to safety, and the credit goes to school administrators who put these protocols in place and are making sure they are followed.”

Schools are placed on the Watchlist if they have at least two Rapid Responses within a 14-day period. They are placed on the Closure List if they have at least four Rapid Responses in 14 days. A Rapid Response includes cases that are identified by testing that occurs up to a day after a school is notified of an initial COVID-19 positive individual who was infectious while on campus.

All New Mexico school districts and charter schools were permitted to expand in-person learning options beginning Feb. 8, and nearly 50 percent of public schools across the state are now offering a hybrid learning model, including 40 of the state’s 89 districts and several charter schools. According to data that was compiled on Feb. 22 from the prior week, about 42,000 students and 9,000 educators were on campus regularly for in-person learning.

New Mexico public schools have a total enrollment of about 330,000 students and total staff of about 50,000.

No public school has appeared on the closure list for having four or more Rapid Responses.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Feb. 23, 2021

NM House passes bill updating graduation requirements

HB83 provides flexible pathways for high school students

SANTA FE — The New Mexico House of Representatives has passed legislation to modernize graduation requirements by giving New Mexico high school students more pathways to a diploma while maintaining academic rigor for all.

The House voted 66-1 on Monday in favor of HB 83 by Rep. G. Andres Romero. The bill would reduce the number of credits required for graduation from 24 to 23 beginning with students entering ninth grade in the 2022-2023 school year. New Mexico is one of only 14 states that currently require 24 credits; two-thirds of states require 22 or fewer.

The measure also introduces capstone courses, which allow a student to apply and demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills in one project. All ninth- through 12th-graders could undertake a capstone course as elective credit. Beginning with high school seniors in the 2022-23 school year and for both juniors and seniors beginning in 2023-24, approved capstone courses could substitute for any core subject requirement.

The proposal would still require four units of English and math to graduate, but fewer specific courses would be mandated. Students would still have to take freshman and sophomore English and algebra 1, but after that they could choose from alternatives like journalism or statistics. Algebra 2 would no longer be required.

“This is not a one-size-fits all world, and there is no reason high school should be either,” said Rep. Romero, a history teacher at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in Albuquerque. “We have students who could benefit from courses like technical writing or construction math but can’t work them into their schedules. This bill would change that.”

High school students currently select 7 ½ electives over four years; that would be cut to 6 ½ under the legislation because many electives would now fill core requirements.

“This legislation would give students the flexibility to choose a path that is right for them, whether that is the traditional path to college or something else, ” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We want to offer real and appropriate options while assuring that all our graduates complete an academic program with the rigor and cultural relevance that will prepare them for life.”

The bill proposes no change in the number of credits for science (3), social studies (3 ½) or physical education (1), although it would tweak the courses that could be required or accepted in those areas:

• Marching band could count as a physical education credit;
• Options like environmental engineering and wildlife management could count as a science credit;
• Government/civics would become a one-credit required course, up from one-half;
• New Mexico history would no longer be required as a separate course but would be covered in U.S. history.

Students would still be required to earn a credit in a career cluster or workplace readiness course or a language other than English.

If approved, the legislation would be the first overhaul of New Mexico graduation requirements since 2007, when the focus was college readiness. More recent research challenged the assumption that increasing requirements, especially in science and math, had the intended effect.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Feb. 19, 2021

List of unaccounted-for students shrinks to under 3,000

PED, partners further whittle original list of 12,186 students

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department and its partners have accounted for 78 percent of the 12,000-plus students who were enrolled in public schools last spring but not this fall and were therefore feared to be outside the educational system.

As of this week, all but 2,716 students have been accounted for and their status documented. A cross-agency team accomplished this by working with districts, cross-referencing databases, and making phone calls.

The PED and its partners — the Early Childhood Education and Care Department; the Indian Affairs Department; the Office of African American Affairs; the Children, Youth and Families Department, the Human Services Department and the Graduation Alliance — have called hundreds of families since early January, talking directly to some and leaving messages for others. Those who didn’t call back received a second and sometimes third call.

