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>>NEXT IS OUR AMERICAN GRADUATE, KEEP THE PROMISE
EDUCATION COMMUNITY TOWN HALL. YOUR VOICE COUNTS, TOO. WHAT
DO YOU THINK ABOUT EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO? WHAT CAN WE DO
ABOUT THE DROPOUT CRISIS? PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE
"NEWMEXICOPBS.ORG" AND LOOK FOR THE "TAKE A QUIZ" BUTTON
TO TAKE OUR SURVEY AND FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COOL NEW
MEXICO PBS PRIZE PACKAGE. >> YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A
LOT OF COMMENTS THAT CLASS SIZE DOESN'T DIRECTLY AFFECT
CURRICULUM BUT IT DOES WHEN YOU ISOLATE A KID WHO CAN'T
ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE A TEACHER CAN'T GET TO THEM EVER.
>> LEGISLATURE WAS ASSURED BY MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS THAT TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND EDUCATORS WERE
COMPLETELY FINE WITH A COUPLE MORE STUDENTS IN THEIR
CLASSROOM. FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
>> THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES A SUFFICIENT EDUCATION,
800 MILLION-DOLLARS NEED TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
>> AND, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I GOT THAT KID -- THAT KID CAME
IN FROM THE THIRD GRADE LEVEL, I GOT THEM UP TO A SEVENTH
GRADE LEVEL IN ONE YEAR, IF THAT KID DIDN'T GET THE 11TH
GRADE LEVEL THAT IS SET BY A SET NUMBER, AND, THEREFORE, I
AM AT 50%, I AM NOW AN INEFFECTIVE TEACHER.
>> THIS PRESSURE COOKER THAT IS CREATED WITH ALL THE
TESTING THAT IS HAPPENING, IT IS LIKE IMPLODING IN THE
SCHOOLS. AND OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY
MY SON, WAS SHUTTING DOWN. >> IT HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT
AT MY SCHOOL, TO TAKE A TEST IS TO TAKE AWAY TIME FROM
ANOTHER TEST. >> MY THIRD GRADERS ARE
REQUIRED TO DO SEVERAL TESTS AND AS A TEACHER, DO THEY BOTH
HELP YOU IN TERMS OF INSTRUCTION?
>> I DON'T NEED ALL OF THEM, NO.
THEY DON'T INFORM MY TEACHING AS MUCH AS SOME PEOPLE THINK
THEY DO. >> EDUCATION REFORM IS ONE OF
THE MOST CRUCIAL ISSUES FACING NEW MEXICO TODAY.
EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE CHANGE BUT THERE IS LITTLE AGREEMENT
ON WHAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD BE.
IT IS TIME TO BRING EDUCATORS, PARENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND
STUDENTS TOGETHER FOR A CANDID AND PROGRESSIVE CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW TO TRANSFORM, AND REFORM NEW MEXICO'S EDUCATION
SYSTEM. >> THAT IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
HAS ALREADY BEGUN IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NEW MEXICO.
CITIES LIKE ALBUQUERQUE, SANTA FE, LAS CRUCES AND GALLUP.
OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM THOSE MEETINGS HAVE ALREADY
LED TO A NEW STATE-WIDE RESOLUTION OUTLINING THE GOALS
AND ASPIRATIONS OF A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
NOW, IT IS TIME TO MOVE THAT CONVERSATION FORWARD AS WE
SEARCH FOR CLEAR, CONCRETE CHANGES THAT WILL ACCOMPLISH
THOSE GOALS AND TAKE OUR SCHOOLS FROM FAILING TO
FLOURISHING. >> I WATCHED HIM DO HIS BEST.
I WATCHED HIM HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE AND I WATCHED HIM
FAIL. >> I AM LIKE WE ARE GOING TO
TRY HARDER, WE'RE GOING TO STUDY A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AND
I AM GOING ON HELP YOU GRADUATE.
>> NEW MEXICO IS ONE OF THE MANY STATES INVOLVED IN A
NATIONAL INITIATIVE AIMED AT KEEPING STUDENTS
IN THE CLASSROOM AND REDUCING THE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE.
IT IS CALLED AMERICAN GRADUATE, LET'S MAKE IT
HAPPEN. WE HOPE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN HERE
IN THE NEW MEXICO PBS STUDIOS TONIGHT AS WE CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION STARTED IN THOSE DIFFERENT VERY DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES. THE GOAL IS SIMPLE, TO SEEK
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGING ISSUES OF TESTING, TEACHER
EVALUATIONS AND CLASS SIZE. JOIN US FOR THIS AMERICAN
GRADUATE SPECIAL. >> AMERICAN GRADUATE COMMUNITY
TOWN HALLS ARE PART OF AMERICAN GRADUATE "LETS
MAKE IT HAPPEN". A PUBLIC MEDIA INITIATIVE
MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC
BROADCASTING. >> WE BEGIN WITH THE SUBJECT
OF CLASS SIZE. THE PARTICIPANTS AT AN EARLIER
TOWNHALL FRAMED THEIR VISION FOR NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS THIS
WAY; CALLING FOR WELL-MAINTAINED, INSPIRING
CLASSROOMS, WITH SMALL CLASS SIZES THAT ENGAGE AND FOSTER A
STRONG STUDENT-EDUCATOR RELATIONSHIP.
HERE IN NEW MEXICO, CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED BY STATE LAW.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE SHOULD SEE ONLY 20 STUDENTS PER
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER OR 24 PER SIXTH GRADE TEACHER, BUT SINCE
2009, BUDGET SHORTFALLS AND OTHER CHALLENGES HAVE PROMPTED
LEGISLATORS TO WAIVE THOSE LIMITS.
THE RESULT IS SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE AS MANY AS 30
CHILDREN IN A CLASS AND HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE EVEN MORE.
WHAT TO DO? LET'S TURN TO OUR AUDIENCE FOR
IDEAS. >> MY CLASS SIZE STARTED OFF
HUGE THIS YEAR. MY AP CLASSES I HAD 42
STUDENTS. IN MY REGULAR ED CLASSES THEY
ARE HOLDING STEADY AT 36. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT WE
HAVE WITH CLASS SIZES THAT ARE WELL OVER WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE
IS STUDENTS GET LOST IN THAT SHIFT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT CLASS
SIZE DOESN'T DIRECTLY AFFECT CURRICULUM.
IT DOES WHEN YOU ISOLATE A KID WHO CAN'T ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE
A TEACHER CAN'T GET TO THEM EVER.
AND THEN, ADDED TO THAT, YOU KNOW, MY 42 STUDENTS IN MY AP
CLASS THAT ENDED UP BEING 34, THAT MEANS EIGHT KIDS WENT
AWAY FROM MY CLASS BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY GO INTO OTHER
CLASSES. YOU CAN SEE THE ISOLATION AND
ALIENATION THAT IS HAPPENING TO THOSE KIDS ALREADY.
KIDS ARE DRASTICALLY AFFECTED BY THE FACT THEY ARE EASILY
OVERWHELMED IN A CLASS THAT BIG, THEY CAN'T STAY FOCUSED;
THEY ARE NOT GETTING HELP THEY NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
SO, THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT CLASS SIZE IS DOING RIGHT NOW.
>> IN 2009, THAT IS WHEN NEW MEXICO STARTED THIS PROCESS OF
WAIVING THE CLASS SIZE LIMITS. BY ANY CHANCE WERE YOU A
TEACHER BEFORE 2009? >> EARLY ON BASICALLY WE WERE
AT 160 STUDENTS. IDEALLY YOU WOULD WANT AROUND
30 KIDS. YOU WANTED TO HAVE SOMEWHERE
AROUND 150 TOTAL STUDENTS. WHAT WE HAVE GOTTEN TO NOW,
WE'RE ALMOST 30 KIDS OVER THAT.
SO I HAVE ABOUT 180 STUDENTS THAT I TEACH, SO THAT IS 30
MORE PAPERS TO GRADE, 30 MORE INTERVENTIONS THAT NEED TO
TAKE PLACE IF THEY ARE STRUGGLING.
THAT IS 30 POTENTIALLY, SPECIAL NEEDS CASES YOU NEED
TO, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE TRYING TO MAINSTREAM SOME OF
OUR SPECIAL ED KIDS AND AUTISTIC KIDS.
THE PROBLEM IS IF I CAN'T GIVE THEM THE ATTENTION THEY NEED,
THOSE ARE THE KIDS WE ARE GOING TO NOT MAKE TIME FOR
FIRST. THEY ARE THE KIDS THAT ARE
ALREADY STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL. >> NEXT, IF I CAN, I WOULD
LIKE TO TALK TO MR. ABEYTA AND GET CONTEXT AROUND WHY WE SEE
SOME OF THESE SHORTFALLS IN TERMS OF FUNDING.
>> SHORTFALLS THAT WE STARTED TO SEE IN 2009 WAS BASED ON
THE FACT THAT NEW MEXICO'S ECONOMY WAS IN A RECESSION
WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. SO, WE HAD TO MAKE HARD
CHOICES AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO DETERMINE WHAT
WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED AND WHAT WE COULD
FUND TO THE PROPER LEVELS. A LOT OF FACTORS CAME INTO THE
DECISION OF PULLING BACK ON SOME OF THE FUNDING TOWARDS
EDUCATION WHICH MANY OF YOU EDUCATORS SAW A DECREASE IN
FUNDING TO OUR LIBRARY PROGRAMS, AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS, ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT WOULD HAVE ASSISTED YOU.
