New Mexico Public Education Department (2010). Making Schools Work. 2010 Annual Report. The New Mexico Public Education Department 2010 Annual Report was created as a way to reflect on the accomplishments in education that occurred under Governor Bill Richardson's administration from 2002-2010. In 2003, the Governor outlined a reform agenda and pledged his commitment to improve education in New Mexico. In the fall of 2003, Governor Richardson nominated New Mexico's first cabinet level Secretary of Education, Dr. Veronica Garcia. She began her term by outlining an aggressive, integrated action plan to raise expectations and close the achievement gap in New Mexico. Together with the Governor, Secretary Garcia drafted a state strategic plan for education, Making Schools Work, to address the unique needs of New Mexico students. They identified the following reform areas to target: (1) Academic Rigor and Accountability; (2) Closing the Achievement Gap; (3) School Readiness; (4) Quality Teachers; (5) Parent & Community Involvement; (6) 21st Century Classrooms; and (7) College & Workforce Readiness. These seven areas provide the structure for this annual report. Due to Secretary Garcia's effort up to her retirement in July of 2010, New Mexico leads the nation in comprehensive approaches to education reform and has received significant national recognition. In August 2010, Dr. Susanna Murphy was appointed Secretary Designate and continued the momentum of reform. The accomplishments listed in this report illustrate the profound transformation that took place in education in New Mexico over the past eight years, truly confirming Bill Richardson as the Education Governor for the state. [More] Descriptors: Strategic Planning, Schools of Education, School Readiness, Recognition (Achievement)

New Mexico Public Education Department (2010). A World Class Education: Strategic Plan, 2010-2015. New Mexico's unique demographics and rich intellectual assets, including two of the three largest national engineering and science research laboratories in the country (Sandia and Los Alamos), provide an excellent national setting for educational transformation. With approximately 320,000 K-12 students, New Mexico's demographics are distinctive: 57% of the State's K-12 students is Hispanic; 29% is White; 11% is Native American; 3% is Black; and 1% is Asian or of other backgrounds. New Mexico is ranked 36th in overall population size, has the fifth largest land mass in the U.S. (121,665 square miles), and ranks 45th in the nation in population density. With only 6.3 people per square mile, New Mexico faces unique challenges in educating students in rural areas. Seeking to build on its unique demographics and geography, New Mexico launched an education reform agenda in 2003 through passage of HB 212 Public School Reforms. This landmark legislation, introduced by a teacher-legislator from Albuquerque, marked a critical milestone when New Mexicans came together around fundamental concerns. That is, attracting and retaining quality teachers and principals; holding students, teachers, schools, LEAs (local education agencies), charters, and the State accountable for student performance; providing a culturally diverse curriculum with high expectations for all students; and providing better support for students, educators, families, and schools. Despite this legislation, educational performance in New Mexico has only seen nominal gains, as verified by major legislative reviews; large achievement gaps separate low-income students and students of color from others. In April 2010, New Mexico's Secretary of Education convened a group of nearly 75 legislative and education leaders, business and community members, and other key stakeholders regarding the Phase II Race to the Top grant application. The decision of the group, supported by Governor Bill Richardson, was that New Mexico is well-positioned to undertake ongoing education reform; the State should move forward, and do so enthusiastically and thoughtfully. Through the College and Career Readiness Policy Institute (CCRPI) Action Plan, New Mexico has articulated a comprehensive, college and career ready, high school graduation initiative for the state's unique population. National CCRPI partners–including Achieve, National Governors Association, Education Council, Jobs for the Future, and Data Quality Campaign–helped a diverse group of New Mexico policy, business, community, and education leaders to develop and build upon cutting edge strategies grounded in current research. This plan weaves the essential elements of the HB 212 Public School Reforms, the ongoing education reform defined within the 2010 Race to the Top grant application, and the articulated initiatives outlined in the College and Career Readiness Policy Institute Action Plan to create bold educational transformational challenge for New Mexico. [More] Descriptors: Strategic Planning, Public Schools, Elementary Secondary Education, American Indians

Center on Education Policy (2010). Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: New Mexico. In grade 8 (the only grade in which subgroup trends were analyzed by achievement level), New Mexico showed across-the-board gains–improvements in reading and math at the basic-and-above, proficient-and-above, and advanced levels for all major racial/ethnic subgroups and low-income students. Progress in narrowing achievement gaps at grades 4, 8, and 11 was mixed. Comparable data were available for 2005-2009 at grades 4 and 8 and for 2007-2009 at grade 11. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 2: Slow and Uneven Progress in Narrowing Gaps", see ED513914. For the 2009 New Mexico report, see ED507961.] [More] Descriptors: Scores, Grade 8, Grade 4, Reading Achievement

