Skandera Announces PED Advisory Team

On Wednesday afternoon, New Mexico Public Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera announced she's selected a team of education experts to help her roll out new state policies and manage administrative issues.

Skandera says the team will bring a "wealth of education experience" and provide the state necessary cost savings during a hiring freeze.

Announcing the team in a news release, Skandera said the provides "an alternative to the immediate hiring of many of the Department’s exempt positions, resulting in a cost-savings to the State of New Mexico and more time to recruit exceptional full-time talent."

During the campaign, Gov. Susana Martinez made improving education in New Mexico a top priority and said she's committed to ensuring every student has access to quality schools and teachers. In her State of the State speech in Santa Fe last month, Martinez announced a "Kids First, New Mexico Wins plan."

While legislators continue to debate the 2012 budget proposals, Martinez continues to push her plan, which she has said will put 65 cents of every budget dollar into the classroom. She says districts need to cut more administrative costs.

Martinez has told reporters that her plan will increase accountability and transparency in education, end social promotion, help districts allocate resources to key targets, and identify and reward effective educators and leaders.

New members of the Public Education Department Advisory team are Catherine Freeman, Christy Hovanetz, Jay Pfeiffer, David Saba, Jeff Sellers, John Bailey, Terrell Halaska, Kristy Campbell, and Chad Colby.

We posted their individual backgrounds here.

Richardson opposes new charter school moratorium

Gov. Bill Richardson accepts the NEA's
Education Governor of the Year award in July, 2009

Governor Bill Richardson announced -- on Saturday --that he will oppose any efforts to slow down the growth of charter schools in New Mexico.

Additionally the governor is preparing a legislative proposal, for the 2010 Session, which convenes in January, aimed at strengthening the state’s charter schools.

“Improving education is the number one priority of my administration and that includes a strong commitment to allow parents choices about where they send their children to school,” Richardson said. “Charter schools are filling the needs of New Mexican families and are a great source of competition and innovation. I will not stand for any moratorium or other efforts to thwart this progress.”

In fact, Governor Richardson announced he will seek legislation to remove caps on the number of charter schools in New Mexico.

In a news release the Governor indicated he'll be proposing legislation that clarifies the process for both state and local charter schools to access both state and local capital outlay dollars to ensure equitable funding for charter school facilities. He announced he will not support any legislation that seeks to prohibit charter school employees from serving on elected school boards.

New Mexico is currently in the final stages of a preparing a grant for the federal Race to the Top grant. The strength of a state’s charter school program is an important component in the awarding of the grants. Any backtracking in the state’s commitment to charter schools, such as a moratorium, could hurt New Mexico’s chances for Race to the Top and the $75 million dollars of funding that would come with it.

New Mexico has a strong authorizing process for charter schools. Last year half of the charters that applied were approved. Currently, 73 charter schools are in operation or are in the planning phase around the state and the number is like to rise to 81 charter schools for the 2010-2011 school year. Forty-eight will be authorized by local school districts and 33 will be PEC/state authorized.

Brooks says state budget can't be balanced on cuts alone

Reacting to Governor Bill Richardson's proposal to cut state education funding by 1.5 percent, Albuquerque Public Schools' Superintendent Winston Brooks said the state's largest school district might be able to handle those level of cuts and keep the spending reduction from impacting classrooms directly.

But Brooks warns 'the state's budget can’t be balanced by cutting waste alone.'

“I’ve worked in APS now for almost two years and I just don't find the waste that most people think exists there. In fact, our general administration budget is less than 1%. You can't cut that and balance any budget,” Brooks said.

The superintendent said lawmakers will ‘definitely’ have to look at revenue enhancements, but said APS might be able to handle cuts up to 3 percent.

“We have a plan to try to keep our cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. If it's any more than 3% we're in a heap of trouble,” Brooks said. If it’s more, Brooks said, “The legislature is going to have to change some legislation to allow us to use some of our SB-9 and HB-33 for operational expenses. That's a lion's share of it. The rest of it is taking stimulus money that we had planned to use for our special education and Title 1 kids and use it for our operational budget.”

Brooks said lawmakers who claim raising taxes will hurt the re-election should take a close look at the new poll by Research and Polling, Inc. for for New Mexico Education Partners which shows 81 percent of New Mexico voters don't support education cuts.

“They all say they can't raise taxes because it will hurt their election, if that be the case then I would think they would pay some attention to this poll that says if they do cut education their election is in jeopardy,” said Brooks.

Meanwhile, in a prepared statement proposing his 1.5 percent education cuts, Richardson said he made it "very clear to legislators that any cuts to education must be minimal and not affect our classrooms, kids and teachers.”

The governor credited the minimal cuts to his administration's efforts over the last seven years to keep cash reserves at 10 percent or higher.