IN THAT, WE ALSO -- DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS DETERMINED
THAT POSSIBLY, MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO HIRE ANOTHER TEACHER
FOR THIS NEXT YEAR. MAYBE WE COULD PUT IN A COUPLE
MORE STUDENTS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS.
AND, THE LEGISLATURE WAS ASSURED BY MANY DIFFERENT
SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND EDUCATORS WERE
COMPLETELY FINE WITH A COUPLE MORE STUDENTS IN THEIR
CLASSROOM. FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL WE
COULD GET BACK TO THOSE FUNDING LEVELS WHERE WE COULD
CONTINUE TO FUND EDUCATION AT THE LEVEL THAT IT DESERVES TO
BE FUNDED AT. WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER TIME IS
THAT WE HAVE SEEN A SLOW COMEBACK OF THE ECONOMY HERE
IN NEW MEXICO. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WAYS TO MAKE SURE WE FUND IT AT PROPER LEVELS BUT THE
ISSUE KEEPS COMING BACK THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY STUDENTS IN
THE CLASSROOM. WE HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAD THREE INDEPENDENT STUDIES THAT HAVE
BEEN PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATURE AND WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT AN 800 MILLION-DOLLAR PRICE TAG FOR THE STATE OF NEW
MEXICO TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO THOSE STATUTE CLASS SIZE THAT
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. >> 800 MILLION IS WHAT IT
WOULD COST US TO GO BACK TO FOLLOWING THE LAW AS CURRENTLY
WRITTEN WITHOUT THE WAIVER? >> ALONG THE WITH THE WAIVER,
ALONG WITH THE WAIVER, WE STILL HAD ABUNDANT GROWTH, SO
IT IS THAT ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS COME
ALONG THROUGH TIME. WE OPENED MORE SCHOOLS, WE
HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A POPULATION GROWTH.
WE HAVE SEEN BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY BEING WHAT IT IS, WE
HAVE SEEN FAMILIES BEING UPROOTED FROM SMALLER RURAL
COMMUNITIES INTO LARGER METRO AREAS.
SO, THEY ARE GETTING A LARGER CHUNK OF THE PIE.
BUT, THEY ARE STILL DEALING WITH THOSE CLASSROOM PROBLEMS
IN TOWNS LIKE RESERVE WHERE THEY HAVE 45, 50 STUDENTS TO A
CLASSROOM, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE TAX
BASE TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL, BUILD A DIFFERENT CLASSROOM,
FUND A TEACHER, BECAUSE THAT IS THE OTHER PROBLEM IS
GETTING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS TO RURAL AREAS.
>> OKAY. >> I HAVE BEEN IN REGULAR
CLASSES BEFORE, WITH AS MUCH AS 42 STUDENTS.
WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN A CLASS, EACH
STUDENT THAT YOU HAVE, LIKE, A LITTLE LESS PERSONALITY IS
TAKEN OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. YOU JUST HAVE A CLOSER
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR TEACHER WHEN THERE IS SMALLER CLASS
SIZE. >> VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU. >> EDUCATION IS A RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT.
IT IS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF A CHILD IS WELL PREPARED TO
COME TO SCHOOL, IT IS BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THAT
CHILD AND THEIR PARENTS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD
RELATIONSHIP AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
IT IS THE SAME THING IN THE CLASSROOM, SO IF I, AS A
TEACHER, HAVE TIME TO KNOW EACH CHILD, THEN I CAN
INDIVIDUALIZE A LOT. IF I DON'T, THEN IT IS GOING
TO HAVE TO BE A LOT LESS INDIVIDUALIZED AND SO IT WON'T
BE AS APPROPRIATE. IT IS THE SAME THING AS A
PARENT LOOKING AT THEIR CHILDREN AND SAYING, WELL,
THEY ARE ALL ALIKE, I AM GOING TO TREAT THEME EXACTLY THE
SAME OR LOOKING AT YOUR CHILD, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE
DIFFERENTLY, IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE, AND KNOWING THEY
HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND ABLE TO APPLY, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT
METHODS IN REARING THEM. SAME THING WITH A TEACHER.
>> THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO BE ADAPTIVE IS LIMITED WHEN THE
CLASSROOM SIZE GROWS. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ARE YOU ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN CLASS SIZES BEFORE 2009 AND AFTER?
>> YES. AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND AT
MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE EXPANDED JUST HORRENDOUSLY,
REALLY, YES. >> ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I
THINK ABOUT EDUCATION IS I STUDY TEACHING FROM THE OTHER
SIDE. SO I HAVE STUDIED HOW TEACHERS
AND CHILDREN LISTEN TO EACH OTHER.
A LOT OF US HAVE A VISION OF TEACHING AS A TEACHER STANDS
IN FRONT OF THE ROOM AND JUST TALKING AT KIDS.
AND, SO, IT IS OKAY IF YOU HAVE 45 KIDS IN THERE BECAUSE
IT IS JUST THE TEACHER TALKING, BUT EDUCATION IS
REALLY ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN
NOT THE TEACHER TALKING AT CHILDREN THAT MAKES EDUCATION
WORK. IT IS ABOUT CHILDREN BEING
HEARD AND RESPONDED TO SO THAT YOU CAN LISTEN TO WHAT ARE
THEIR QUESTIONS, WHAT ARE THEY EXCITED ABOUT?
AND IF WE'RE DOING EDUCATION RIGHT, YOUR QUESTIONS AND
IDEAS HAVE TO BE HEARD AND IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE
CONVERSATION. >> IS THERE ANYONE IN HERE WHO
CAN SPEAK OR KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT ADAPTIVE TEACHING
STRATEGIES OR THINGS TEACHERS CAN DO TO MAKE A FULLER
CLASSROOM WORK WELL? >> ONE OF THE THINGS I SEE
HERE IN NEW MEXICO IS THAT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS WEALTH
OF THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE WHO HAVE A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TALENTS. ONE OF THE STRATEGIES I WOULD
ADVISE IS TO DESIGNATE A PERSON AT A SCHOOL SITE TO
ACTUALLY WORK ON WHO ARE THOSE RELEVANT VOLUNTEERS THAT COME
INSIDE THE CLASSROOM, AND TEACHERS BECOME FACILITATORS
OF A TEAM TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE. IT IS DONE WITH SPORTS.
YOU LOOK AT SPORTS TEAMS, RIGHT?
THERE YOU DON'T PUT A HEAD FOOTBALL COACH IN CHARGE OF 40
GUYS. HE HAS NUMEROUS ASSISTANTS.
>> IF THE CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF NEEDING THE TEACHER CLASS
SIZE QUOTAS THAT WE WANT TO SEE IS TRIGGERED ON TAX
DOLLARS, PROPERTY TAXES, YOUR BOND INITIATIVES, WHAT HAVE
YOU, HOW MANY FOLKS ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE IN TAXES
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? >> A WHOLE BUNCH OF US, OKAY.
>> HOW MANY OF YOU THINK THE WAY YOU RAISED YOUR HAND IS
REFLECTIVE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS OR OTHER PEOPLE WE KNOW.
>> ALMOST THE WHOLE ROOM SAID, I PERSONALLY MIGHT PAY MORE
AND WE HAD 2/3 OF THE ROOM SAY AND I THINK MY NEIGHBORS WOULD
PAY MORE. >> YES, MA'AM.
>> WHY CAN'T THEY INCREASE THE FUNDING TO PAY TEACHERS FOR
SIX YEARS THAT HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE PAY RAISE.
I COME FROM VIRGINIA WHERE WE'RE NOT THE RICHEST STATE IN
THE UNION IN TERMS OF TEACHER PAY, BUT LET ME TELL YOU,
TEACHERS WERE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND WE GOT INCREASED
PAY EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THE INCREDIBLE
CRUEL TREATMENT AND THIS ABUSIVE TREATMENT OF TEACHERS
TO NOT GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, RESOURCES,
FINANCIAL AND THEN, TO INCREASE THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE BEING IMPOSED ON THEM, I THINK
THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. I THINK WE NEED TO PUT
PRESSURE ON THE PEOPLE IN THE LEGISLATURE TO PUSH FOR
FUNDING INCREASES. >> TEACHERS IN THE ROOM, HAVE
ANY OF YOU HAD A PAY INCREASE IN THE LAST SIX YEARS?
>> SO, A COUPLE OF FOLKS HAVE. >> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
TIER SYSTEM. PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN GETTING
RAISES. DO YOU HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING?
TIER 1, 2, 3 AND THEY COME WITH AN INCREASE OR THEY ARE
MORE CERTIFIED AND THERE IS A STIPEND FOR THAT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE A STRAIGHT INCREASE, THIS LAST
YEAR, IT WAS, WHAT, 1%. ALMOST INSULTING.
IT WASN'T EVEN THE COST OF LIVING AND I THINK -- BUT I
DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS EVEN REALLY WHERE TEACHERS ARE
CONCERNED. YEAH, TEACHERS WOULD LIKE TO
GET PAID MORE FOR THEIR WORK BUT I REALLY THINK THAT WHAT
TEACHERS WANT IS AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN DO
THEIR JOBS THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO DO BECAUSE THEY ARE
PROFESSIONALS AND TO THE BEST THEY CAN FOR THEIR KIDS.