The PED is now condensing the remaining list by siblings, and the Children, Youth & Families Department has begun making COVID-safe home visits, starting with students in grades eight to 12.

“These are wellness checks, nothing more. We want to ensure that these families have all the supports they need,” said Nick Costales, the CYFD deputy director leading that effort. “All the COVID safety protocols are in place. No one is going inside a home, and they are wearing masks.”

The agencies do not have current contact information for 653 of the remaining students on the list. Those names are being cross-checked once more with existing databases and with districts where the students were last enrolled in an effort to find a phone number or address.

“We’re leaving no stone unturned to find these students to assure that they are safe and learning. In the end, there may be some students we just can’t reach, but it will be a very small number,” said Katarina Sandoval, the PED deputy secretary leading the project.

Most of the students accounted for so far have enrolled in private schools (26 percent) or moved out of state (23 percent). About 15 percent were found to be enrolled in a public school, and 7 percent are being home-schooled. About 3 percent have dropped out of school altogether.

Districts are required to report enrollment and attendance data to PED at regular intervals, beginning in late October. That data is usually not released until it is carefully verified — a weeks-long process — but because of growing public concern about disengaged students amid remote and hybrid learning models, the department broke protocol in November by announcing the unverified data suggesting more than 12,000 students were unaccounted for.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Feb. 19, 2021

Family Income Index legislation filed in NM Senate

Sen. Stewart’s bill would direct more funding to low-income students

SANTA FE — Senate Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart introduced legislation Thursday that would establish the Family Income Index, an innovative new strategy to attack concentrated poverty in New Mexico schools by directing additional funding to those schools with the greatest need.

The New Mexico Public Education Department first proposed a Family Income Index in December as a partnership with the Taxation and Revenue and Human Services departments to more precisely target resources to schools with large populations of economically disadvantaged students.

“I thought this was an innovative way to approach an age-old problem,” said Sen. Stewart, who is a retired educator. “Schools with large populations of low-income students need specific programs and services to support them, and those things cost money. The Family Income Index will target additional financial support to where it’s needed most.”

Research has shown that concentrated poverty complicates learning and teaching and creates and sustains disparities in academic outcomes. For example, in schools with large numbers of economically disadvantaged students, students are less likely to score well on tests, earn high grades, graduate from high school and succeed in college than their peers in socioeconomically diverse schools.

“This is an equity issue, pure and simple. We know these disparities exist, and we know of specific strategies that help equalize academic outcomes,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Senator Stewart’s bill would target funding to help schools do what we know works.”

Per the legislation, Senate Bill 17, the Public Education Department would use data from the other two agencies to calculate the household income of every New Mexico public school student. The agency then would calculate for every school the percentage of students in five income categories ranging from above average to extremely low, resulting in a ranked list of schools with the highest populations of low-income students.

Schools would use the extra funding provided through the index for programs that have been shown to improve student outcomes. Funding could be used for school counselors and social workers; for family information and resource centers; for culturally and linguistically diverse classroom texts; for innovative professional learning opportunities for educators; for after-school enrichment programs; for robust community needs assessments; for academic interventions such as structured literacy and evidence-based math strategies; and for mentoring supports, to name a few.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Jan. 20, 2021

PED seeks waiver to pause spring student assessment

High-stakes test data would be invalid amid pandemic

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department will request a waiver that would allow schools and districts to skip high-stakes student assessments again this spring, shifting instead to optional testing to benchmark academic achievement and identify any gaps in learning.

The U.S. Department of Education waived the end-of-year assessment requirement for all 50 states last spring amid abrupt school closures and a shift to remote learning. New Mexico will join other states, including Michigan, New York, Oregon and Washington, in asking for a new waiver for spring 2021.