Putting more money in the classroom

On Saturday, Rio Grande Foundation's Paul Gessing said he'd like to see more money in the classroom and less money on bureaucrats.

“New Mexico, contrary to popular belief, spends a lot of money on education. We have the eighth highest per capita spending on education in the country. There’s plenty of administrators and other highly paid folks we can look at getting rid of,” Gessing said. “We have proven that bureaucracies actually harm education results. The top five states in the country as far as results spend about 65% of their money in the classroom on education, whereas the bottom five of which surprise, surprise New Mexico is a part, along with those perennial all-stars like Louisiana and Mississippi, that we also find ourselves in the midst of, we spend 59.5% in the classroom.

Filmmaker Michael Moore invited to Education Rally

The American Federation of Teachers' union (AFT), concerned about proposed cutbacks in the state's education budget, has published an open letter inviting documentary filmmaker Michael Moore to their October 9th Demonstration for Education Rally in New Mexico.

The rally is scheduled ahead of a special session, which is aimed at stopping lawmakers from making additional cuts to the state's education budget.

Their invite to Moore follows Albuquerque Teacher's Union President Ellen Bernstein, who published an Op-Ed in Sunday's Albuquerque Journal.

Lawmakers, who are expected to be called back to Santa Fe this month to re-balance the budget, are currently negotiating with Governor Bill Richardson. He has said he wants school budgets exempted for across the board budget trimming measures.

But in recent weeks, some lawmakers like Sen. John Arthur Smith, have said even educations budgets will have to be cut to balance the state's estimated $433 budget deficit.

In her Journal op-ed, Bernstein wrote that that lawmakers already cut the dollar value of schoolchildren during the last session.

Now, we're angry because they are planning to do it again! We're asking them to make the right choices during tough times.

Bernstein also argued:

Lawmakers cut student funding last January in order to balance a $500 million deficit. Ironically, that made the problem worse. When they cut spending, they also reduced the amount of tax revenues flowing into the public treasury. Now, our state budget has another deficit of $433 million. What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

OPEN LETTER TO MICHAEL MOORE

Michael:

Last week, Dr. Ellen Bernstein, an elementary school teacher and president of the ABQ Teachers Federation, emailed you an invitation to come to New Mexico on Oct. 9 and speak to the largest demonstration of support for public schools in New Mexico's brief history (became a state in 1912).

Purpose of rally, march and demonstration - persuade state lawmakers to:

• Roll back tax cuts for the wealthiest New Mexicans (passed in 2003 for those earning $295K or more);
• Close tax loopholes for big, out-of-state corporations (examples: Wal Mart, Target, Starbucks allowed to report profits earned in NM in other states and dodge paying their fair share of NM taxes on profits);
• Use revenues to restore cuts made by our lawmakers to the value of school children (lawmakers cut student value by $60 each last January to cover $500 million deficit), higher education students and public services; and,
• Prevent more cuts (lawmakers have another state budget deficit, this time $433 million, and they want to cut student value and public services AGAIN).

We haven't heard from you, yet. Hopefully, that's a sign you're trying to work Oct 9, Santa Fe, into your busy schedule.

New Mexicans love you, Michael !

You were in ABQ at the UNM Pit during 2000 presidential election between Gore and Bush. Thanks to your rally at the UNM Pit, New Mexico was the only state in Southwest to go for Gore. You did that !

We need your help again: Help educators, parents and students stop a second round of proposed cuts to the value of school children, university students and public services.

Please say YES. Please attend, speak-out at Oct. 9 Rally, March and Demonstration, Santa Fe, beginning at noon and going until 3:45 pm.

We'll meet-up at Santa Fe Rail Runner Depot, march 5 blocks to our state capitol, "The Roundhouse", then have speakers andsymbolic activities.

We're thinking of doing what you did in "Capitalism, A Love Story": wrapping the Roundhouse with yellow, crime-scene tape, and making a citizen's arrest, because the NM State Constitution says our lawmakers are required to fund public schools 'sufficiently'. By law, they are not allow to cut the value of school children, college and university student and public services.

Please respond either way. Thank you.

Sincerely,
John Ingram
AFT New Mexico

Richardson Says Take Politics Out of Education

Governor Bill Richardson wants New Mexican's to reserve judgment on his administration's education legacy until 2011. That's when he hopes to report a successful turnaround in the state's high dropout rate.

On Wednesday he and New Mexico Education Secretary Veronica C. Garcia introduced the next generation of Making Schools Work education reform initiatives called, Graduate New Mexico! It’s Everybody’s Business.

The governor says he recognizes the state has a huge problem with dropout rates, but he's rolling out a series of new initiatives that could improve those numbers.

The program announced at Rio Grande High School, and outlined in detail in the ABQ Journal and the New Mexico Independent, combined with other new education reforms, are designed to bring some 10,000 dropouts back to school to earn their diplomas, address the achievement gap, and improve graduation rates in New Mexico.