AND IF MY FUNDING WENT UP IN MY CLASSROOM AND MY JOB BECAME
EASIER TO DO BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING IN MY CLASSROOM, LIKE,
YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A RAISE, I'LL TAKE IT, BUT REALLY WHAT
I THINK TEACHERS ARE FIGHTING FOR IS AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB BETTER. >> ONE OF THE THINGS TEACHERS
ARE JUDGED ON IS THE ENVIRONMENT OF THEIR
CLASSROOM. AND, I WAS JUST SPEAKING WITH
A TEACHER TWO DAYS AGO, THAT WAS DOWNGRADED ON THEIR
OBSERVATION EVALUATION PORTION BECAUSE THEY HAD 44 KIDS IN A
SCIENCE LAB THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR 24 KIDS.
SO, THEY GIGGED HER BASICALLY ON THE FACT THAT SHE WASN'T
CREATING AN EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO THE
BEST LEARNING STRATEGIES. AND, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN'T.
THERE IS NO ROOM IN THAT LAB AND SO IT IS KIND OF A CATCH
22 AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TEACHER EVALUATION.
>> WE MOVE NEXT TO THE TOPIC OF TESTING AND ADMITTEDLY THIS
IS A HOT BUTTON ISSUE. THE RESOLUTION GENERATED BY THE
REGIONAL CONVERSATIONS CALLS FOR SUPPORTIVE STATE AND LOCAL
EDUCATORS THAT PROMOTE STUDENTS AND EDUCATION
FRIENDLY POLICIES THAT PRIORITIZE TEACHERS AND
LEARNING BEFORE TESTING. THAT SAID, MANY PARENTS AND
EDUCATORS DO BELIEVE THAT STANDARDIZED TESTING PLAYS AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
SO, WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE UPSET? AND WHAT DO TESTS TELL US
ABOUT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE THE RIGHT
BALANCE BETWEEN TIME SPENT ON INSTRUCTION AND TESTS?
>> MY THIRD GRADERS, EIGHT AND NINE, ARE REQUIRED TO DO
SEVERAL TESTS THREE TIMES A YEAR.
THEY DO READING, MATH, MAPS AND THEN THEY DO SPA.
A LOT OF THESE TESTS ARE IN THE COMPUTER, SO IN ADDITION
TO TAKING AN HOUR LONG TESTS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR, I HAVE
TO TEACH THEM HOW TO LOG ON AND FIND ANSWERS AND IT TAKES
UP HUGE AMOUNTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
>> AS A TEACHER, DO THEY BOTH HELP YOU IN TERMS OF
INSTRUCTION. >> I DON'T NEED ALL OF THEM.
THEY DON'T INFORM MY TEACHING AS MUCH AS SOME PEOPLE THINK
THEY DO. >> I TEACH ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ARTS SO THAT MEANS THAT MY KIDS TAKES LOTS AND LOTS OF
TESTS. THIS YEAR, THE JUNIORS AT MY
SCHOOL WILL TAKE OVER 50 HOURS OF STANDARDIZED TESTS.
ALL OF THOSE ARE MANDATED BY THE PED EXCEPT FOR SIX.
IT IS A HUGE, HUGE BURDEN ON THE KIDS AND ON US.
AND AS FAR AS INFORMING MY INSTRUCTION, I DON'T GET
RESULTS FOR MOST OF THOSE TESTS SO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW
THOSE TESTS CAN INFORM MY INSTRUCTION.
MY STUDENTS DON'T GET DETAILED RESULTS, I DON'T GET DETAILED
RESULTS ON THEM. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
STANDARDS THEY ALIGN TO, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PREPARE MY
KIDS FOR SOME OF THESE TESTS. STUDENTS DON'T KNOW THEM.
THE LAST TEST I GAVE MY STUDENTS, WE WERE TOLD ONE DAY
IN ADVANCE THAT THESE KIDS WOULD BE TAKING IT AND THEN
AGAIN IT WAS ON THE COMPUTER, LIKE WHITNEY SAID, SO WE ALL
HAD TO WING IT THAT MORNING AND TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO
USE THE PROGRAM. LOTS OF ERRORS IN IT.
SO, WE HAD ISSUES WITH OBVIOUSLY TIME.
IT TOOK UP ABOUT FOUR HOURS OF INSTRUCTION TO GIVE JUST THE
ONE TEST. AND AGAIN IT IS NOT HELPING ME
OR THEM. IT IS MAKING THEM FEEL BAD
WHEN ALL THEY GET THAT IS A NUMBER THAT SAYS THEY ARE
BELOW PROFICIENT OR NOT PROFICIENT.
>> THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SBA OR THIS IS ONE OF THESE ADD-ON
TESTS. >> THE ONE I CALLED IS RIA, IT
IS BENCHMARK STANDARD BASED ASSESSMENT WE HAVE TO GIVE IN
ENGLISH AND MATH THREE TIMES A YEAR, BUT THEN THE KIDS ALSO
IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF
END-OF-COURSE EXAMS. TEACHERS DON'T SEE THOSE IN
ADVANCE. THE KIDS DON'T KNOW HOW TO
PREPARE FOR THEM BUT IT IS THEIR BACKUP EXIT EXAM IF THEY
FAIL THE SBA. SO, RIGHT NOW, THERE IS ABOUT,
I THINK, 12 REQUIRED EOC'S HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE TO
PASS IF THEY FAIL THE SBA. >> WHAT IS EOC?
>> END-OF-COURSE EXAM. THEY TAKE THAT IN ALL KINDS OF
DIFFERENT TOPICS. THE PED STARTED THAT LAST
YEAR, AND THEY TOOK IT IN SCIENCE, HISTORY, ENGLISH AND
MATH. JUST JUNIORS.
AND NOW THERE IS EOC TESTS FOR ALL LANGUAGE, ALL GRADE LEVELS
IN THOSE CONTENT AREAS, IN THE CORE CONTENT AREAS.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE HAD MY KIDS IN THE
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW AND MY YOUNGER SON,
HE IS A FIFTH GRADER, AND I HAVE WITHDRAWN HIM FROM AN A
SCHOOL IN SANTA FE. THAT IS HOW A SCHOOL IS GRADED
IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
>> YOU'RE SAYING THAT IN AN A TO F SCHOOL GRADING SYSTEM,
YOUR SON WAS IN AN A SYSTEM BUT YOU PULLED HIM OUT?
>> A SYSTEM AND I WITHDREW HIM AND I TOLD THE PRINCIPAL AND
SHE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB AND SHE ASKED WHY I WAS DOING THAT
AND I JUST SAID, I AM HAPPY FOR YOU AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB
AND IT IS YOUR JOB AND I UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE THAT
YOU'RE UNDER, BUT TESTING AND THE SBA AND ALL THE PRESSURE,
ALL THIS TESTING IS PUTTING ON THE TEACHERS AND OUR CHILDREN
IS JUST -- THE PARENTS, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
WE CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN LEARNING IN A GOOD ENVIRONMENT
AND THIS PRESSURE COOKER THAT IS CREATED WITH ALL OF THE
TESTING THAT IS HAPPENING, IT JUST IS -- IT IS LIKE
IMPLODING IN THE SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY MY
SON, HE WAS SHUTTING DOWN. BECAUSE, IT IS A NONCREATIVE
ENVIRONMENT. EVERYONE IS HELD TO THE TEST,
TEACH TO THE TEST, SO THAT YOU CAN MAINTAIN THAT A GRADE OR B
GRADE. AND, THAT IS NOT WHAT LEARNING
IS ABOUT. >> THANK YOU.
JUST AS A REMINDER, SBA IS STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENT,
AND THAT IS THE PRINCIPAL EVALUATION TOOL THAT WE SEE
THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> I AM TAKING 15 STANDARDIZED TESTS THIS YEAR.
THAT INCLUDES END-OF-COURSE EXAMS, DISCOVERY TESTS AND
SBA'S MY IP EXAMS. WE'RE TESTING SO MUCH THAT I
KNOW THAT WHEN MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WENT THROUGH HIGH
SCHOOL, AND THEY ARE MUCH OLDER THAN I AM, THEY LEARNED
IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE WERE TESTS BASED OFF WHAT IS
TAUGHT, BUT I AM TAUGHT BASED OFF WHAT IS TESTED.
AND I THINK THAT IS PRETTY AWFUL.
>> IS THE RANGE OF TESTS SHE JUST DESCRIBED TYPICAL OF A
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT? >> IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE.
THERE IS THE SBA WHICH IS SET UP FOR BOTH SCHOOL
ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHETHER A STUDENT CAN GRADUATE.
IF A STUDENT DOESN'T PASS THE SBA, THERE ARE END-OF-COURSE
EXAMS WHICH IS MAYBE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THEY COULD GET TO
GET THAT GRADUATION REQUIREMENT MET.
LOTS OF SCHOOLS MAKE THEM TAKE BOTH, THOUGH, BECAUSE WE DON'T
GET THE RESULTS UNTIL A MONTH LATER.
AND SO ONCE WE HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED THE SBA, WE DON'T
KNOW -- WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE RESULTS UNTIL LATER SO
LET'S GET THE END-OF-COURSE EXAMS TAKEN RIGHT AWAY.
>> INCREASE LIKELIHOOD -- >> THAT THEY WILL PASS AND
THIS IS SUCH PRESSURE ON THE KIDS.