“As we approach the spring 2021 testing window, New Mexico finds itself in a situation parallel to spring 2020,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “We are requesting this waiver because test data would be invalid given the abbreviated time we’ve had for in-person learning and to prioritize student wellness in a way that high-stress, high-stakes testing does not.”

New Mexico proposes to allow schools and districts to opt-in to administer end-of-year standardized tests, creating a sample of data to identify where students stand academically after a year of non-traditional education. Results from optional testing would not be used to make important decisions about students, educators, schools, or districts, thus reducing the stakes — and stress — for students and educators.

“We’ll ask districts to participate voluntarily in assessments so we’ll have a representative sample showing where we are in terms of student performance,” said Deputy Secretary Gwendolyn Perea Warniment.

In addition, New Mexico will continue offering the SAT for high school students as an equity issue because it is required with most college applications.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Jan. 26, 2021

In-person learning to be expanded to all K-12 schools

Secondary schools included in new return-to-school plan

SANTA FE — Middle and high school students are included in a decision announced Tuesday to expand in-person learning options beginning Feb. 8 for every district and charter school across New Mexico based on extensive preparations and protocols to assure student and educator safety.

The Public Education Department’s updated guidance for expanded in-person learning, approved by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, gives school districts and charter schools three options for in-person learning:

• All schools — elementary and secondary — in all counties will be eligible to enter the hybrid mode, which means bringing back up to 50 percent of students at a time in order to maintain social distancing and to keep students in smaller cohorts to avoid virus transmission;
• Districts and schools with fewer than 100 students may bring back all students in a 5:1 ratio with no more than six people per enclosed indoor space;
• Districts/schools not ready to welcome back students into a full hybrid model may expand small-group instruction to all grades — maintaining cohorts — with up to 50 percent of students participating at a time.

The expansion of in-person learning – announced in the governor’s State of the State address, issued Tuesday – is the result of extensive collaboration between the Governor’s Office, the Public Education Department, the Department of Health, school and district leaders, unions, educators and school staff to collect COVID-19 data, implement COVID-safe practices, conduct surveillance testing, improve indoor air quality, distribute PPE, monitor the Rapid Response Watchlist, and prioritize educators for the vaccine.

“I’m proud of the months of analysis and preparation conducted by the state alongside superintendents, charter leaders, the Medical Advisory Team and union leadership to ensure the safety of school buildings and environments,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “There’s no substitute for in-person learning. And the health and safety of students, families and educators are non-negotiable. I believe the planning and hard work have paid off in a robust and epidemiologically sound plan, and districts and schools may soon begin to make the decision to bring back more students safely for in-person learning.”

“This is the news we’ve all been waiting for and a significant step in returning to what we all knew as ‘normal’ before last March,” said Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart. “The state has removed barriers to in-person learning that were erected to protect the health and lives of New Mexicans, but it’s important to note that individual districts and charter schools still may decide that it’s in the best interests of their staff, students and communities to remain in a remote stance for now.”

Even if their schools move to hybrid, families may choose for their children to remain in the remote learning mode, including children living on tribal territory that remains closed.

“We are asking districts to respect tribal sovereignty in this as in other regards,” Stewart said. “Students will not be forced to violate the rules of their community by coming and going to school.”

All three options to expand in-person learning require districts and charter schools to meet rigorous safety measures, including:

• For red counties, surveillance testing for all in-person staff at a rate of 25 percent per week to achieve 100 percent testing over a month’s time;
• For yellow and green counties, surveillance testing for all in-person staff at a rate of 12.5 percent per week to achieve 100 percent testing over two months’ time;
• An onsite visit to certify readiness to open safely;
• Continued cohorting of student groups;
• Consistent reporting of the number of individuals on campus;
• Strict enforcement of COVID-safe practices like mask-wearing and social distancing;
• Upgraded air filtration to improve indoor air quality;
• Signed assurance that the district will follow PED Rapid Response Protocols.