Olguin, David L.; Keim, Jeanmarie (2009). Using Stakeholders as Career Bridges to Advance Students' Academic Performance: How Would You Like Your Stake?, Journal of School Counseling. The New Mexico Next Step Plan, a postsecondary career transition plan for grades 8 through 12, aims to enhance relationships between all educational stakeholders: students, parents/caregivers, community, and administrators. These stakeholder relationships are intended to close the achievement gap among all students, in particular, ethnic youth. Professional school counselors need to lead this charge. Qualitative feedback from a survey and a compliance audit demonstrate how the school counseling curriculum can utilize stakeholders in career development activities to promote students' academic success. [More] Descriptors: School Counseling, School Counselors, Career Development, Stakeholders

Excelencia in Education (NJ1) (2012). Latino College Completion: New Mexico. In 2009, Excelencia in Education launched the Ensuring America's Future initiative to inform, organize, and engage leaders in a tactical plan to increase Latino college completion. An executive summary of Latino College Completion in 50 states synthesizes information on 50 state factsheets and builds on the national benchmarking guide. Each factsheet provides state level snapshots about Latinos in the educational pipeline and the equity gap between Latinos and White non-Hispanics in achievement. Additionally, examples of how evidence-based practices improve Latino college completion at institutions of higher education are provided. Highlights from New Mexico's fact sheet include: (1) New Mexico had the 9th largest Latino population in the U.S.; (2) Over half of the K-12 population in New Mexico (60%) was Latino; (3) In New Mexico, 46% of the state population was Latino. (Projections show a continued increase.); (4) The median age of Latinos in New Mexico was 29, compared to 40 for White non-Hispanics; and (5) In New Mexico, 21% of Latino adults (25 to 64 years old) had earned an associate degree or higher, compared to 33% of all adults. (Contains 5 footnotes.) [For the executive summary, see ED532055. For the National Fact Sheet, see ED532060.] [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Access to Education, Achievement Gap, Benchmarking

Center on Education Policy (2009). Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: New Mexico. This year the Center on Education Policy (CEP) analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels–basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between these groups at the proficient level across three grades (grade 4, grade 8 in most cases, and a high school grade). These two types of analyses show whether elementary school achievement has generally gone up for different groups of students and whether achievement gaps at different grade levels have narrowed, widened, or stayed the same. This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in New Mexico. Grade 4 achievement trends at the proficient level showed a mixed picture for New Mexico's major student groups. Declines were more prevalent than gains in reading, while gains were more common than declines in math. Trends in achievement gaps were also mixed. In reading, gaps narrowed in nearly all cases, but in math the two indicators of achievement used in this study showed contradictory trends. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 3: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?", see ED507909.] [More] Descriptors: Federal Legislation, Low Income, American Indians, African American Students

New Mexico Public Education Department (2007). Making Schools Work for New Mexico Kids. 2006 Annual Report. This report introduces the New Mexico Public Education Department's executive staff and 2006 annual report. Areas reported include: (1) Academic Rigor and Accountability; (2) Closing the Achievement Gap; (3) School Readiness; (4) Quality Teachers; (5) Parent and Community Involvement; (6) Investing in 21st Century Classrooms; (7) Building College and Workforce Readiness; (8) Facts and Figures for 2006 and (9) Looking Forward. [More] Descriptors: School Readiness, Community Involvement, Academic Achievement, Public Education

National Center for Education Statistics (2012). The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools. A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average scores in 2009 and 2011 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average score of eighth-grade students in New Mexico was 145. This was lower than the average score of 151 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2011 (145) was not significantly different from their average score in 2009 (143). In 2011, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 43 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 2009 (45 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 22 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (21 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 57 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (55 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Science 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grade 8. NCES 2012-465," see ED531894.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Economic Status, Educational Assessment