THEY LEAVE SCHOOL. >> I TEACH KINDERGARTEN.
I HAVE 19 STUDENTS. WE TEST THEM ON WHAT IS CALLED
UNIVERSAL SCREENER. EACH OF THESE TESTS HAS TO BE
DONE INDIVIDUALLY AND ORALLY. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS KINDERGARTEN
THEN WE DO A PROGRESS REPORT. AFTER THE PROGRESS REPORT WE
DO WHAT IS CALLED NEW SVPR, THAT IS ABOUT 45 TO AN HOUR
PER CHILD. INDIVIDUALLY.
OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. THEN AFTER WE DO THAT, WE COME
BACK TO ANOTHER SCREENER ON TOP OF ALL OF THE UNIT
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TESTS THEN THE DRA, SO THIS HAPPENS
ALL YEAR LONG. >> DRA.
>> IT IS A READING THAT WE GIVE OUR KIDS IN WINTER AND
SPRING. SO, IF YOU ADD ALL THAT TIME I
AM OUTSIDE OF MY CLASS ABOUT A DAY AND A HALF PER WEEK OF
JUST TESTING. THE ENTIRE MONTH OF NOVEMBER,
WHICH WAS A SHORT MONTH, WAS NOTHING BUT TESTING.
I AM ALSO A PARENT OF AN ALMOST 16 YEAR OLD AND MY SON
IS NOT TESTED. I OPT HIM OUT.
WHICH IS MY RIGHT AS A PARENT TO DO SO.
SO, HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE SBA AND WILL NOT TAKE IT AT ALL
THROUGHOUT HIS EDUCATION. >> HOW COME YOU DON'T WANT HIM
TO TAKE THE TEST? >> I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK
THIS IS RELEVANT AS A PARENT KNOWING WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE
TESTS AND WHAT HE NEEDS TO KNOW.
THANKFULLY HE HAS BEEN AT A ELEMENTARY WHERE HE WAS WITH
ME, WHERE THE TEACHERS CREATED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS THAT
WERE CREATED ON WHAT HE WAS LEARNING NOT ON THE TEST, SO,
WHILE THE OTHER STUDENTS ARE TAKING SBA, MY SON WAS TAKING
A VALID AND RELIABLE ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD INFORM
BOTH HE AND HIS TEACHER WHAT HE WAS LEARNING.
AND I WAS VERY GRATEFUL THOSE TEACHERS TOOK TIME TO CREATE
THAT FOR HIM BUT HE WAS THE ONLY ONE.
>> WHO ELSE HAS COMMENTS ABOUT THE TESTING SITUATION?
>> I WANT TO SHARE A STORY ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED
WITH SOME OF THE SENIORS THIS YEAR.
SO LAST YEAR WITH ALL THE TESTING, THEY WERE JUNIORS
LAST YEAR, TOOK THE SBA. A LOT OF THEM DON'T DO WELL ON
TEST. LOOK AT PED'S WEBSITE AND SEE
THAT. A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE
LIVING IN POVERTY, THEY JUST DON'T TEST WELL, RIGHT?
SO, MOST OF OUR KIDS DON'T. TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD MULTIPLE
OPPORTUNITIES TO GRADUATE WHEN SUPPOSED TO GRADUATE, WE ALSO
GAVE THEM AN END-OF-COURSE EXAM IN SCIENCE.
SO, THE KIDS LAST YEAR AS JUNIORS WERE TAKING CIVICS.
THE ONLY END-OF-COURSE EXAMS AVAILABLE WERE CHEMISTRY AND
BIOLOGY. SO WE THOUGHT, WE'LL GIVE THEM
BIOLOGY. THEY TOOK BIOLOGY A COUPLE
YEARS BEFORE, MAYBE THEY'LL DO OKAY.
THEY TOOK IT AND A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T PASS.
MONTHS LATER WE FIND OUT ON SBA RESULTS THAT OTHER ONES
DIDN'T PASS THAT EITHER. I HAD A CORE GROUP OF KIDS I
WAS WORKING WITH IN MY DEPARTMENT TO GET THEM TO PASS
ANOTHER CHANCE AT EOC, BIOLOGY EXAM, JUST THIS PAST
SEPTEMBER. WE DID A LOT OF SPECIAL
WORKSHOPS FOR THEM, WE WERE ALL GUNG-HO ABOUT IT.
THE KIDS LEARNED A LOT MORE VOCABULARY THEN THEY REALLY
HAD BEFORE. THEY CAME OUT OF THE END OF
THE END-OF-COURSE EXAM PROUD THAT THEY RECOGNIZED A LOT OF
STUFF THAT WAS ON THE TEST. I TOLD THEM I WAS SO PROUD OF
THEM AND THEN WE GRADED THE TEST AND NONE OF THEM PASSED
IT. RIGHT?
SO, I HAD TO MEET WITH THESE KIDS AND SAY, I AM SO PROUD OF
YOU AND ALL YOU HAVE LEARNED, BUT THIS TEST SAYS THAT YOU
DID NOT PASS AND YOU MAY NOT GRADUATE.
OKAY, MISS? SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
WHAT CAN I DO? I AM LIKE, WE ARE GOING TO TRY
HARDER, STUDY DIFFERENTLY AND I AM GOING TO HELP YOU
GRADUATE. THE NEXT DAY WE GOT A MEMO
FROM PED THAT SAID THAT KIDS THIS YEAR AS SENIORS WHO HAD
TAKEN A CLASS AS FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORES NO LONGER HAD TO
PASS THIS TEST THAT ORIGINALLY THEY HAD TO TAKE, RIGHT, AND
HAD TO PASS IT. I WEPT.
I CRIED BEFORE I MET WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE KIDS
WHO ALSO CRIED AND SAID, DOES THIS MEAN WE CAN GRADUATE?
I SAID, YES IT DOES. AND KNOW THAT A TEST NEVER
EVER DEFINES WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.
AND IT IS JUST SO UNFORTUNATE THAT PED IS PLACING A HUGE
AMOUNTS OF EMPHASIS ON JUST THESE PARTICULAR TESTS, WHEN
WE KNOW AS TEACHERS, WE KNOW AS PARENTS, WE KNOW AS
STUDENTS, AND WE WERE STUDENTS OURSELVES, WE ALL LEARN
DIFFERENTLY AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAN JUST TEST SCORES.
>> I HAD TO TEST A STUDENT LAST YEAR.
HE NEEDED TO BE READ TO, SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT, YOU
NEED TO BE READ TO. SO, I READ TO TWO WEEKS -- THE
LIBRARY WAS CLOSED TO THE STUDENTS AND I READ TO HIM
EACH DAY HIS TEST. EXCEPT FOR THE READING PORTION
WHICH I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO READ.
I WATCHED HIM DO HIS BEST. I WATCHED HIM HAVE GOOD
ATTITUDE AND I WATCHED HIM FAIL.
IT WAS UPSETTING TO ME AND I TALKED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHERS AND THESE TESTS ARE ADMINISTERED IN THE SPRING,
THE SBA AND HE SAID IT TAKES HIM THE REST OF THE YEAR TO
GET THOSE STUDENTS TO FEEL OKAY ABOUT THEMSELVES AS
STUDENTS AGAIN. THAT THESE ARE TESTS THAT ARE
DIFFICULT FOR MANY STUDENTS WHO ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE WITHIN
THE NORMS TO DO AND HE HAD TO DO IT AND A NUMBER OF HIS
PEERS DID. SO, I FELT COMPROMISED
WATCHING THAT. >> THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO SUPPORT THE USE OF THE STANDARDIZED TESTS BECAUSE
THEY SAY THAT THE WORKFORCE IS CHANGING IN AMERICA AND THAT
WE NEED STUDENTS WITH A MORE COMPLEX SKILL SET AND THAT WE
NEED TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE HOW WELL THEY ARE OR NOT
MEETING THE BENCHMARKS THAT WE SEE AS A NATION IN TERMS OF
THE DESIRED SKILL SET THAT OUR KIDS WOULD HAVE.
DOES ANYONE IN THIS ROOM HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT WHAT IS
HELPFUL OR USEFUL ABOUT TESTING?
>> I DON'T THINK THE EDUCATORS IN HERE HAVE ISSUES
WITH TESTING. I THINK IT IS THE MULTITUDE OF
TESTING THAT TAKES PLACE. AND, WE AS EDUCATORS, WE
DIFFERENTIATE OUR CLASSROOMS WHETHER WE HAVE SPECIAL
EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THERE, WHETHER WE HAVE BILINGUAL
STUDENTS IN THERE. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE
TRY TO ASSESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ENSURE THEY ARE
ACQUIRING X, Y OR Z CONTENT AND THE WAY THE IMPLEMENTATION
AND FACILITATION OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IS TAKEN
CURRENTLY AND THE HIGH STAKES ATTACHED TO IT, WHETHER IT IS
A SCHOOL GRADE OR EVALUATION PIECE FOR A PARTICULAR
TEACHER, I THINK THAT IS THE FRUSTRATION WHICH MANY PEOPLE
ARE FEELING. AND, HOW CAN WE IN THE SYSTEM
THAT IS BEING PROMOTED CURRENTLY SAY A KID IS A KID
IS A KID WHEN WE SPEND 100% OF OUR TIME DIFFERENTIATING FOR
THE MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT KIDS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR
SYSTEM. I WAS A TERRIBLE TEST TAKER
GROWING UP, STILL A TERRIBLE TEST TAKER.