PED created an anonymous reporting portal last fall to allow anyone to report concerns that a school or district was not meeting the safety protocols, and that portal will remain an important tool for monitoring compliance.

“With appropriate protocols in place, we now know that schools can operate more safely than many other parts of the economy,” Stewart said. “The Public Education Department will continue to see that those protocols are observed.”

This will be the first opportunity for in-person learning since mid-March for most middle school and high school students. Most elementary schools were eligible to reopen in the hybrid mode this fall if they were in a green county and met rigorous safety protocols.

Since then, data from rapid responses show that schools generally have been able to avoid school-based outbreaks in New Mexico, mirroring recent national and international studies. No New Mexico schools have reached the rapid response closure threshold of four rapid responses in a 14-day period. The current test positivity rate for school staff is 2.2 percent.

The expanded in-person learning plan was developed in partnership with two unions representing New Mexico educators.

“NEA-New Mexico has long appreciated the governor and the Public Education Department’s approach grounded in science and safety for our students. We now plan to work closely with them to ensure that those districts choosing to expand in-person learning rigorously follow COVID-safe practices in order to protect the lives of students, families, educators and communities,” said Mary Parr-Sanchez, president of the National Education Association New Mexico.

“We are extremely pleased to see this plan’s embrace of continued COVID-safe practices, among them the strong efforts to safely accommodate high-risk educators, ventilation and classroom air filtration, on-going surveillance testing, sanitation protocols, adequate personal protective equipment, and transportation and isolation protocols,” said Stephanie Ly, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico.

“New Mexico educators appreciate Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary Dr. Ryan Stewart’s strong commitment to our on-going partnership as stakeholders in this effort, and we celebrate our shared goal of safely returning to in-person instruction and education for the students, families, and communities we serve when each of the COVID-safe requirements are met and certified by the state,” Ly said.

School closings have been hardest on low-income families, especially those lacking digital devices or internet connectivity. That led to a multi-prong, public-private effort to narrow New Mexico’s digital divide by creating hundreds of internet hotspots around the state, distributing thousands of Google Chromebooks to Native American students, encouraging internet providers to offer affordable service, and obtaining state and federal funding to close remaining gaps.

Additionally, PED distributed millions of meals to students and launched ENGAGE NM to provide supports to those disengaged in remote learning. The agency also helped schools prepare to welcome students back by distributing PPE, including masks, and by prioritizing educators for the vaccine.

“The faster we get New Mexicans registered and vaccinated – and the more testing we continue to do – the more we’ll corner this virus and reclaim other aspects of our lives,” said DOH Secretary-Designate Dr. Tracie Collins.

“Because we can better enforce COVID-19 safe practices in schools, as we expand to in-person learning in school districts, we can mitigate the spread of the virus and ensure the best safety measures for kids/students, teachers and staff in schools,” said Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase.

The governor first ordered schools closed in mid-March when COVID had only a toe-hold in the state and little was known about how it spread. In the fall, elementary schools in green counties were allowed to reopen in the hybrid mode after meeting rigorous safety requirements; many opted to remain in remote learning mode.

By the Numbers

Here is a look at supports the Public Education Department and our agency partners have provided to districts, schools, educators and students since schools first closed in mid-March:

Technology Provided:

• 6,285: Chromebooks distributed
• 700: Mobile hotspots distributed
• 102: Cradlepoint devices distributed (WiFi using cellular data)
• $5.75 million: GEER funding for technology (all but $121,000 allocated)
• $1.45 million: Approved for a project to get fiber to Pine Hill School near El Morro National Monument
• 100 percent: The number of local exchange carriers now providing discounted service for students.
• $40 million: CARES Act funding districts/charters spent on technology

Meals Provided:

• 26,616,879 meals
• 335,000 students served in public and charter schools, Bureau of Indian Education and private schools and children in residential child care institutions

Personal Protective Equipment Provided:

• 60,000: N95 masks
• 2,000: Face shields
• 60,000 pairs: Medical gloves
• 562,426: Cloth masks
• 489,420: Cloth masks for adults
• 86,000: Surgical masks

Help for Educators:

The Public Education Department spent $6 million to make the Canvas learning management system available to every district and charter school for two years to assist with remote instruction.

