Last month, I visited with Transform Education coalition members in southern New Mexico. The roots of longstanding relationships were watered and seeds of new ideas on how to support #EducationEquity in our state were pushed firmly into the ground.
More than anything, this trip reaffirmed two things:
The dire need to transform our public education system, dismantling systems that don’t serve students, families, educators and staff
Transformation must center and include young people, the most prominent stakeholders in public ... Continued
The State must invest to help protect precious languages and traditions.
As former governor of Tesuque Pueblo and current chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors (APCG), I am forever grateful to the late Judge Sarah Singleton for ruling in Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico that Native American students have a constitutional right to a culturally and linguistically relevant education.
APCG’s tribal leaders, who collectively serve as a diplomatic arm and a shield ... Continued
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO - Transform Education New Mexico (TENM), the coalition of education, tribal and community leaders advancing a new vision for our public education system in New Mexico, is elated to announce that Loretta Trujillo has assumed the role of Executive Director.
Having dedicated her life to education, Trujillo brings two decades of classroom experience and more recently, an administrative background working as part of the Indigenous Education Initiative.
“I am excited to continue to do what I ... Continued
Cindy Nava, who has served as Executive Director for TENM since last year, has been appointed by the White House for a special role within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. While Cindy will be missed, she has made tremendous progress in ensuring that TENM is on strong footing to continue the work of advocating for English Language Learners, Native American students, low-income students, and students with disabilities.
TENM is seeking a leader to continue for education ... Continued
SANTA FE, NM - The New Mexico Legislature, in the final days before the end of the 2022 Regular Session, passed the TENM-endorsed HB 60, a critical initiative of the Tribal Remedy Framework that creates parity in compensation for Native language and culture teachers. HB 60 is directly connected to the landmark Yazzie/Martinez court ruling and is exceedingly important to making education more equitable for our Native American students in New Mexico.
“HB 60 brings an unprecedented opportunity to ensure that Native languages ... Continued
As the New Mexico 2022 Legislative Session approaches, there is still no comprehensive plan to comply with the historic 2018 Yazzie/Martinez ruling that found the state was violating public school students' right to a sufficient education.
Contact the governor today and tell her New Mexico’s students cannot wait for change any longer!
Our communities, familias, students, and educators deserve a seat at the decision making tables.
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ALBUQUERQUE—As the New Mexico 2022 Legislative Session approaches, Transform Education NM urges the state to immediately release a comprehensive plan to comply with the Yazzie/Martinez ruling and mandates.
“As a former ELL student and a first generation graduate, I understand the vital role that opportunities, support and access play within the public school system,” said Cindy Nava, Executive Director of Transform Education NM. “Providing the necessary resources needed through a culturally competent lens can help create unprecedented pathways of ... Continued
Transform Education NM welcomes policy advocate Cindy Nava as its new executive director! For the last 13 years, Nava has worked to advance communities of color through policy, education, political involvement, and legislative advocacy at a state and national level.
Most recently, Nava was consulting as principal of Nava Strategies. Prior to that, ... Continued
BACKGROUND
Transform Education NM is a coalition formed in 2018 of educators, families and students, tribal leaders, experts, and community leaders advancing a visionary transformation of education in New Mexico that embraces the diverse cultures, languages and heritages of our students, and ensures all students have the opportunities to learn and succeed. We have a historic chance to make fundamental changes with the landmark Yazzie/Martinez court ruling declaring that New Mexico’s public education system is ... Continued
New Mexico's schools faced dire circumstances over the last year as decades of disproportionate disinvestment came to a head under the immense stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our state's elected officials stepped forward in support of the drastic changes needed to not only heal from the pandemic, but to address the constitutional right students have to a sufficient education. While we can celebrate achievements seen at the Roundhouse for the 2021 regular legislative session, we acknowledge our work remains ... Continued