PLEASE DON'T GO BACK AND LOOK AT MY NTE.
WITH THAT SAID, THERE IS A VALUE TO IT BUT THE HIGH
STAKES VALUE IN WHICH FOLKS ARE TRYING TO DEEM WHETHER
YOU'RE A QUALITY PROFESSIONAL OR NOT, I THINK, IS
INAPPROPRIATE. >> TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW TESTING IS HANDLED IN YOUR SCHOOL.
>> THERE IS NOTHING WORSE AS A PRINCIPAL WHERE THE PARENTS
COME IN, IT IS LIKE THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND, YOU'RE GOING TO
TELL THEM THAT THE CHILD IS GOING TO FAIL BECAUSE HE
HASN'T HANDED IN ANY HOMEWORK. THE FIRST THING A PARENT WILL
SAY, WHY WASN'T I TOLD AHEAD OF TIME?
TAKE THAT AND PUT THAT IN TESTING AND WHAT I DO IS I
TAKE THE TESTING -- 6 THROUGH 12, SO STARTING AT FIFTH
GRADE, I ASK FOR THOSE TEST SCORES.
IT IS A SCALED SCORE. IT IS NOT PROFICIENT,
NON-PROFICIENT ADVANCED. I DON'T EVEN GO THERE.
I LOOK AT THE SCALED SCORE AND I FOLLOW THAT KID EVERY YEAR
UNTIL HE IS A SENIOR AND THEN I CAN SEE, OKAY, WHEN YOU WERE
IN SIXTH GRADE, I HAVE A KID LIKE THIS, HE WAS ABOUT 24
OKAY. THAT IS NOT GOOD.
>> 24 IS A TEST SCORE. >> SCALED SCORE.
OKAY. BUT, I DON'T SAY, YOU'RE
BEGINNING STEP. I SAY YOU'RE AT 24 LET'S MAKE
THAT 26 NEXT YEAR. TEACHERS ARE GIVEN ALL THAT
INFORMATION AND EVERY YEAR, THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION
ABOUT THEIR KIDS AND THEY KNOW WHERE THE KID CAME FROM, WHAT
THEY DID, WHERE THEY ARE GOING.
AND THEN WE KIND OF TALK TO THE KIDS AND THE PARENTS AND
SO THE PARENTS KNOW, YEAH, OKAY, MY STUDENT IS GETTING
BETTER OR MY STUDENT IS NOT GETTING BETTER AND THEN WE
HAVE TO SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT.
BUT, I ONLY DO, BECAUSE I AM MY OWN LEA, I AM MY OWN
DISTRICT, I ONLY HAVE THE END OF COURSE, WHICH THAT WAS
DURING THE RICHARDSON ADMINISTRATION, WHEN THAT LAW
WAS PASSED, WE JUST KEPT PUTTING IT OFF, BUT END OF
COURSE WAS THE FINAL EXAM. AND SO WE HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN
FINALS AND FINALS ARE REQUIRED IN EVERYTHING, EVEN PE.
THAT IS WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS. WHAT I TELL MY TEACHERS IS,
YOU KNOW WHAT, GO PRESENT YOUR FINAL, YOU CAN DO THAT.
AS AN EOC TO PED. IF YOU COVERED THE STANDARDS,
IT IS GOING TO GET APPROVED. MY TEACHERS HAVE THEIRS
APPROVED. IT IS THEIR OWN FINAL AND THEN
I GIVE THE SBA. I DON'T HAVE ALL THESE OTHER
LAYERS UPON LAYERS OF TESTING. I DON'T KNOW EVEN WHAT YOU
WOULD DO WITH ALL THAT DATA. YOU HAVE SO MUCH DATA OVERLOAD
AND NOW YOU HAVE GOT A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT TELLING YOU
ANYTHING. >> ARE YOU IN COMPLIANCE WITH
STATE REGULATIONS ONLY DOING THE TWO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> LET'S JUMP OVER HERE.
>> THE TIME THAT IS BEING SPENT IN CLASSROOM RIGHT NOW
PREPARING FOR THESE STANDARDIZED TESTS IS
INORDINATE. SOME OF THE CLASSROOMS IN SOME
OF THE SCHOOLS THAT I HAVE HEARD OF FROM TEACHERS IS,
THEY CAN'T DO SOCIAL STUDIES UNLESS IT IS GOING TO BE ON
THE STANDARDIZED TEST, CAN'T DO SCIENCE, MAYBE THEY DO
SCIENCE ONCE A WEEK. IF IT IS NOT LINKED TO COMMON
CORE OR SBA AND TESTING, THEN, THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR KIDS' EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOL?
IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GOOD POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY
ARE INTRODUCED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS, DIFFERENT
THINGS AND IT IS BEING -- IT IS BEING STREAMLINED TO
SATISFY THE ADULTS AND WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT
HELPING STUDENTS AND THEY ARE TURNING AGAINST SCHOOL.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HELP GRADUATION RATES IF KIDS
AREN'T ENGAGED IN CLASSROOMS, IF IT IS ALL ABOUT GETTING
THAT SCORE IN READING AND MATH.
>> THIS WOMAN RIGHT HERE IN RED WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT.
>> THE WHOLE PURPOSE BEHIND ALL OF THIS TESTING IS TO FUND
ALL THESE TEST MAKERS, CURRICULUM MAKERS, AND THEY
ARE HUGELY WEALTHY FROM THIS. THAT IS ONE OF THE PURPOSES.
THE OTHER PURPOSE HAS TO DO WITH WHAT STARTED WITH NCLB,
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, WAY BACK.
AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, SUPPOSEDLY IMPROVING OUR
SCHOOLS BUT IT WAS MORE A WAY OF LOCKING IN SCHOOLS AND
RATING THEM. BUT, NOW A, B, C, D, F, WE
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ARE THE REALLY BAD SCHOOLS, OF WHICH I
AM A COUNSELOR OF 600 KIDS IN AN F SCHOOL, AND THEY ARE
WONDERFUL KIDS. SO, NOW, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE THINKING, SCHOOLS ARE TERRIBLE, TEACHERS ARE
TERRIBLE, THE RESPECT FACTOR IS LOST.
IT IS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANT TO MOVE
ALL OF THAT MONEY TO PRIVATE FUNDING, TO PRIVATE EDUCATION
IN SOME WAY. >> WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS
LIKE THIS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WHEN NO CHILD LEFT
BEHIND WAS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THE DAY AND WE
HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, AN A TO F SYSTEM OR
GROWTH MODEL SYSTEMS, THOSE ARE BETTER THAN THE
STATUS MODELS, NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, WHERE YOU HIT
BENCHMARK OUR DIDN'T. THE APPROACH WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT NOW IS ABOUT GROWTH, RIGHT?
IS IT BETTER? >> I THINK IT IS NOT AT ALL
BETTER AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE PERCEPTION FACTOR, WHICH
IS SO IMPORTANT, THAT IN ITSELF HAS BEEN VERY NEGATIVE.
I STARTED TEACHING IN 1975 AND I HAVE STUDENTS WHO HAVE GONE
TO YALE AND HARVARD. I HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE
PRINCIPALS NOW, STUDENTS WHO ARE FUNCTIONING BEAUTIFULLY
AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO TEST THEM BUT MAYBE ONCE.
I WAS TESTED MAYBE ONCE A YEAR OR MAYBE ONCE EVERY THREE
YEARS IN MY OWN EDUCATION. >> DOES ANYBODY ELSE IN THE
ROOM HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT WHETHER THE GROWTH MODEL
APPROACH IS BETTER THAN THE STATUS MODEL?
>> I THINK THE GROWTH MODEL IS BETTER THAN THE STATUS MODEL
BUT WE'RE NOT USING A GROWTH MODEL.
WHAT WE CALL A GROWTH MODEL IS NOT A GROWTH MODEL IN THE WAY
WE ARE MEASURING IT. WHAT WE CALL GROWTH MODEL IS
SOMEBODY LOOKING AT ONE TEST TAKEN ONE DAY OF THE YEAR, IF
THEY DON'T HIT A CERTAIN BENCHMARK OR CERTAIN SUCH
SCORE ON THAT TEST, I GET -- THAT IS 50% OF MY EVALUATION
RIGHT THERE, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I GOT THAT KID
FROM -- THAT KID CAME FROM A THIRD GRADE LEVEL AND I GOT
HIM TO A SEVENTH GRADE LEVEL IN ONE YEAR, THAT KID DIDN'T
GET THE 11TH GRADE LEVEL THAT IS SET BY SET NUMBER AND,
THEREFORE, I AM 50%, I AM NOW AN INEFFECTIVE TEACHER.
>> WE ARE MOVING INTO TEACHER EVALUATIONS.
WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND
THAT IS OUR FINAL TOPIC FOR THIS TOWNHALL.
THIS YEAR NEW MEXICO'S PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED
A NEW SYSTEM FOR TEACHER EVALUATION.