National Center for Education Statistics (2013). The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2013 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 4, Public Schools. Results from the 2013 NAEP assessments show fourth- and eighth-graders making progress in mathematics and reading. Nationally representative samples of more than 376,000 fourth-graders and 341,000 eighth-graders were assessed in either mathematics or reading in 2013. Results are reported for public and private school students in the nation, and for public school students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Department of Defense schools. This snapshot report covers the overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average scores in 2013 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2013, and score gaps for student groups. In 2013, the average score of fourth-grade students in New Mexico was 233. This was lower than the average score of 241 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2013 (233) was not significantly different from their average score in 2011 (233) and was higher than their average score in 1992 (213). The score gap between higher performing students in New Mexico (those at the 75th percentile) and lower performing students (those at the 25th percentile) was 41 points in 2013. This performance gap was not significantly different from that in 1992 (40 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 31 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (30 percent) and was greater than that in 1992 (11 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 74 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (75 percent) and was greater than that in 1992 (50 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: A First Look–2013 Mathematics and Reading. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2014-451," see ED544347.] [More] Descriptors: National Surveys, Educational Indicators, Educational Assessment, Mathematics Achievement

National Center for Education Statistics (2013). The Nation's Report Card Reading 2013 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 4, Public Schools. Results from the 2013 NAEP assessments show fourth- and eighth-graders making progress in mathematics and reading. Nationally representative samples of more than 376,000 fourth-graders and 341,000 eighth-graders were assessed in either mathematics or reading in 2013. Results are reported for public and private school students in the nation, and for public school students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Department of Defense schools. This snapshot report covers the overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average scores in 2013 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2013, and score gaps for student groups. In 2013, the average score of fourth-grade students in New Mexico was 206. This was lower than the average score of 221 for public school students in the nation. ?The average score for students in New Mexico in 2013 (206) was not significantly different from their average score in 2011 (208) and was lower than their average score in 1992 (211). ?The score gap between higher performing students in New Mexico (those at the 75th percentile) and lower performing students (those at the 25th percentile) was 53 points in 2013. This performance gap was not significantly different from that in 1992 (47 points). ?The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 21 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (21 percent) and in 1992 (23 percent). ? The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 52 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (53 percent) and in 1992 (55 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: A First Look–2013 Mathematics and Reading. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2014-451," see ED544347.] [More] Descriptors: National Surveys, Educational Indicators, Educational Assessment, Reading Achievement

National Center for Education Statistics (2013). The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2013 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools. Results from the 2013 NAEP assessments show fourth-and eighth-graders making progress in mathematics and reading. Nationally representative samples of more than 376,000 fourth-graders and 341,000 eighth-graders were assessed in either mathematics or reading in 2013. Results are reported for public and private school students in the nation, and for public school students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Department of Defense schools. This snapshot report covers the overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average scores in 2013 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2013, and score gaps for student groups. In 2013, the average score of eighth-grade students in New Mexico was 273. This was lower than the average score of 284 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2013 (273) was not significantly different from their average score in 2011 (274) and was higher than their average score in 1990 (256). The score gap between higher performing students in New Mexico (those at the 75th percentile) and lower performing students (those at the 25th percentile) was 46 points in 2013. This performance gap was not significantly different from that in 1990 (45 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 23 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (24 percent) and was greater than that in 1990 (10 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 63 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (64 percent) and was greater than that in 1990 (43 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: A First Look–2013 Mathematics and Reading. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2014-451," see ED544347.] [More] Descriptors: National Surveys, Educational Indicators, Educational Assessment, Mathematics Achievement

National Center for Education Statistics (2013). The Nation's Report Card Reading 2013 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools. Results from the 2013 NAEP assessments show fourth- and eighth-graders making progress in mathematics and reading. Nationally representative samples of more than 376,000 fourth-graders and 341,000 eighth-graders were assessed in either mathematics or reading in 2013. Results are reported for public and private school students in the nation, and for public school students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Department of Defense schools. This snapshot report covers the overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average scores in 2013 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2013, and score gaps for student groups. In 2013, the average score of eighth-grade students in New Mexico was 256. This was lower than the average score of 266 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2013 (256) was not significantly different from their average score in 2011 (256) and in 1998 (258). The score gap between higher performing students in New Mexico (those at the 75th percentile) and lower performing students (those at the 25th percentile) was 43 points in 2013. This performance gap was not significantly different from that in 1998 (41 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 22 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (22 percent) and in 1998 (23 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 67 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (68 percent) and in 1998 (71 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: A First Look–2013 Mathematics and Reading. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2014-451," see ED544347.] [More] Descriptors: National Surveys, Educational Indicators, Educational Assessment, Reading Achievement

