New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has set in motion the replacement of the current statewide standardized-testing system with a pair of executive orders that also call for removing those exam results from controversial teacher evaluations.
The orders by the Democratic governor correspond with campaign pledges to scrap student assessments developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers—a system the new governor described as high-pressure and counterproductive.
The orders also hold major implications for teacher evaluations that were more closely linked to student-test scores under preceding Republican Gov. Susana Martinez in the name of accountability.
Lujan Grisham said her administration will consult with teachers, parents, and experts to find new methods of assessing teachers and students.