IT INCLUDES IMPROVEMENT ON STUDENT TEST SCORES,
OBSERVATION AND OTHER MEASURES, INCLUDING
ATTENDANCE. STUDENT ACADEMIC GROWTH MAKES
UP A FULL 50% OF THE TEACHER EVALUATION.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL ADVANTAGES AND DRAWBACKS OF
THIS SYSTEM? >> I AM ONE OF THE NM TEACH
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WAS APPOINTED A YEAR AGO BY
THE PED FOR THAT POSITION. I WILL TELL YOU AS MY
EXPERIENCE BEING ON THAT ADVISORY COUNCIL, THAT MY
VOICE AS WELL AS MY -- AND OTHER EDUCATORS IN THAT ROOM,
HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD. IN MY OPINION, I CALL IT THE
RUBBER STAMP GROUP. IT WAS DESIGNED FOR US TO SAY
THAT WE WERE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS GROUP
WITH OUR NAMES ATTACHED WITH MINIMAL, IF ANY, INPUT.
I WILL SAY, THOUGH, EDUCATORS DO WANT TO BE EVALUATED.
WE DO. WE WANT THE FEEDBACK.
WE WANT THE INPUT. WE WANT THE CONVERSATION.
HOWEVER, IN THE SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE, THAT
HAS NOT BEEN VETTED, THAT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY INTRODUCED
TO OUR SCHOOLS OR STAFF, OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR
TEACHERS, IT IS HARMING US IN WAYS THAT THE DETRIMENT HAS
YET TO BE SEEN WHAT IS GOING ON.
CURRENTLY AS WE KNOW WE HAVE A SYSTEM BASED ON A PIE, 50% OF
OUR EVALUATION IS BASED ON A TEST SCORES.
THE OTHER 25% IS OBSERVATION. THE OTHER 25% IS OTHER
MEASURES WHERE DISTRICT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT WHAT
THEY WANTED. THAT WAS THEIR VOICE.
I WILL TELL YOU APS' OPTIONS WERE BOTH DECLINED.
ONE OF THEM WE WANTED TO USE STUDENT SURVEYS AND THAT WAS
REJECTED SO WE DEFAULTED TO 25% OF ATTENDANCE AND THE PDP.
>> PDP, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH WHAT
IS WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IN THE PAST.
15% THAT; 10% IN ATTENDANCE. THE ATTENDANCE PIECE IS REALLY
DIFFICULT ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE.
I WILL TELL YOU PERSONALLY, I AM A MASTECTOMY PATIENT.
FOR ME TO HAVE TO MISS 10 DAYS IS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
THANKFULLY FOR ME, THAT OCCURRED IN THE SUMMER SO I
DID NOT HAVE TO MISS SCHOOL BUT I AM CERTAIN THERE ARE
OTHER TEACHERS IN MY POSITION WHO MAYBE THEY ARE GOING TO
CHEMO, GOING THROUGH DIFFICULT THINGS, AND TO BE TOLD YOU ARE
INEFFECTIVE 10% OF YOUR EVALUATION BECAUSE YOU CANNOT
BE THERE IS HIGHLY DEMORALIZING.
ADDITIONALLY, THE 50% ON A TEST SCORE, I MEAN, I DON'T
KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THAT, IN ANY
WAY, REALLY RANKS HOW WELL A TEACHER DOES.
>> TO BE CLEAR, THE 50% ON THE TEST SCORE, IS A BENCHMARK
NUMBER OR IT IS BASED UPON GROWTH?
IS IT COMPARING HOW THE STUDENT DID ON THE TEST LAST
YEAR TO THIS YEAR OR OVERTIME OR JUST THAT ONE MARKER?
>> LET ME SAY THIS AS WELL, THAT WHAT I AM SAYING RIGHT
NOW CAN CHANGE TOMORROW. OR THE NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT
WEEK. I AM GIVING YOU INFORMATION AS
WHAT I KNOW AS OF RIGHT THIS SECOND.
SO, AND IT DOES CHANGE, THERE ARE EMAILS THAT GO OUT VERY,
VERY REGULARLY. ON DIFFERENT CHANGES.
AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, SBA HAPPENS ONE TIME AND THAT IS A
SNAPSHOT. IF YOUR 50% IS ON THE SBA,
THAT'S A SNAPSHOT. FOR KINDERGARTEN IT IS DRA,
READING TEST, WHICH IS GIVEN TWICE.
IT CAN VARY DEPENDING WHAT GROUP YOU'RE IN.
>> 14 STATES RIGHT NOW HAVE STUDENT GROWTH, STUDENT
ACADEMIC GROWTH AS 50% OF THEIR EVALUATION.
SO WE'RE NOT ALONE WITH THAT 50% NUMBER.
THE REAL INTERESTING THING TO SEE WILL BE, TO WHAT DEGREE IS
THIS SUCCESSFUL HERE AND IS IT SUCCESSFUL ELSEWHERE.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF THE NEW EVALUATION
SYSTEM WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR FOR TEACHERS?
>> I WAS ON THE GOVERNOR'S EFFECTIVE TEACHING TASKFORCE
WHICH WAS THE FIRST ONE. AND, I WILL SAY, I THINK WE
HAD VERY RESPECTFUL, HONEST HARD WORK THAT WENT IN THERE
AND WE HAD ADMINISTRATORS. WE HAD SUPERINTENDENTS, WE HAD
TEACHERS. WE HAD BUSINESS PEOPLE.
AND, THAT WAS A GRUELING SUMMER AND I THINK WHAT WE
CAME OUT WITH WAS GOOD WORK. I HAVE BEEN USING A TEACHER
EVALUATION SYSTEM THAT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS, THAT WE
ACTUALLY CAME UP WITH. WHEN YOU GO AROUND THE COUNTRY
AND ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE THE SAME
ANSWERS AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT THE EVALUATION CAME UP
WITH. >> LET'S COME RIGHT OVER HERE
TO SEAN FOR A SECOND. >> I LIVED UNDER THIS
EVALUATION SYSTEM THIS YEAR AND I GOT A REALLY GOOD
EVALUATION. >> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> I STILL THINK IT IS AN AWFUL SYSTEM AND THIS IS THE
REASON WHY. I THINK I GOT A FAIR CHANCE, I
THINK MY ADMINISTRATION DID WHAT THEY COULD WITH LIMITED
SYSTEM THEY HAVE, BUT 50 -- I HAVE TO DISAGREE RESPECTFUL.
50% OF MINE IS NOT BASED OFF THE TEST I DO.
I AM SOCIAL STUDIES. I DON'T GET TESTED.
50% IS OFF A LETTER GRADE THAT LITERALLY REFLECTS NOTHING I
DO IN THE CLASSROOM AT ALL. LETTER GRADE IS SO COMPLICATED
THAT WHEN WE ASKED SOMEBODY TO AGGREGATE IT FOR US, THEY
COULDN'T FROM THE STATE. SO THERE IS A LOT OF ISSUES
WITH LETTER GRADE SYSTEM. >> ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOUR
PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION IS INFLUENCED BY THE LETTER GRADE
OF THE SCHOOL? >> 50% OF MINE IS, SO, HERE IS
THE REALLY NICE THING. FOR ME BECAUSE I WORK AT EL
DORADO HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT IS A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT
IS, BUT IT IS ALSO A FAIRLY WEALTHY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SBA'S TEND TO MEASURE SOCIAL ECONOMIC STATUS MORE
THAN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. WHEN I LOOK AT THIS SYSTEM, I
GO, WELL, SWEET, I SHOULD BE REALLY HAPPY BECAUSE I GOT AN
A. 50% OF MINE IS ALREADY AN A.
ALL I HAVE GOT TO DO IS NOT SCREW UP SO BAD ON MY OTHER
STUFF, I AM GOOD TO GO. HERE IS THE REAL THING GUYS.
I THINK TEACHERS REALLY DO WANT EVALUATION BUT WE WANT AN
EVALUATION THAT PROMOTES GOOD TEACHING; THAT PROMOTES
COLLABORATION; THAT PROMOTES AN ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT; THAT
PROMOTES KIDS LEARNING AND ASKING QUESTIONS AND BEING
INNOVATIVE. YOU HAVE TO EVALUATE ME ON
WHAT I DO. >> COME RIGHT OVER HERE.
THERE IS OVER 100 SCHOOL DISTRICT ACROSS THE STATE THAT
MAY BE ALL USING DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT THE PED IS GOING
TO TRY TO TAKE IN AND PIECE A PART OF WHAT A TEACHER IN
ARTESIA IS DOING VERSUS A TEACHER IN ALBUQUERQUE VERSUS
A TEACHER IN CLAUNCH VERSUS A TEACHER IN CLEVELAND.
SO, IT IS A HODGE-PODGE. AND, THIS UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE
SESSION IS A 30-DAY SESSION, A FINANCIAL SESSION.
SO WE CAN DEAL WITH FINANCIAL ISSUES BUT THE GOVERNOR CAN
SET THE AGENDA AND SAY, I THINK THAT I AM HEARING FROM
ALL THESE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND FROM ALL THESE
DIFFERENT TEACHERS BECAUSE SHE HIRED SOMEBODY TO COME AND
ANSWER THE PHONE ABOUT ALL THE COMPLAINT ACROSS THE STATE
ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE CALLS
TO CONTINUE AND ASK THE GOVERNOR TO PUT THIS ON THE
AGENDA FOR THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION BECAUSE
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTING OUR STUDENTS, IT IS
AFFECTING OUR TEACHERS AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS
IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF
RESOLUTION TO HOW TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.
>> THANK YOU. >> TEACHERS WANT TO BE MORE
EFFECTIVE, RIGHT? ADMINISTRATORS WANT TO HAVE A
BETTER SCHOOL. THAT IS REALLY EASY BUT
POLITICS ARE DRIVING THIS RIGHT NOW.
