New Mexico
News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in New Mexico
Early Childhood
N.M. Extends Extra-Days Program Aimed at Some Low-Income K-3 Students
A New Mexico program providing 25 extra days of class time for children in kindergarten through 3rd grade has brought excellent results, according to outside evaluators.
School & District Management
Fort Worth's Superintendent Search Stalls
The school board in Texas' sixth largest school district has "some issues they need to work through before resuming the search," a school spokesman said.
Law & Courts
Ark. Governor Wants New K-12 Boss, But State Must First Change Rules
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson,a Republican, wants an ex-legislator to lead the state's public schools, but the governor needs a change to state law first.
States
Report: State Policies Largely Unclear on Testing Opt-Out Policies, Consequences
Ohio and New Mexico provide clear possible consequences for students if they opt out, but the majority of states don't directly address such ramifications, a study finds.
School & District Management
Ex-Albuquerque Superintendent Sues District for $125,000
Former schools chief Winston Brooks, who left the district last summer with a $350,000 buyout, wants the school system to pay for remarks he felt were disparaging.
Law & Courts
Hanna Skandera Confirmed as New Mexico K-12 Chief After Four Years in Limbo
Skandera was picked to be the top K-12 official in New Mexico in 2011, but until this week her nomination had stalled even as she performed the duties of the office.
States
State of the States
State of the States Coverage: Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York
Here are summaries of recent annual addresses by governors around the country.
Federal
Education Department Extends New Mexico's NCLB Waiver
The U.S. Department of Education continues its trend of extending states' No Child Left Behind Act waivers even if they haven't completely taken care of everything cited in their monitoring reports.
Early Childhood
New Mexico Early Childhood Supporters Gear Up for Expansion Effort
Preschool supporters want to use the state's large Land Grant Permanent Fund to pay for early education, but the effort has failed four times in the past.
Assessment
N.M. Ruling Rejects Protest of Pearson's Common-Core Testing Contract
New Mexico's state purchasing agent, Lawrence O. Maxwell, has denied a protest of a major common-core testing contract that was filed by the American Institutes for Research.
Law & Courts
A-F School Grading Targeted in N.M. Equity Suit
A lawsuit alleges that New Mexico's A-F grading system for schools and its teacher-evaluation policies cause an unfair distribution of resources for schools.
Equity & Diversity
Civil Rights Group Sues New Mexico Over Lack of Equity for ELLs, Poor Students
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund files suit on behalf of parents of ELLs and poor students, arguing that New Mexico's funding and K-12 reform initiatives are not providing a sufficient education.
States
Proposed Ballot Measure Could Put New Mexico's Skandera on Thin Ice
A state senator wants voters to decide whether to create an elected state school board that would pick the state superintendent, now chosen by the governor.
School & District Management
N.M.'s Acting Schools Chief Remains in Political Limbo
Hanna Skandera, New Mexico's secretary-designate of education, pushes ahead with agenda, despite lawmakers' inaction on her confirmation.