Herbert, Marion (2012). A Running Start for ELLs, District Administration. One in four students under the age of six comes from an immigrant family in which at least one parent does not speak English. Traditionally, states such as Nevada, California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas have served the vast majority of English language learner (ELL) students, although the surging growth of this demographic–now 5.5 million students–can be seen nationwide in new "gateway" states, including South Carolina, Indiana, Arkansas and Virginia, which are attracting more immigrant families. It is almost inevitable that every teacher across the nation will encounter an ELL student during his or her career if it hasn't happened already. As this population continues to swell, the achievement gap between ELLs and their non-ELL peers continues to widen. Many educators and legislators point to early childhood programs as a solution. There is a vast body of research linking students' performance in their early years to their success in the K12 arena. Achievement patterns in language and reading are established largely in the period from birth through the end of the primary grades. Researchers have also linked early learning to various long-term benefits, including high employment and lower crime rates, compared to those who don't have access. Early learning programs help bridge the gaps in school readiness, and it's in those younger years when the brain is best suited for language acquisition. [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gap, Immigrants, School Readiness, English (Second Language)

National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 4, Public Schools. Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2011, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2011, the average score of fourth-grade students in New Mexico was 208. This was lower than the average score of 220 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2011 (208) was not significantly different from their average score in 2009 (208) and was not significantly different from their average score in 1992 (211). In 2011, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 48 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1992 (47 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 21 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (20 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1992 (23 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 53 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (52 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1992 (55 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-457," see ED525544.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gains, Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Economic Status

National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools. Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2011, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2011, the average score of eighth-grade students in New Mexico was 256. This was lower than the average score of 264 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2011 (256) was not significantly different from their average score in 2009 (254) and was not significantly different from their average score in 1998 (258). In 2011, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 43 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1998 (41 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 22 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (22 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1998 (23 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 68 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (66 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1998 (71 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-457," see ED525544.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gains, Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Economic Status

National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 4, Public Schools. Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2011, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2011, the average score of fourth-grade students in New Mexico was 233. This was lower than the average score of 240 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2011 (233) was higher than their average score in 2009 (230) and was higher than their average score in 1992 (213). In 2011, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 39 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1992 (40 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 30 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (26 percent) and was greater than that in 1992 (11 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 75 percent in 2011. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2009 (72 percent) and was greater than that in 1992 (50 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-458," see ED525545.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Economic Status, Educational Assessment

National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools. Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2011, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2011, the average score of eighth-grade students in New Mexico was 274. This was lower than the average score of 283 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2011 (274) was higher than their average score in 2009 (270) and was higher than their average score in 1990 (256). In 2011, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 46 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1990 (45 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 24 percent in 2011. This percentage was greater than that in 2009 (20 percent) and was greater than that in 1990 (10 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 64 percent in 2011. This percentage was greater than that in 2009 (59 percent) and was greater than that in 1990 (43 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-458," see ED525545.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Economic Status, Educational Assessment

Principal Leadership (2013). Native American Community Academy: The Power of Embracing Culture. The value that Native American nations place on deliberative experiential learning and oral reflection often is opposed to traditional practices in US schools. The inherent differences between those cultural approaches to learning have contributed to the large achievement gap between Native American schools and traditional public schools. In 2006 the Native American Community Academy (NACA) was founded to create a school for Native American students in Albuquerque that would integrate personal wellness and cultural identity with academic success. It was the first collaborative charter school in New Mexico, and it is the only urban public charter school in the state that is designed to serve the academic, cultural, and wellness needs of Native American youth. The Native American Community Academy is a grades 6-12 Title 1 school that is located on two campuses. Grades 6-10 share facilities with an Albuquerque Public School middle school; grades 10-12 are housed in the law school on the University of New Mexico campus. Ninety-five percent of the 415 students are Native American, and they represent more than 50 tribes, including Apache, Cherokee, Cochiti, Lakota, Navajo, Taos, Tiwa, and Zuni. The school is guided by the belief that Native American students thrive in academic environments that include and value their languages, histories, heritages, and cultures. From that vision grew the requirements for Native American language study–Ds are not accepted for credit and each student must complete six hours of college credit prior to graduation. The school's mission was to write a new story for Native American youth that is filled with hope and opportunity. After six years, students of all ages clearly articulate how different school is for them; how they feel a sense of pride when they freely express their identity; how they have learned to respect all other cultures; and most important of all, how they see a future built on a college education. Students express gratitude for being in an education setting that connects their individual background and culture to their academics. They see where they fit in–an essential variable for teenagers. Every facet of the Native American Community Academy is grounded in the school's core values. This article provides a close look at each value followed by implementation strategies to illustrate how students and staff members live, work, and learn together as a community. [More] Descriptors: American Indian Culture, American Indian Education, Experiential Learning, Oral Tradition