AND WHEN THE NEXT GOVERNOR IS ELECTED, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE
GOING TO UNDO EVERYTHING AND GO BACK.
WE NEED TO TAKE POLITICS OUT OF EDUCATION.
>> DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO DISAGREES WITH THAT
COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
>> RIGHT BACK HERE. >> THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE SEEN
TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEMS HURT THE MOST RIGHT NOW ARE
NEW TEACHERS. THERE IS NOT A SINGLE BRAND
NEW TEACHER AT MY SCHOOL WHO WANTS TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR
AND THE SYSTEM IS PUSHING OUT TEACHERS WHO ARE AT RETIREMENT
AGE. SO NOW WE HAVE A DEFICIT FOR
TEACHERS AND NEW TEACHERS ARE SO DISCOURAGED BY JUST THE
OBSERVATION TOOL ALONE. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO COME
BACK AND TEACH. THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT
DOING A GOOD JOB AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE
SUPPORTED AND ENCOURAGED. AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE
EVALUATED THE SAME WAY THAT I AM.
I HAVE BEEN TEACHING FOR SEVEN YEARS AND A BRAND NEW TEACHER
DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME SKILL SET I DO.
THEY SHOULD BE HELPED AND EVALUATED DIFFERENTLY SO WE
CAN KEEP TEACHERS IN THE PROFESSION.
>> MY SECOND YEAR AND WE ROLLED OUT COMMON CORE AND WE
ROLLED OUT TEACHER EVALUATIONS SO I FEEL LIKE I AM MASTER --
A JACK OF ALL TRADES AND MASTER OF MAYBE TWO.
AND I FEEL LIKE, IT DOESN'T SET ME UP TO BE A SUCCESSFUL
NEW TEACHER. I AM TRYING TO LEARN ALL THIS
NEW STUFF AND I CAN'T DO IT ALL AT ONCE.
AND IT IS SCARY. >> ONE THING I THINK WE NEED
TO TALK ABOUT IS THE PRESSURE THAT THE TEACHERS ARE FEELING.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN MY 16 YEARS OF
TEACHING. TEACHERS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE
BEING BOMBARDED WITH THIS AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE SAID IT
FEELS LIKE THEY ARE TRYING TO PROVE THAT I AM A BAD
TEACHER. WE DON'T MIND, YOU KNOW, USING
THOSE SCORES TO HELP INFORM OUR INSTRUCTION BUT IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SBA AND THEY ARE TAKING MAYBE FIVE TESTS IN A
WEEK, IN ONE WEEK, TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THEIR
PARENTS JUST TOLD THEM THAT THEY ARE GOING -- THEY ARE
BEING DIVORCED, THAT ONE TEST IS HIGH STAKES FOR THAT
STUDENT AND FOR THAT TEACHER AND FOR THE SCHOOL, AND IT IS
JUST NOT A FAIR ASSESSMENT OF A TEACHER'S ABILITY.
>> WHEN WE HAD THIS RENOWNED RESEARCHER, CHARLOTTE
DANIELSON, HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH RON FERGUSON, THEIR NO. 1
PREDICTOR OF FAILURE WAS RUSHING A SYSTEM TOO FAST.
MOST PLACES WHO HAVE EVALUATION SYSTEMS THAT HAVE
EITHER WORKED OR FAILED, HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OVER TIME.
MULTIPLE TIMES OVER MULTIPLE YEARS, MULTIPLE MEASURES.
NONE OF WHICH IN THIS SYSTEM WE ARE DOING CURRENTLY.
WE SPED THIS UP, WE ARE IN IT AND BUILDING THE PLANE WHILE
WE'RE FLYING IT. IF WE WERE TO TAKE OUR TIME,
SPEND SOME TIME ON IT, THIS COULD BE BEAUTIFUL AND WE
COULD BE THE PARAMOUNT FOR THIS NATION AS FAR AS TEACHER
EVALUATION. >> EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT
HERE TEACHER EVALUATIONS, STANDARDS, BUT THERE IS REALLY
A BIG DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS IN THIS STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LARGE HISPANIC COMMUNITIES,
NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
STANDARDS, EVEN JUST THE BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF STANDARDS,
YOU KNOW, WHO IS SETTING THOSE STANDARDS?
I COME FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATION.
HOW ARE OUR SCHOOLS PREPARING OUR STUDENTS TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES? I HAVE BEEN JUST SEEING NO
GROWTH OF ACADEMIC LEARNING FOR OUR NATIVE STUDENTS AND I
AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF LIKE, WE
HAVE GOT STATE PEOPLE ALWAYS DICTATING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS
SCHOOL GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS THEY
ARE GOING TO DO, SO IT IS ALL THE SAME, DUMPING THEIR
DECISIONS ON US AND WE DON'T APPRECIATE THAT.
WE HAVE OUR OWN VALUE SYSTEMS, OUR OWN CULTURES THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO PRESERVE AND THAT WE WANT TO FIGHT FOR TO CONTINUE
AS NATIVE PEOPLES AND CURRENT SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE NOT DOING
THAT FOR US. >> THANK YOU, GLORIA.
>> SO, BEFORE WE COMPLETELY CONCLUDE THIS TOWNHALL, WE
HAVE SOME IDEAS OR IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS THAT WE WOULD LIKE
TO LOOK AT IN EACH OF THE THREE AREAS.
SO, IN THE FIRST AREA, WHICH YOU RECALL WAS CLASS SIZE, WE
HAVE GOT THREE SPECIFIC IDEAS THAT SURFACED FROM YOUR
DISCUSSION, THAT INCLUDES, RESTORE THE PREVIOUS
COMMITMENTS ON CLASS SIZE AND FUNDING, IS THE WAY THAT IS
POSITIONED. SECOND RECOMMENDATION, UTILIZE
SUPPORT FROM VOLUNTEERS. THAT INCLUDES STUDENT PEERS
AND BUSINESS PEOPLE. AND THE THIRD ONE ON THE CLASS
SIZE ISSUE IS SUPPORT TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO
THEIR ENVIRONMENT, COMPETITIVE PAY AND PAY INCREASES.
SO, WHO HAS GOT COMMENTS ON THESE THREE POTENTIAL ACTIONS.
>> AS FAR AS RESTORING THE PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS, THE
FIRST RESPONSE FROM THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO BE
CAN'T DO IT, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
THAT IS THE ANSWER FOR MANY YEARS.
WE NEED TO LOOK SERIOUSLY, EVERYBODY IN THE STATE, OF
GETTING A COMMITMENT FROM OUR LEGISLATORS THAT IT IS OUR
RIGHT TO LOOK AT THE PERMANENT FUND, LAND GRANT PERMANENT
FUND, OPENING IT UP NOT ONLY FOR PRESCHOOL, ALTHOUGH THAT
IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT OPENING UP -- HE SAID IT IS GOING TO
TAKE 800 MILLION. WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE
A BILLION OUT OF THE 12 TO 16 BILLION THAT IS SITTING IN
OUR ASSETS AND THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT TO A VOTE TO THE PUBLIC
IN THE STATE BECAUSE IT IS NOT ANY OF THE LEGISLATORS' MONEY,
EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD TELL YOU DIFFERENTLY.
THEY CANNOT STOP THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO FROM DECIDING
WHETHER WE, IN FACT, DO NEED MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS AND
FOR EDUCATION. >> WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT EDUCATION IS ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. ONCE WE HAVE A STRONG
WORKFORCE, THOSE HIGH TECH JOBS, THOSE GREAT JOBS, WE CAN
ATTRACT THOSE HERE BY SAYING, THESE STUDENTS ARE THE BEST
AND THE BRIGHTEST THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, COME TO NEW MEXICO
AND BRING YOUR BUSINESSES HERE.
PULLING DOWN OUT OF THE PERMANENT FUND IS GOING TO BE
DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT IS NOT 800 MILLION DOLLARS ONE SHOT.
IT IS 800 MILLION-DOLLARS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
SO, EVEN THOUGH THE ACTUARIALS SAY MONEY IS COMING IN, WE
STILL HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IN
THE STATE BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN LOOK AT THAT WE
CAN START LOOKING AT, I MEAN, I HAVE SEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE
SESSION WHERE WE HAD A BILL THAT CAME IN FRONT OF US AND
SAID THIS IS ONLY GOING TO COST 30 MILLION THIS TAX
CREDIT TOWARDS THIS INDUSTRY; A YEAR LATER IT IS
300 MILLION. SO, WHEN YOU START HEARING
LEGISLATORS TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THOSE
THINGS, EDUCATION IS THE BEST THING WE CAN INVEST IN RIGHT
NOW AND ITS DOESN'T COST US A THING AND WE DON'T HAVE TO
GIVE ANYTHING AWAY TO ANYBODY ELSE.
>> IF YOU'RE TALKING COMPETITIVE PAY, WE NEED TO
TALK COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER STATES THAT PAY THEIR TEACHERS
WELL. IF WE'RE TALKING MERIT PAY, I
DON'T THINK THAT WORKS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TEACHERS
COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER. WE KNOW THAT COLLABORATION
WORKS WELL. >> FAIR ENOUGH, THANK YOU.