But republicans say they don't want to wait. They want to know why the governor has waited until the last year and half of his administration to deal with the problem.

Richardson told Associated Press Reporter Heather Clark that he believes criticism of his administration's education record is politically motivated.



Despite the state's 54% dropout rate and being ranked 47th in the national education standings, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson says he won't give back his Education Governor of the Year award from the NEA he received in July. (See our NEA Award report here).

Richardson says his education record is strong and he proudly accepts the award.


Instead, Richardson said he'll focus his priorities on new education reforms designed to bring 10,000 students back to the classroom, or to a new online learning center, to earn their high school diplomas by 2011.

In San Diego last month, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, who presented the award to Governor Richardson, commented on why Richardson was only the second governor to receive the group's honor:

Governor Richardson speaks up on issues that affect children, and he follows up the talk with action. Realizing the impact early childhood education has on long-term success, he extended kindergarten programs to full-day classes. Despite criticism, he advocated for and passed a law to provide free preK for 4-year-olds.

In addition to his early childhood education efforts, the award recognized Governor Richardson for fighting to put physical education back into elementary schools and taking junk foods out, increasing teacher pay and restoring collective bargaining rights for educators.

During his acceptance speech in San Diego, Richardson told the NEA Union assembly that education has been his administration's top priority since he was first elected in 2002.

From increasing teacher pay, to ensure that we recruit and retain the best and brightest, to better preparing our kids by implementing a statewide preK program, I’m proud of the reforms we’ve made.

Richardson told the crowd (listen here) that he believes his education reforms will be a part of his eight-year gubernatorial legacy.

The governor, who only has 18 months left in his administration, got a warm reception when he said (listen here) that it's time to completely change the "No Child Left Behind," program. Richardson also said state's can't afford to stop spending money on educational reforms (listen here), because education, he believes, is the key to the nation's economic future (listen here).

Announcing the Graduate New Mexico! It’s Everybody’s Business initiative, Richardson told students, teachers, school board members and business leaders that:

To sustain New Mexico’s growing economy and workforce, all New Mexican’s must at the very least graduate from high school. We must accept that in the 21st century, to secure a job that will support a family and provide a decent quality of life, a high school diploma is a must.

Education Secretary Garcia said incremental gains are good, but not good enough:

We must take bold steps in our reform effort.

The total investment in new education reform is $8.9 million dollars from federal stimulus money.

Gov. Richardson Gets NEA Honor - NM Teachers Head to Court.

Updated to include audio soundbites.


Just months after New Mexico lawmakers cut school funding in the state by $30 million, Governor Bill Richardson flew to San Diego today, from Cape Cod, where he is vacationing for 11 days, to accept the National Education Association's "America's Greatest Education Governor Award." The annual award recognizes governors who have made major state-level education strides that improve public schools.

While Richardson received the NEA award in California, teachers here in New Mexico are headed to court. They are battling a legislative decision to to close the state budget gap by increasing the amount teachers contribute to their pension plan.

During his acceptance speech in San Diego, Richardson told the NEA Union assembly that education has been his administration's top priority since he was first elected in 2002.

From increasing teacher pay, to ensure that we recruit and retain the best and brightest, to better preparing our kids by implementing a statewide preK program, I’m proud of the reforms we’ve made.

Richardson told the crowd (listen here) that he believes his education reforms will be a part of his eight-year gubernatorial legacy.

The governor, who only has 18 months left in his administration, got a warm reception when he said (listen here) that it's time to completely change the "No Child Left Behind," program. Richardson also said state's can't afford to stop spending money on educational reforms (listen here), because education, he believes, is the key to the nation's economic future (listen here).

Federal Stimulus Money Not For Teacher Raises

NEA-New Mexico president Sharon Morgan said New Mexico received a bundle of stimulus money for education, but teachers still took a hit:

The legislature still cut school funding in New Mexico by $30 million, and that's a problem. We believe we could be using stimulus money to make up that difference.

Lawmakers say across-the-board cuts were the only fair way to close the budget gap, but the NEA says investing in education pays bigger dividends down the road and helps the state weather downturns.

But Richardson told the NEA assembly he doesn't believe that states should balance their budgets on teacher's backs (listen here).

In May, Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, who was touting President Barack Obama's first 100 days in office, told Barbara Wold at DFNM, "New Mexico has received $450 million in education for pre-school through college to help with funding shortfalls."

Denish said:

Our job is to make sure the dollars are well spent. Most importantly, what we've seen is that times are tough and these funds can't come at a better time for those working for education.

In a good economy, millions of dollars for state education programs come from the State Land Office. It has seen a decline in money from a drop in oil and gas revenues over the last year.

Lawmakers say across-the-board cuts were the only fair way to close the budget gap, but the NEA says investing in education pays bigger dividends down the road and helps the state weather downturns.