• 98: Districts or charter schools that have signed up to use Canvas
• 38: Number of those that are currently implemented
• 142,062: Total local courses created in Canvas
• 29,639: Total local active courses in Canvas
• 90,302: NM students enrolled locally in Canvas courses
• 10,968: Teachers enrolled locally in Canvas course
• 33: Unique professional development courses created for educators
• 20,165: Educators who have enrolled
• 97: Percent of districts/charters that have accessed professional development in Canvas
• 1,433: Educators who have attended live Canvas webinars/workshops
• 11,646: Badges that have been awarded to NM educators for professional development

In addition to Canvas, PED provided additional professional development training for educators in these amounts:

• $2.4 million: Math reentry supports
• $1.6 million: Language arts reentry supports
• $650,000: reentry and learning acceleration

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Jan. 20, 2021

PED, partners account for 7,500+ students

Unaccounted-for list shrinks to 4,639 from high of 12,186

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department and its partners have accounted for almost two-thirds of the 12,000-plus students who were enrolled in public schools last spring but not this fall and were therefore feared to be outside the educational system.

As of this week, 7,547 students — 62 percent — had been located through direct outreach, district feedback via spreadsheets, cross-referencing databases and more recent attendance data reported by districts and charter schools to the Public Education Department in early December.

That leaves 4,639 students still unaccounted for, down from a high of 12,186 in mid-November.

The PED and its partner agencies — the Early Childhood Education and Care Department; the Indian Affairs Department; the Office of African American Affairs; the Children, Youth and Families Department, and the Human Services Department — began direct outreach last week, calling hundreds of families of students who remain unaccounted for, talking directly to some families and leaving messages for others. Follow-up calls are underway this week, to be followed by COVID-safe home visits starting next week for those who can’t be reached by phone.

The Graduation Alliance, PED’s partner in re-engaging with students, is also helping with outreach.

Most of the students accounted for so far have enrolled in either public, private or Bureau of Indian Education schools, while others have moved out of state or are being home-schooled.

PED Secretary Ryan Stewart said the work will continue until every school-age New Mexico child and youth is known to be safe and engaged in learning.

The statewide effort to account for students began with a letter sent in November to each student’s last known address. As of Tuesday, responses to that letter had accounted for 1,038 students, with additional responses continuing to trickle in. To date, 91 of those responding to the mailer requested additional assistance; nine were referred to the Children, Youth and Families Department; and 42 were found to not be attending school at all.

“These families are facing lots of loss, lots of challenges. We’re hearing heart-wrenching stories,” Deputy Secretary Katarina Sandoval said. “We have families hit by COVID loss and secondary students who were separated from their families because of housing issues. In some cases, school just fell by the wayside. We’re getting them the referrals they need to get back on track.”

Districts are required to report enrollment and attendance data to PED at regular intervals, beginning in late October. That data is usually not released until it is carefully verified — a weeks-long process — but because of growing public concern about disengaged students amid remote and hybrid learning models, the department broke protocol in November by announcing the unverified data suggesting more than 12,000 students were unaccounted for.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Jan. 14, 2021

Education makes up almost half of Executive Budget

Proposed budget shows commitment to education ‘moonshot’

SANTA FE — In a clear sign that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s education “moonshot” remains a key priority amid this year’s economic and health crises, the Executive Budget Recommendation builds on recent investments and seeks innovative ways to support students who need it most.

The proposed fiscal year 2022 budget, released Monday by the Department of Finance and Administration, recommends spending $3.3 billion of the $7.3 billion recurring general fund total on public education. That is a 4 percent increase from FY21 as the state moves aggressively to meet its legal and moral commitment to New Mexico students as outlined in the historic Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit.