>> 2008, LEGISLATURE RELEASED A STUDY, TWO YEAR STUDY THEY
HAD DONE THAT SHOWED IN ORDER TO DELIVER A SUFFICIENT
EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO, THEY NEEDED TO INCREASE FUNDING BY
350 MILLION-DOLLARS. THEY HAVE CUT 450 MILLION
SINCE THEN, SO THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES A
SUFFICIENT EDUCATION. 800 MILLION DOLLARS NEEDS TO
COME FROM SOMEWHERE. >> THESE NEXT THREE ITEMS ARE
RELATED TO TESTING. AND THE THREE INPUTS THAT
PEOPLE HEARD REPEATEDLY FROM YOUR CONVERSATION WAS A
SUGGESTION TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED TESTS.
TWO, TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
TESTING, AND, THREE TO USE DATA TO SHOW PROGRESS, INFORM
INSTRUCTION AND ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES.
WHAT DO WE THINK? RIGHT BACK HERE.
>> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF
REQUIRED TESTS BUT ALSO I THINK IT IS EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE WEIGHT THAT WE PUT ON THOSE
STANDARDIZED TEST, DECREASE THAT.
SO, WHERE A KID IS EXPECTED TO PASS THIS PARTICULAR TEST TO
GRADUATE OR WHETHER 35% OF MY EVALUATION SCORE IS BASED ON A
TEST AT THE END, THAT IS TOO MUCH.
WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT
THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED TESTS BUT HOW HEAVILY THEY ARE
WEIGHTED WHEN IT COMES TO EVALUATING TEACHERS, KIDS
GRADUATING AND THE A THROUGH F THING WITH THE SCHOOLS.
>> I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE HOW HIGH STAKES THESE
HIGH STAKES TEST ARE AND I CHALLENGE THE LEGISLATURE,
GOVERNOR MARTINEZ AND MS. HANNAH SKANDERA TO
TAKE THESE FULL BATTERIES OF TESTS AND SBA TESTS AND BE
WILLING TO PUBLICLY HAVE THEIR SCORES POSTED ONLINE.
>> ALL RIGHT. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE REALLY NEED TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED TESTS.
IT HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT AT MY SCHOOL, TO TAKE A TEST IS
TO TAKE AWAY TIME FROM ANOTHER TEST.
WE'RE CRAMMING RIGHT NOW FOR THE END OF COURSE EXAM AND
THEY JUST TOLD MY TEACHER THAT WE HAD TO DO DISCOVERY TESTING
AND THAT IS JUST NOT OKAY. >> RIGHT HERE.
>> I AM A SOCIAL WORKER AT A HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I CAN SAY
FREELY 50% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE SPANISH SPEAKING SO WE REALLY
HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS STATE IS SO MULTICULTURAL AND
MULTI DIFFERENT, LIKE NATIVE AMERICAN, PEOPLE WHO SPEAK
SPANISH. AND THAT IS THEIR LANGUAGE AND
WHO WE ARE TO TELL THEM, YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEAK THIS
SPANISH, AND WE'RE GOING TO TEST YOU IN A DIFFERENT
LANGUAGE BASED ON A DIFFERENT CULTURE TO SEE IF YOU'RE SMART
ENOUGH TO SURVIVE HERE. >> WE ARE GOING TO OUR NEXT
AND LAST SLIDE, AND IN THIS LAST ONE DEALING WITH THE
ISSUE OF TEACHER EVALUATIONS AND THE IDEAS THAT WERE HEARD
WERE, ONE, EVALUATE TEACHING PROFICIENCY, COLLABORATION AND
ENVIRONMENT. TWO, IMPLEMENT OVER TIME,
ADJUSTING ACCORDINGLY AND, THREE, EVALUATE BASED ON NEEDS
OF DIVERSE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> PARENTS ARE THE CONSUMERS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE
MORE THAT WE INFORM PARENTS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS, THEIR
VOICE, I THINK THAT IS WHERE THIS WILL BEGIN TO TAKE ITS
SHIFTS. I THINK A HUGE ACTION STEP IS
GOING TO BE INVOLVE A LOT MORE PARENTS IN THE CONVERSATION
AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, BECAUSE THEY ARE
THE CONSUMER. SO THEY ULTIMATELY HAVE THE
FINAL SAY. >> THANK YOU.
>> WHO ELSE HAS A COMMENT? >> BEST WAY WE CAN LEARN TO
TEACH BETTER IS BY LOOKING AT WHAT ARE WE DOING; WHAT IS
WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING.
TEACHERS NEED THAT SPACE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WHAT I DID
YESTERDAY HELPED THESE KIDS BUT IT DIDN'T HELP THESE KIDS.
SO, NOW, HOW AM I GOING TO IMPROVE MY INSTRUCTION TO MAKE
IT BETTER? THE TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM
HAS TO SUPPORT THAT KIND OF TEACHER LEARNING.
WE'RE NOT GOING EVALUATE OUR WAY TO BETTER TEACHING SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO TEACH OUR WAY TO A BETTER TEACH SYSTEM, SO THE
BEST WAY TO IMPROVE EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO IS TO SUPPORT
TEACHERS TO BECOME BETTER TEACHERS.
JUST A QUICK WAY OF THINKING THAT IS, WE HAVE GOT THIS NEW
THING IN NEW MEXICO CALLED THE COMMON CORE.
AND I AM A MATH EDUCATOR SO I HELP PREPARE NEW TEACHERS TO
LEARN HOW TO TEACH MATH AND THE COMMON CORE REQUIRES A SEA
CHANGE IN INSTRUCTION. IT IS NOT JUST TEACHING KIDS
HOW TO STACK NUMBERS TO DO A STANDARD ALGORITHM.
IT IS TEACHING THEM TO LEARN A CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF
NUMBERS. YOU NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION
WITH KIDS SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR THINKING AND
IF WE DON'T HAVE SPACE TO DO THAT, TO HELP TEACHERS LEARN,
NOT JUST LEARNING A NEW WAY OF TEACHING BUT LEARNING A NEW
WAY OF TEACHING THAT THEY HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN EXPOSED TO
BECAUSE THAT IS NOT HOW THEY LEARNED MATH.
SO, THE SYSTEM HAS TAKEN AWAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO
LEARN THOSE THINGS AS WELL. SO IT IS JUST A REAL
CONCLUSION. JUST ONE LAST QUICK POINT,
WHAT I SEE IS A LOT OF FINGER POINTING.
SO, IT IS THE KIDS THAT ARE THE PROBLEM.
OH, IT'S THE PARENTS THAT YOU ARE THE PROBLEMS.
IT IS TEACHERS THAT ARE A PROBLEM.
IF WE ARE GOING TO IMPROVE EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO, WE
HAVE GOT TO HAVE A STRONG IMAGE OF OURSELVES AND THIS
COMES FROM LORIS MALGUZZI, WHO TALKS ABOUT -- HE IS ONE OF
THE FOUNDERS OF REGGIO EMILIA IN ITALY, WHICH IS THEIR EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, AND HE SAYS, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IS THAT WE HAVE A STRONG IMAGE OF THE CHILD AND THAT MEANS
THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY SINGLE CHILD IS INTELLIGENT
AND BEAUTIFUL AND HAS DESIRES AND HAS IDEAS, BUT I THINK IN
NEW MEXICO WE NEED TO EXTEND THAT BEYOND JUST THE CHILD TO
ALSO SEEING THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE BEAUTIFUL AND INTELLIGENT
AND THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND INTELLIGENT AND
BY PULLING TOGETHER THAT WAY THAT IS HOW WE IMPROVE
EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO. >> VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ON THAT POINT, THEN
WE ARE GOING TO CONCLUDE THIS PIECE OF OUR DISCUSSION AND
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE
RESOLUTION THAT WAS DISCUSSED TODAY WILL BE PRESENTED TO
LAWMAKERS IN SANTA FE ON JANUARY 20TH.
MEANWHILE, THE FOLKS HERE AT NEW MEXICO PBS WILL KEEP A
CLOSE EYE ON ANY EDUCATION REFORM MEASURES THAT MIGHT
ARISE IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND ISSUES
THAT MIGHT ARISE ALL START WITH GOVERNOR MARTINEZ' STATE
OF THE STATE ADDRESS NEXT TUESDAY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT SPEECH LIVE STARTING AT AROUND 1:00 P.M.
YOU CAN KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE LEGISLATURE ON "NEW MEXICO
INFOCUS" EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 P.M. AND ONLINE AT
NMINFOCUS.ORG. FOR MORE ON THE AMERICAN
GRADUATE EFFORTS AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED, HEAD TO
NEWMEXICOPBS.ORG. WITH THAT, I AM HEATHER BALAS.
THANK YOU TO OUR AUDIENCE FOR COMING TODAY AND TO ALL OF YOU
FOR WATCHING. [APPLAUSE]
>>THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. YOUR VOICE COUNTS, TOO. WHAT
DO YOU THINK ABOUT EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO? WHAT CAN WE DO
ABOUT THE DROPOUT CRISIS? PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE
"NEWMEXICOPBS.ORG" AND LOOK FOR THE "TAKE A QUIZ" BUTTON
TO TAKE OUR SURVEY AND FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COOL NEW
MEXICO PBS PRIZE PACKAGE. >> THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF
AMERICAN GRADUATE "LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN".
A PUBLIC MEDIA INITIATIVE MADE POSSIBLE BY THE
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.