The teacher's union isn't the only group criticizing the administration and lawmakers for reducing the budget.

State GOP spokeswoman Janel Causey said this Education Week report ranks the state's drop out rate 48th nationally. The report says only 56% of high school students in the class of 2006 graduated.

The NM Secretary of Education Dr. Veronic Garcia says criticism like that is unfair. "One statistic cannot be a grade for our entire educational system," Garcia said.

KOB TV 4 reporter Cris Ornelas talked to prospective republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Weh. Weh told Ornelas, "On education, Richardson and Denish have failed and they failed miserably."

But leaders at the NEA said Richardson stands out "for extending kindergarten to a full day and for raising teacher salaries."

The NEA's representative assembly, meeting in Southern California through Monday, is considering a blueprint for fixing the No Child Left Behind law which is up for renewal in congress this year according to Morgan.

She said a big part of the plan is adding more flexibility: "We would be able to measure growth rather than just a standardized test score. We all know students who don't test well, and no matter how great their teacher is, they may not test well."

The group is also working on a 12-point dropout prevention plan, and one part of the plan has been gaining traction in recent lawmaking sessions in Santa Fe, adds Morgan.

"It's having more individual attention to our students, so that they have smaller, safe schools, or if they're in a large school, smaller learning communities and smaller classes."


NEA President Dennis Van Roekel presented the award to Governor Richardson:

Governor Richardson speaks up on issues that affect children, and he follows up the talk with action,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of NEA. “Realizing the impact early childhood education has on long-term success, he extended kindergarten programs to full-day classes. Despite criticism, he advocated for and passed a law to provide free preK for 4-year-olds.

In addition to his early childhood education efforts, the award recognized Governor Richardson for fighting to put physical education back into elementary schools and taking junk foods out, increasing teacher pay and restoring collective bargaining rights for educators.

"Governor Richardson has made great efforts to improve school funding, increase school employee salaries, and make sure that the needs of the whole child are considered in making education policy decisions,” said Sharon Morgan, president of NEA-New Mexico. “He has been a champion of both educators and students.

Richardson is just the second recipient of the award. He will return to Cape Cod to continue his vacation before returning to New Mexico by July 13th.

Photos Courtesy: NEA

New Mexico House Delegation Urges Restoration of Education Funding in Recovery Plan!

Updated 7:50am

New Mexico is set to received $953 million dollars from the American Reocvery and Reinvestment Act. That's less money than originally planned, and it cuts funding for school construction. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall believe spending the money will create jobs and get people back to work in the state.

Bingaman's proposal to offer companies a 30 percent tax credit for investing in renewable energy facilities is still intact, and Sen. Udall says he's proud he added a measure to give employeers tax incentives for hiring returning veterans or taking vets off the unemployement roles.

Meanwhile, all three of the state's congressional representatives have signed their name on a letter urging congressional leaders to restore funding for school construction.

This is their news release:

Washington, DC – Today, Congressmen Ben Ray Luján, Martin Heinrich and Harry Teague sent a letter to Congressional leadership in advance of the conference on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The letter urges House and Senate leadership to include the House-passed education figures in the final conference report. The House version of the bill included significant support to local school districts for school construction, Title 1-A and IDEA – programs that will benefit students and help get our economy back on track. The Senate passed their version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today by a vote of 61 to 37.

"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should create jobs immediately and prepare our children for jobs of the future," said Luján. "Education measures in the House version achieved both of these goals through an investment in school modernization, repair and renovation projects, and funding to protect key education programs. School construction puts people back to work and funding to states to prevent education cuts keeps teachers in the classroom where they are able to prepare young people for the jobs of the future.

As the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan moves to conference, I am proud to join with my colleagues to urge leadership to maintain support for education and school construction." “With New Mexico facing a $454 million budget shortfall, the need for a comprehensive recovery package that addresses our education needs is critical. Our local schools and governments should not have to make the choice between service cuts or higher taxes,” said Congressman Harry Teague. “A comprehensive recovery package that includes immediate investments in education will not only help New Mexico save and create critical jobs but strategic investments in education will help New Mexico become stronger, more productive and competitive.”

“In order to turn this economy around as quickly as possible, we need to ensure that we are making a substantial and immediate investment in our education system,” said Rep. Heinrich. “The education funding I voted for in the House-passed version of the recovery package will save existing jobs and create new jobs by hiring new teachers, and investing in school construction and renovation.”

The House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last week. The House version of the legislation included $329 million to New Mexico for K-12 education and over $39 million to New Mexico for higher education modernization, renovation, and repair. It also included $419 million to New Mexico for the state fiscal stabilization fund, which could prevent cuts in the state education budget. The Senate compromise removed $16 billion school construction, $40 billion for the state fiscal stabilization fund, and all of the funding for higher education modernization, renovation, and repair.