State of New Mexico secondary Archives: on Education
Steve Pearce:
Competition through choice helps schools
I strongly believe every school must face tough scrutiny and challenge itself to raise standards and push for the best in each of its students.
Competition through choice would be a catalyst for vast improvements in underperforming public school systems, including those serving large numbers of low-income students.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
Jeff Apodaca:
Make state's Pre-K a year-round program
Apodaca said he wants to expand the state's pre-kindergarten program to make it available all year instead of while school is in session.
He pledged to help small businesses and local economies by tapping money from the state's permanent land fund to invest it in early childhood education and economic growth.
Source: USA Today on 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial race
Jul 17, 2017
Joe Cervantes:
Emphasis on testing misguided
This administration relied on Florida policies that failed there and predictably failed here. It emphasized testing in the classrooms. As a parent with three daughters who came from public schools, I have a good understanding with what that testing
involved [and it's] unreliability. It's an overly simplistic way of thinking about managing education, no student gets educated by taking a test. Of course we need testing, but the idea in putting a principle on testing was misplaced.
Source: NM Political Report on 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial race
Jul 7, 2017
Joe Cervantes:
Expand pre-K to all students
Cervantes said he supports using the permanent land fund to
expand pre-K to all students in the state
Source: Las Cruces Sun-News on 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial race
Jul 5, 2017
Susana Martinez:
Prioritize reading in early education
Our reform agenda is clear. First, every child needs to read at an early age, so they can learn every year thereafter. Under my plan, to give our kids the best start possible, we'll expand pre-K--which
has tripled so far on my watch--and build $5 million worth of new pre-K classrooms throughout the State. And we'll add $10 million in new reading interventions, specifically for students in chronically struggling schools.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Mexico legislature
Jan 19, 2016
Susana Martinez:
Change higher education system to boost graduation rates
Our kids are taking too much time, taking too many credits, spending too much money, and ultimately not graduating. Consequently, entry into the workforce is delayed, student debt is high, and we have too few college graduates.
That's why universities are adopting tuition incentives for any student who graduates in four years and working to limit all degree programs to 120 credit hours; We're improving how credits transfer among institutions and providing better counselling.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Mexico legislature
Jan 19, 2016
Gary King:
School report cards OK if resources go to low-score schools
King said, "I'm going to try to speak with educators around the state. My understanding as I talk to teachers and superintendents is that they don't really understand how the grade is determined on the report cards (for schools), so it's very difficult
to know what to do to improve your system, if you don't know what caused you to get a C or a D."I noticed the biggest number of schools were D in New Mexico. Certainly, it's of interest to everybody to know if you are a D school, what are we going to
do about that? Does it mean you get mentors and tutors and such? If you do, that's positive. If schools get a bad grade and you're going to help them identify their issues, [and] develop a plan on how you are going to do better (that's positive), but if
you don't know on what their analysis is based, it is difficult to know what to do.
"I'm feeling a lot of frustration from educators out there, principals, superintendents, teachers and lunchroom ladies about what are we trying to accomplish here."
Source: Ruidoso News on 2014 New Mexico governor race
Jul 31, 2014
Susana Martinez:
$97M to improve our local schools; invest in reform
Exactly half of the [proposed budget's] new spending--$97 million--is targeted toward improving our local schools. But it's not just throwing more money at the status quo.
It's an investment in reform, an investment in initiatives that are designed to get results and improve student performance. We took some very important first steps in education reform. Just last week, we announced the preliminary, baseline grades for
New Mexico schools. They will continue to be fine-tuned as we work with school districts to finalize the results. By this summer, every school will receive an official letter grade--A, B, C, D, or F. Finally, we have a school rating system
that is uniquely our own. Not a one-size-fits-all federal system, but rather an honest assessment of how our children are learning and improving--a way to identify struggling schools, so we can get them the help they need.
Source: 2012 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 17, 2012
Susana Martinez:
$17M for reading reforms; don't pass failing kids
80% of our fourth-graders cannot read proficiently. Passing children who can't read from one grade to the next is not compassionate. It is morally wrong. Let's do something about it. Holding children back is not the goal. The goal is for every child
to learn the basics and to identify and help those who struggle before the third grade. We build a child's self-esteem not by convincing them that accepting failure is okay but by showing them that they can reach any goal by offering a helping hand when
they struggle so they learn to never give up, to persevere, and to ultimately triumph and succeed.