National Center for Education Statistics (2010). The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 4, Public Schools. Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2009, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2009, the average score of fourth-grade students in New Mexico was 208. This was lower than the average score of 220 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2009 (208) was lower than their average score in 2007 (212) and was not significantly different from their average score in 1992 (211). In 2009, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 48 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1992 (47 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 20 percent in 2009. This percentage was smaller than that in 2007 (24 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1992 (23 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 52 percent in 2009. This percentage was smaller than that in 2007 (58 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1992 (55 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2009. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2010-458," see ED508911.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gains, Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Educational Assessment

National Center for Education Statistics (2010). The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools. Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2009, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2009, the average score of eighth-grade students in New Mexico was 254. This was lower than the average score of 262 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in New Mexico in 2009 (254) was higher than their average score in 2007 (251) and was lower than their average score in 1998 (258). In 2009, the score gap between students in New Mexico at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 45 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1998 (41 points). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 22 percent in 2009. This percentage was greater than that in 2007 (17 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1998 (23 percent). The percentage of students in New Mexico who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 66 percent in 2009. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2007 (62 percent) and was smaller than that in 1998 (71 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2009. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2010-458," see ED508911.] [More] Descriptors: Achievement Gains, Achievement Gap, Comparative Analysis, Educational Assessment

McNeil, Michele (2012). States Punch Reset Button under NCLB, Education Week. Given the flexibility to revise their academic goals under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, a vast majority of the states that received federal waivers are setting different expectations for different subgroups of students, an "Education Week" analysis shows. That marks a dramatic shift in policy and philosophy from the original law. The waivers issued by the U.S. Department of Education let states abandon the goal of 100 percent proficiency in reading and mathematics for all students and instead hold schools accountable for passing rates that vary by subgroup–as long as those schools make significant gains in closing gaps in achievement. The leeway to set the new academic goals tacitly acknowledges that the 100 percent goal is unrealistic. But it also means that members of racial and ethnic minorities, English-language learners, and students with disabilities will fail to master college- and career-readiness standards by the end of the 2016-2017 school year at greater rates in most waiver states. Offered the new flexibility, only eight states–Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Oregon–set the same targets for all students, according to the "Education Week" analysis of the 34 new state accountability plans. (Wisconsin has the same goal in 2017 for all students, but sets different targets until then.) Although virtually all observers agree now that the NCLB law's demand of 100 percent proficiency for all students is unworkable, many also say the message was important–that schools should be able to get all students to achieve at grade level in math and reading within 12 years after the law took effect. Now, the message is different, and seemingly more realistic: Academic goals can vary, even by subgroup, as long as states significantly close achievement gaps. [More] Descriptors: Federal Legislation, Academic Achievement, Goal Orientation, Expectation

Green, Dan; Penaloza, Linda J.; Chrisp, Eric; Dillon, Mary; Cassell, Carol M.; Tsinajinnie, Eugene; Rinehart, Judith; Ortega, Willa (2006). New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS). 2005 Report of State Results, New Mexico Public Education Department. In the fall of 2005, the New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (NM YRRS) was conducted in New Mexico public high schools, with 5,679 students in grades nine through twelve participating from 20 public high schools in the state. The NM YRRS is a tool that can assist administrators and policy makers in identifying health risk behaviors among students. The goal is to increase academic success by decreasing health risk behaviors that create barriers to student learning and may contribute to the achievement gap. This report presents the state-level results. Report results indicate that between 2003 and 2005, there was a decrease in alcohol and methamphetamine abuse and smoking among New Mexico high school students. Areas that require the continued attention of state agencies include a high rate of attempted suicide; and overall substance use rates that are higher than national averages. Violence-related behavior, such as carrying a weapon to school or fighting, remained statistically unchanged, as did the percentage of students reporting that they ever had sexual intercourse. The results from the NM YRRS provide the basis for decision-making for the development and implementation of new school health policies and programs, and the justification for funding projects to implement those decisions. As data collection moves ahead in years to come (NM YRRS will be offered in middle schools in the spring of 2007 and in the high schools again in the fall of 2007), meaningful long term trends will be identified, increasing the utility of the survey data to positively impact the lives of New Mexico's youth and the health of all New Mexicans. Three appendixes include: (1) 2005 YRRS Survey Results; (2) Survey Methods; and (3) Data Tables. (Contains 33 figures and 5 tables.) [The production of this report was funded through the University of New Mexico Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (UNM CHPDP), with funding from the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) and the CDC-DASH, through the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED).] [More] Descriptors: High Schools, Health Promotion, Prevention, Academic Achievement

