On April 9, Transform Education NM sent a letter to our Governor and leadership for the Public Education, Higher Education, and Early Childhood Education & Care departments, urging the formation of a COVID-19 Education Task Force. This working group would address necessary steps to transition students successfully back into school when the crisis is over, and minimize long-term harm with the crisis and persistent inequities in opportunities for students.
Here is the full letter: Continued
COVID-19 has laid bare critical shortcomings in New Mexico’s educational infrastructure. School closures, necessary to protect our health, impact every student in New Mexico, but because of systemic inequities in our system, for many families it is more difficult to endure. Too many of our students can’t participate in online classes because they lack reliable internet access, as do many rural and Tribal libraries. Too many students can’t easily pick up school lunches that many families depend ... Continued
When #TransformEducationNM launched in 2018, there was tremendous collective enthusiasm to transform the public education system in New Mexico. We continue to grow into a powerful community – and we are more determined than ever to see this through to the end. Our students and families deserve it.
Our voices have been strong at the state legislature. We advocated for changes to bring more teachers into our schools, provide professional development, expand bilingual education, and increase health and social services, among other ... Continued
Teachers and other educators play a critical role in our students' and our state's future, and they deserve to be fairly compensated for their dedication and hard work.
The Senate Finance Committee is
about to cut the proposed 5% pay increase,
in the midst of a statewide teacher shortage.
The teacher shortage is a crisis that has been severely damaging to our schools. Currently, House Bill 2 budgets for a 5% increase. We must keep it at this level, or higher.
... Continued
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL OUR SENATORS TODAY
We are getting close to the end of the legislative session and it’s critical we make our voices heard.
Our schools should have adequate health and social services for all students. The first step is to bring together families, educators and experts to assess the strengths and the gaps of the system across the state. Funding is needed for this work but it was left out of the first version ... Continued
Important AND urgent. A key budget committee is about to vote on funding for this year, but the bill is missing the critical public education priorities that we’ve worked on together. New Mexicans strongly believe education is a top priority. The state’s record budget surpluses should be invested in our students.
We know what it will take to #TransformEducation in New Mexico, but key legislation will not be heard unless we make our voices known.
... Continued
by Patricia Jiménez-Latham, published in the Santa Fe New Mexican
As Secretary-designate Ryan Stewart begins work at the Public Education Department, we appreciate that he has said his first order of business is to listen and learn.
Transform Education New Mexico has developed a platform of action that details the ways in which New Mexico must transform its system ... Continued
By Adrian Sandoval published in the Santa Fe New Mexican
The education debate in New Mexico desperately needs a reframe. Too often students who possess a language other than English are considered to pose a “problem” to our school system, rather than possessing an asset that should be shared with other students.
Unfortunately, this has been the lens applied to ... Continued
By David Rogers, Bilingual Education Leader published in the Albuquerque Journal
Will Aug. 28, 2019, be remembered as the day the state changed course and finally committed to giving our students and teachers the resources they need to be successful?
That’s the opportunity, because the revenue forecast set for release (Wednesday) will show a massive budget surplus from oil and gas revenues. The question is whether Legislative Finance Committee members and other ... Continued