And here's how we'll do it. My plan this year calls for a $17 million investment in reading reforms. Teachers will assess children early on--in
kindergarten, first, second grade. And those students who are struggling will get immediate help in these early years--more tutoring, more individual attention. We'll put more reading coaches in elementary schools.
Source: 2012 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 17, 2012
Susana Martinez:
Kids First, New Mexico Wins: 4 key initiatives
I propose a comprehensive reform package that will transform our schools. Our "Kids First, New Mexico Wins" plan is comprised of four key initiatives.- We will get money out of the bureaucracy and into the classroom. Today, only 61 cents of every
education dollar makes it to the classroom. Wasting money on lawyers in the Public Education Dept. does nothing to help a child read. By cutting waste & inefficiency in the bureaucracy, we will increase the percentage of funds that reach classrooms.
-
We will adopt an easy-to-understand, easy-to-implement system of grading. Schools will be assigned letter grades A, B, C, D or F. And these grades will be posted to the Web. That's real accountability that will yield real results.
- We will end social
promotion, the practice of passing children from one grade to the next before they have mastered the basics. The New Mexico "Ready for Success" initiative will get struggling students the help they need before we pass them on to the next grade.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
Bill Richardson:
Equip every 7th grader with a laptop computer
I announced last week a pilot program that will bring basic change to how mid school and high school students learn. More than 700 students and 80 teachers will receive laptop computers in the first phase of this initiative.
Eventually, I want every 7th grader to have one. Every teacher in every discipline - math, languages, social studies, history - will be trained in how to make use of the computer and the internet directly in their subject areas.
Source: 2004 State of the State speech to the New Mexico Legislature
Jan 20, 2004
Bill Richardson:
Increase the salary of school teachers
We gave teachers - the cornerstone of our educational reform - a dramatic salary increase. The School Improvement Act of 2003 set ambitious goals for school reform. It also created a three-tier licensure system for New Mexico’s teachers -
a system that will recognize and reward excellence in the profession. And let there be no misunderstanding - I support funding art in the school, but in every school. Art will be funded at the end of the process, and in a comprehensive manner.
Source: 2004 State of the State speech to the New Mexico Legislature
Jan 20, 2004
Bill Richardson:
A plan that can reach straightforward education goals
I [will] focus on improving student success, & responsibly implementing critical reforms. My education plan provides for retention of quality teachers, completes the implementation of statewide full-day kindergarten, creates an extensive student testing
program to accurately gauge student progress, and puts in place significant reform initiatives such as family resource services to meet student social service needs, taking the pressure off teachers so they can concentrate on teaching our children.
Source: 2004 State of the State speech to the New Mexico Legislature
Jan 20, 2004
Bill Richardson:
Charter schools show tremendous promise
I am a strong supporter of charter schools. They provide opportunities for students to connect with the education process, and find a path to success. They are showing tremendous promise as alternatives for families who want something different -
within the public school system - for their children. I promised to allocate additional resources for charter schools, and to help provide them a more level playing field with other public schools.
Source: 2004 State of the State speech to the New Mexico Legislature
Jan 20, 2004
Bill Richardson:
Expand the lottery scholarship program for college students
My higher education plan limits tuition increases to three percent, while keeping open all financial assistance options for our students. I want to expand the lottery success scholarship program to provide more opportunity to lower income New Mexicans.
We can afford it, and we must not shirk from our responsibility. My plan fully funds the new higher education formula, and provides a one-time four percent bonus for faculty, and a two percent bonus for other employees.
Source: 2004 State of the State speech to the New Mexico Legislature
Jan 20, 2004
John Edwards:
Two school systems: one for the have’s, one for have-not’s
We still have two public school systems in this country: one for the “haves” and one for the “have nots.” We have got to make a commitment as a nation that every child in America, no matter where they live,
what the color of their skin or the income of their family, will get exactly the same education as the richest parent in America can afford for their children. That’s the commitment we need to make as a people.
Source: Democratic Primary Debate, Albuquerque New Mexico
Sep 4, 2003
Gary Johnson:
Favors charter schools as one priority to improve education
Indicate which principles you support regarding education:- Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
- Favor charter schools where independent groups receive
state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following categories:
- Slightly Increase K-12 Education
- Maintain Status for Higher Education
- Q: Top priorities for 1998?
A: Improve education, continue streamlining government making it more accountable to New Mexicans; I will also continue to promote a business friendly environment increasing economic development that will create higher paying jobs;
With two new prisons we will keep criminals behind bars. Finally, my promise is to continue to put people before politics.
Source: 1998 New Mexico National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 1998
Page last updated: Feb 12, 2018