Madrigal-Gonzalez, Lizely (2012). Still "Unfinished Education": Latino Students Forty Years after the Mexican American Education Study, ProQuest LLC. The onus of this dissertation was to evaluate the educational conditions of Mexican American students forty years after the "Mexican American Education Study" published a six-volume study detailing the findings of the "Mexican American Education Study" (1970-1974). The "MAES" study focused on five southwest states Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. To learn the current status of Mexican American students, a three-tier scale of analysis was created. Each level of analysis had a specific focus: macro, meso, and micro. The macro level presented a descriptive analysis of the educational status of Mexican American students in the five states presented in the "Mexican American Education Study" ("MAES") reports. The second level of analysis (meso) focused on the state of Texas and examines the achievement gaps between student groups in state standardized assessments since assessment policies were introduced in the state. In micro level of analysis, the educational achievement of Mexican American students in Ysleta Independent School District, located in El Paso, Texas, was examined by analyzing student outcomes over a nine-year period (2003-2011). The findings of this dissertation indicated that nominal change has been evidenced in the educational performance of Mexican American students since the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' "Mexican American Education Study." Notwithstanding the many federal and state educational reforms that have been enacted in the past forty years, the achievement and opportunity gaps have not been eradicated. Subsequently, Mexican American parents need to advocate with a unified voice and force change to the educational policy-making process. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: Hispanic American Students, Mexican Americans, Educational Quality, Standardized Tests

McNeil, Michele (2012). Waiver Hopefuls Put through Paces by Review Process, Education Week. Before awarding waivers from core tenets of the No Child Left Behind Act to 11 states, the U.S. Department of Education ordered changes to address a significant weakness in most states' proposals: how they would hold schools accountable for groups of students deemed academically at risk, particularly those in special education or learning English. The feedback from peer reviewers and the department, now available to the public, provides a road map for states hoping to win waivers in later rounds, and a warning that the department's promise of flexibility is not unlimited. Of the 11 applications submitted in November as part of the first round of judging, seven received full approval Feb. 9, and three won conditional approval, pending additional legislative or policy changes. New Mexico's application, considered the weakest by the department, was approved Feb. 15. At least 20 states are expected to apply for waivers by the next deadline, Feb. 28. A third deadline has been set for Sept. 6. States that need more time to develop their waiver proposals can ask the federal department for a one-year freeze in their annual achievement targets to keep the list of schools not making adequate yearly progress from growing. AYP is the law's key mechanism for tracking schools' performance. But even that temporary flexibility comes with strings: States must agree to adopt college- and career-readiness standards, provide student-growth data to reading and math teachers, and report achievement and graduation gaps for each NCLB subgroup. [More] Descriptors: Federal Legislation, Federal Programs, Educational Improvement, Accountability

Education Trust, Washington, DC. (). Education Watch: New Mexico. Key Education Facts and Figures. Achievement, Attainment and Opportunity. From Elementary School through College. This report compares New Mexico's reading and mathematics performance on the most recent administrations of the state assessment with performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To indicate how New Mexico is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between African American and Latino students and their white, middle class peers, the report presents NAEP data by race/ethnicity. The report presents other state-level data on K-college education, including demographic distribution across each educational level, participation and success in Advanced Placement, percentage of students taking high-level courses, school funding gaps, and high school and college graduation rates. On New Mexico's 2002 reading test, white 4th graders scored at the 65th percentile, while African American 4th graders scored at 48th percentile and Latino 4th graders scored at the 47th percentile. On the 1998 NAEP reading assessment, 52 percent of all 4th graders were basic or above in reading, with 22 percent proficient or above. On New Mexico's 8th grade mathematics assessment, white students scored at the 64th percentile while African American and Latino 8th graders scored at the 41st percentile. On the 2000 NAEP mathematics assessment, 49 percent of all 8th graders were basic or above in mathematics, with 13 percent proficient or above. In 1998, New Mexico had the ninth smallest Latino-White achievement gap on the NAEP 4th grade reading assessment. New Mexico's Latino-white 8th grade math achievement gap falls 14th among states on the 2000 NAEP assessment. Latinos are underrepresented in Advanced Placement exam taking and in enrollment in gifted and talented programs. About 37 percent of New Mexico high school students enroll in college, compared to 54 percent nationwide. Over one-third of New Mexico's secondary classes are taught by teachers lacking a major or minor in the field. Districts with the highest child poverty rates, and those with the highest minority enrollments, have fewer state and local dollars to spend per student. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Advanced Placement, American Indians, Asian American Students