“The wellbeing and education of New Mexico’s children continues to be a top priority for the state, despite the immense burden created by the pandemic. That’s why this budget includes needed resources to meet the new challenge of getting children and students safely back to school and helping them excel,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said.

The Executive Budget Recommendation seeks to expand the public education moonshot, which was launched in FY20 with the largest increase in education funding in state history. For FY22, the governor is asking the Legislature to expand the use of funds previously earmarked for K-5 Plus and Extended Learning Time Programs to allow school districts and charter schools access to that money to pay for career technical education and community school initiatives, in addition to paying for added learning time.

“We want more schools, more districts and more students to opt-in to programs designed to extend instructional time, and those that do will be eligible for additional resources for Career Technical Education and Community Schools,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said.

Equity First Budget for Public Education

Key to the governor’s plan are proposals to direct additional resources to schools and districts with the greatest proportion of low-income students. To that end, the budget proposes eliminating the practice of reducing state funding for districts that receive federal impact aid payments, funding that often supports the education of Native American students. This provision would cost $35 million and would mean additional resources to school districts and charter schools.

Additionally, the budget includes a new “Family Income Index,” a proposal that would use more targeted tax and income data to identify schools that serve large populations of economically disadvantaged students and direct $80 million from the Public Education Reform Fund over two years to schools that need it the most.

“The Family Income Index will let us better identify students who need the most support, and then direct more resources to their schools, which can decide how best to help them,” Secretary Stewart said. “At its heart, this is an equity budget designed to give all New Mexico children a better chance to learn and thrive.”

Equity is also behind the executive budget proposal to transfer $30 million in unspent funds to the Indian Education Fund to support efforts to improve education in New Mexico’s tribal communities. The appropriation would support implementation of the Tribal Remedy Framework, support tribal sovereignty and provide resources for locally determined needs.

Closing the Digital Divide

The executive budget recommendation also requests $10 million to provide digital devices and extend internet connectivity to remote parts of New Mexico to give all students access to the tools they need to access digital content and instruction both during the health pandemic and in the future.

State agency budgets for FY22 will be finalized during the 2021 legislative session.

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Contact:
Judy Robinson
505-469-5496
judy.robinson@state.nm.us

Jan. 8, 2021

NM educators in line for COVID-19 vaccine

Phase 1B of vaccination plan includes K-12 educators as essential workers

SANTA FE — New Mexico educators are now in line for the COVID-19 vaccine, a critical step in returning to greater in-person learning amid the global pandemic, the New Mexico Department of Health announced Friday.

Phase 1B of New Mexico’s vaccine distribution plan is now under way and will include classroom teachers, school-based cafeteria and janitorial workers and administrative and support staff, the Department of Health said.

“This is welcome news and a critical step in getting back to the educational gold standard, which is in-person learning,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Prioritizing educators early in the vaccine distribution process shows New Mexico’s continuing commitment to the health and safety of these vital frontline workers in whose hands we entrust the future of our children.”

The Department of Health sets the criteria for the phases of vaccine distribution, which began in late December. In Phase 1A, vaccines were available to frontline health-care workers and others providing direct in-person services to patients, persons with disabilities and persons living in congregate care settings.

Phase 1B, which began Friday, adds these groups, in sequence: New Mexicans 75 years and older; those 16 and older with underlying medical conditions that place them at greater risk from COVID-19, and frontline essential workers who cannot work remotely. The latter group includes early education and K-12 educators.

To manage distribution as more vaccines become available, the health department has established a website where New Mexicans can register for the vaccine: https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org. Nearly a quarter million New Mexicans have already used the website to create a personal profile that includes medical and employment information and other data that will determine when they are eligible to get a vaccine. Those who register will be notified when they become eligible and shots are available in their area.

Users who have questions or would like support with the registration process – including New Mexicans who do not have internet access – can dial 1-855-600-3453, press option 0 for vaccine questions, and then option 4 for tech support

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