[LWVNM Action] Education 2023

[West Laura]

 Meredith:
Thank you for the attached documents.  They were very informative.  I haven't been involved in education as much as you--my focus is more on tax and revenue.  I do have some questions and comments that I wanted to share with you.  I don't have Ellen VanWie's email address or I would have included her on this email.
   
   - I was under the impression that early childhood education was most effective for those age 3-5.  Why is the League defining it from birth to age 5?
   - I may have missed it, but Is financial literacy included in the core subjects?
   - Why measure only student progress, excluding standards of proficiency (S4.1)?  Only 30% of our graduating HS seniors have been reading at grade level for the last 30 years.  This needs to change and holding them accountable for grade-level proficiency is needed to fully function in our society.
   - Why use "minimum" standards of proficiency for school staff instead of satisfactory standards?  We'll never get a good teachers if minimum is all that we require.
   - As a taxpayer, I believe that it is my responsibility to fund education through grade 12.  And while I fully support lifelong learning, I do not believe that it is my financial responsibility to provide it.  Does this document infer that taxpayers should fund post-secondary education?
   - S 5.8 states that financial aid should be provided to all qualified students.  Why not focus that assistance on all qualified NM students?
   - I recognize that many charter schools have been effective for offering students a different path to education.  As a suggestion, change the funding of charter schools to fill the need that public schools are not meeting, rather than cannot meet.
I would appreciate your response to the above.  And thank you for all of your hard work.
Regards,
Laura Riedel    On Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 11:50:03 AM MST, Meredith Machen via Action <action at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:  
 
 The League has long advocated for improving the quality of education in NM. Yesterday and in her proposed budget, the governor committed to many reforms we need. The LESC endorsed a number of bills calling for increased investments aligned with the PED strategic plan and the Yazzie-Martinez court orders. We will consider supporting a number of the bills including increasing graduation requirements, lengthening the school year, and educator recruitment and professional development.  
Over the years, we've called for changing the outdated teacher performance evaluations and participated in educator meetings and  LESC meetings where criteria were discussed.  Last updated in 2003, they did not reflect current research about quality teaching and learning. We are delighted to share the new standards in effect today. They align with our Education position (attached). New Teacher Evaluation Criteria in effect today (attached)
See pp 6-7 especially6.69.4.12 TEACHER COMPETENCIES AND INDICATORS FOR LICENSURE LEVELS 1, 2, AND 3-A:

Meredith Machenmeredith.machen at gmail.com505 577-6337_______________________________________________
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