Education Trust, Washington, DC. (). State Summary of New Mexico. Ed Watch Online. This report provides data on the academic achievement gap that separates low-income and minority students from other students, examining how well different groups of students perform in New Mexico and noting inequities in teacher quality, course offerings, and funding. Included are tables and data that provide: a frontier gap analysis (a comparison of New Mexico to the leaders in achievement and gap closing); student profile (the demographic distribution of youth in New Mexico); state performance (academic achievement and educational attainment); opportunity (well prepared teachers, challenging curricula, special student placements, effective instruction, and annual per pupil investments); minority achievement gains, state by state; and analysis of minority-white achievement gaps by subject area and grade level. African American 8th graders in New Mexico score 2 years behind white 8th graders in the state in writing. Hispanic 8th graders in New Mexico score more than 2 years behind white 8th graders in the state in math, science, and reading, and nearly 2 years behind in writing. The state's poor/non-poor achievement gap would close for 8th graders in both math and science if poor students in New Mexico scored as well as poor students in North Dakota. (Contains 24 references.) [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Black Students, Curriculum, Educational Attainment

Howes, Carollee, Ed.; Pianta, Robert C., Ed. (2011). Foundations for Teaching Excellence: Connecting Early Childhood Quality Rating, Professional Development, and Competency Systems in States, Brookes Publishing Company. Improving teacher quality in early education is a major part of ensuring young children's school readiness and closing the achievement gap. This is the book decision-makers and administrators need to begin developing coordinated, effective teacher quality systems–ones that not only get teachers ready for the classroom, but also promote continuous learning of new skills and strategies. Edited by renowned early childhood education (ECE) experts Carollee Howes and Robert Pianta, this book is the first effort to integrate at a state level three critical components of teacher quality: Early Childhood Education Competencies, Professional Development, and Quality Rating Systems. After an in-depth exploration of all three components and their role in high-quality education, readers will get detailed analyses of how six states are making progress toward integrating them. Through case studies on each state–Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, and Pennsylvania–readers will examine the diverse approaches these systems are taking to: (1) determine early childhood education competencies and systematically link them with professional development and quality rating systems (QRS); (2) develop and manage the structure, content, and delivery of effective professional development; (3) establish the staff qualifications required at each QRS level, encourage teachers to move beyond basic licensing requirements; (4) organize and direct their funds; (5) provide incentives and motivation for staff participation in professional development; (6) create clear partnerships between state organizations to promote integration of systems; (7) and more. A call-to-action volume on three of the hottest topics in ECE, "Foundations for Teaching Excellence" represents today's best thinking about teacher quality and accountability, straight from 20 expert researchers, program directors, and leaders in the ECE policy field. Decision-makers and administrators will consider this book an essential reference as they take the first steps toward statewide, integrated teacher quality systems–and ensure that every young child gets the best possible education. This book contains two parts. Part I, National-Level Concerns, contains: (1) Early Childhood Professional Development Systems Definitions and Measurement Approaches (Martha Zaslow, Tamara Halle, Kathryn Tout, and Debra Weinstein); (2) Integrating Quality Rating Systems and Professional Development Systems in Early Childhood (Lori Connors-Tadros and Barbara Coccodrilli Carlson); (3) Integrating Professional Standards for the Early Childhood Workforce: Putting the Pieces Together (Sarah LeMoine, Alison Lutton, Davida McDonald, and Jerlean Daniel); and (4) Early Childhood Competencies: Sitting on the Shelf or Guiding Professional Development? (Pamela J. Winton and Tracey West). Part II, Implementation at the State Level, contains: (5) What Do State Quality Rating Systems Say About Early Childhood Education Competencies and Professional Development? (Youngok Jung, Cathy Tsao, and Jennifer Vu); (6) Professional Development Systems for Early Childhood Educators within a State and Federal Policy Context (Sandra L. Soliday Hong, Terri Walters, and Tamar Mintz); and (7) Evaluating the Integration of Systems on Effective Teaching, Classroom Environments, and Children's Preacademic Learning (Promjawan Udommana, Jill Haak, and Tamar Mintz). An appendix and an index are included. [More] Descriptors: School Readiness, Teacher Effectiveness, Early Childhood Education, Incentives

Francis, Briana Hovendick; Lance, Keith Curry; Lietzau, Zeth (2010). School Librarians Continue to Help Students Achieve Standards: "The Third Colorado Study (2010)." A Closer Look, Online Submission. In 2000, the Colorado State Library published "How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards: The Second Colorado Study." This follow-up study is the third Colorado study of the impact of school libraries and librarians on academic achievement, and the second study to examine their impact on student performance on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) tests. The findings of this latest study are consistent with those of the two previous studies on several key points. Students tend to perform better on achievement tests where school libraries have more full-time equivalents (FTEs) of staffing; larger collections of periodicals and instructional videos; better-networked online resources made accessible via computers in the library as well as in classrooms, labs, and offices; higher total library expenditures; and heavier use, as indicated by both library visits and circulation. Between 2000 and 2009, similar findings have been generated by studies in 17 other states (Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin) as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. Many of these studies also present evidence that the relationships between library programs and test performance cannot be explained away by other school or community conditions. (Contains 8 tables and 4 charts.) [This report was produced by the Library Research Service (LRS), a unit of the Colorado State Library, Colorado Department of Education.] [More] Descriptors: Library Research, Academic Achievement, Achievement Tests, Program Effectiveness

Alliance for Excellent Education (2009). Understanding High School Graduation Rates in New Mexico. Graduation rates are a fundamental indicator of whether or not the nation's public school system is doing what it is intended to do: enroll, engage, and educate youth to be productive members of society. Since almost 90 percent of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs require some postsecondary education, having a high school diploma and the skills to succeed in college and the workplace are essential. Yet nationally, one-third of students–about 1.3 million each year–leave high school without a diploma, at a high cost to themselves and society at large. Unacceptably low graduation rates, particularly among poor and minority students, have been obscured for far too long by inaccurate data, calculations, and reporting, and inadequate accountability systems at the state and federal levels. This report provides New Mexico's latest graduation rate statistics, demonstrates its graduation gaps between demographic groups, illustrates its discrepancies in graduation rates reported by government and independent sources, and examines its economic costs of dropouts to individuals and society. [This report is a companion to "Understanding High School Graduation Rates in the United States." For the main report, see ED506961.] [More] Descriptors: Graduation Rate, Dropouts, Graduation, Academic Achievement

Alliance for Excellent Education (2009). Federal High School Graduation Rate Policies and the Impact on New Mexico. In today's economy, employers increasingly demand that workers have a high school diploma, yet America's graduation rates are unacceptably low, particularly among poor and minority students. Nationally, only about 70 percent of students graduate from high school on time with a regular diploma; for African American and Hispanic students, this number drops to little more than 50 percent. For too long, inaccurate data, misleading official graduation and dropout calculations, and inadequate accountability systems at the state and federal levels have obscured low graduation rates. Over the last few years, independent researchers have published more reliable graduation rate estimates, most states have improved their data collection systems, and some states have adopted more reliable graduation rate calculations. These are positive changes, but they do not solve the problems: graduation rates used for accountability purposes remain inconsistent across states and there is insufficient accountability for increasing graduation rates over time. As a result, a chorus of voices continued to demand that policymakers address the remaining flaws and inconsistencies in both the state calculations and data system, as well as the federal graduation rate accountability policies. In October 2008, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) responded by releasing regulations that change requirements for states' calculations, reporting, and accountability systems for graduation rates under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Although these regulations, if properly implemented, offer hope for significant improvement, some of their provisions–particularly around accountability goals for increasing graduation rates–leave room for considerable variation across states that could undermine the regulations' intention to improve accountability for graduation rates. The regulations address three important components of graduation rate policy: graduation rate definitions, graduation rate accountability, and data and data systems. This document summarizes the changes the new regulations would make in these three policy areas and describes how New Mexico's current graduation rate policies might be affected. [More] Descriptors: Educational Attainment, Secondary Education, High School Students, High Schools

Frieder-Vierra, Andrea (). School-Year and Summer Reading Growth of Minority and Non-Minority Children in Albuquerque, New Mexico, . This study investigated whether summer vacation accounts for more of the reading achievement gap between minority and non-minority children than does the school year. To test for the summer effect, the reading subtests of the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills were administered to approximately 1,200 fifth-grade children in 15 public schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ethnic, income, and residential data were also collected. Results indicated that summer does not account for more of the reading gap between minority and non-minority children; in fact, the gap closed during the summer and widened during the school year. Residence is the most effective variable in this context. Three calendar-year learning patterns emerged. The first involves substantial school-year loss offset by summer gain. The second involves moderate school-year gain offset by summer loss. The third involves excellent school-year gain and no summer loss. These patterns are described in terms of barrio and non-barrio Chicano children in different income groups. The results of this study were also compared to the results of three previous related studies. The comparisons and results are discussed. Descriptors: Doctoral Dissertations, Grade 5, Intermediate Grades, Mexican Americans