Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> MISSION GRADUATE IS INITIATIVE TO BOOST THE NUMBER
OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY GRADUATES AND CERTIFICATE
HOLDERS BY 60,000 IN ALBUQUERQUE BY THE YEAR 2020.
MANY TOP EMPLOYERS ARE BACKING THE PROPOSAL INCLUDING PNM AND
INTEL. EMPLOYERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
HELP EMPLOYERS GET MORE -- EMPLOYEES GET MORE EDUCATION
TO HELP STUDENT EXPLORE CAREERS AS WELL AS MAKE IT
EASIER FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PARENTS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN IN
SCHOOL, BUT, MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN.
WILL THE JOBS BE THERE FOR THOSE GRADS?
CAN THEY AFFORD SCHOOL AS THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
FACES SEVERE FINANCIAL ISSUES. JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS
AND OTHER NEWS OF THE WEEK, LINE REGULAR, ROB NIKOLEWSKI,
NEW MEXICO WATCHDOG; RETURNING AFTER A LONG, LONG, LONG DRY
SPELL, STEVE SPITZ. IT IS OUR FAULT.
HERE FROM KUNM RADIO, NEW MEXICO PEOPLE PLACES AND
IDEAS. ANOTHER REGULAR IS BACK,
ATTORNEY SOPHIE MARTIN, GOOD TO SEE ATTORNEY SOPHIE MARTIN.
RETURNING TO THE LINE AFTER A WHILE, NOT A LONG, LONG WHILE,
INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST, LAURA PASKUS.
SOPHIE, WE HAVE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES IN THE STATE WITH
DROPOUTS. WE COVERED THAT HERE IN THIS
BULLYING MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES, WORKFORCE READINESS.
AMBITION OF THIS, HOW DOES IT HIT YOU THE 60,000?
NOT CAN WE MAKE IT OR NOT, NOT QUITE THE POINT, BUT SOMETHING
IS IN MOTION HERE. IS THIS THE RIGHT MOTION HERE
AS YOU SEE IT? >> IT FEELS TO ME LIKE FINALLY
WE SEE A GROUP COALESCING AROUND A SPECIFIC GOAL AND I
COMMEND THE UNITED WAY HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE FOR BRINGING THIS
GROUP TOGETHER AND FOR REALLY TARGETING SOMETHING THAT THEY
AND THE GROUP THINK IS ACCOMPLISHABLE.
AND I WANT TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE IDEA OF ONE OF THE MEMBERS
WHO SAID, WE REALLY HAVE BEEN DOING BATTLE FOR A WHILE NOW
OVER DO WE NEED TO GET THE JOBS FIRST OR GET THE
EDUCATION FIRST. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I
WOULD RATHER HAVE A BUNCH OF HIGHLY EDUCATED NEW MEXICANS
WHO MAYBE DO HAVE TO MOVE OUT OF STATE TO FIND JOBS -- LET
ME JUST CLARIFY, NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT HAPPEN -- THAN TO
HAVE US WORK HARD TO BRING THE JOBS AND HAVE A GROUP OF NEW
MEXICANS WHO CAN'T QUALIFY FOR THEM.
BETTER TO EDUCATE FIRST IN THAT CHICKEN AND EGG EQUATION,
AND MAKE SURE THAT NEW MEXICANS HAVE THAT QUALITY IN
EDUCATION, AND THEN ADDRESS THE JOB ISSUE.
AND I COMMEND THE GROUP FOR THAT.
>> I DON'T THINK THERE IS MUCH ARGUMENT ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS A GOOD RISK. IF THERE ARE RISKS TO BE TAKEN
THAT SEEMS LIKE A BETTER WAY TO GO.
>> YEAH, MY IMPRESSION ABOUT THIS ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS,
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK, IT IS KIND OF A CHICKEN AND EGG
QUESTION. AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE
GOT IS A LOT OF THIS COMES FROM THE GROUND UP.
YES, WE CAN TRY TO GET MORE COLLEGE GRADUATES, A LAUDABLE
GOAL, BUT IN ORDER TO GET MORE COLLEGE GRADUATES WE HAVE TO
DO A BETTER JOB EDUCATING OUR KIDS ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL,
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE GOT IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE --
AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD GOAL, BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT NOT TO LOSE FOCUS ON JUST CONCENTRATE ON UNIVERSITY
GRADUATES. ESPECIALLY JUNIOR COLLEGE
GRADUATES, TRADE SCHOOL GRADUATES, THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT I THINK THAT THE STATE HAS MISSED IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS. WE DO HAVE A POPULATION THAT
IS UNDEREDUCATED. I THINK MAYBE A BETTER
TRANSITION FOR THEM, FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS WOULD BE TO SAY,
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BECOME A NEUROSURGEON, HOW ABOUT
BECOMING A TRADESMAN. >> AND, TO THEIR CREDIT, THE
PLAN DOES INVOLVE NOT JUST UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS BUT ALSO
TRADE TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION.
THE DIFFERENT LEVELS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS.
IT IS NOT JUST 60,000 DIPLOMAS.
>> EXACTLY, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EMPHASIS IS NOT JUST
ON THE KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO GET LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE.
>> THERE IS A TENSION THERE. FOR SOME FOLKS IT IS
UNIVERSITY OR BUST AND THEY LOOK DOWN AT EVERYTHING ELSE,
FOR SOME OTHERS, YOU MEET FOLKS WHERE THEY ARE.
THAT HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING HERE, MOVE PEOPLE UP THE
LADDER OF EDUCATION A LITTLE BIT AND THEY TAKE INITIATIVE
TO TAKE STEPS ON THEIR OWN LATER, GRADUATE WORK AND SUCH
AS IT GOES ALONG. YOUR SENSE OF THIS AS YOU READ
IT. IS IT SOMETHING THAT WOULD PAY
OFF BENEFITS EARLY, MIDTERM MUCH LATER THAN 2020, HOW
SHOULD WE LOOK AT THIS AND CONSIDERING THIS?
>> I THINK IF IT WERE SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM WOULD BE
AMAZING, WE WOULD HAVE A WORKFORCE HERE THAT COULD BE
REALLY FOCUSED ON LOCAL SOLUTIONS AND LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. I MEAN, WE ARE FACING SO MANY
CHALLENGES, WHETHER IT IS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WE NEED EDUCATED NEW MEXICANS, PEOPLE
WHO ARE WILLING TO TACKLE ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES.
I REALLY AGREE WITH ROB TOO WE NEED TO START -- LIKE, IF WE
WANT THESE KIDS TO GO AND GET PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES OR
UNIVERSITY DEGREES WHAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON OUR VERY
YOUNGEST PEOPLE AS WELL, I DEFINITELY SEE IT AS A
LONG-TERM PROCESS. >> ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT THE LADDER, THE LADDER IS BEING RESHAPED DAILY IN OUR
CULTURE. KIDS ARE NOT SURE, I HAVE IN
COLLEGE RIGHT NOW, I TELL THEM DON'T PANIC, DON'T PANIC,
DON'T PANIC ABOUT MAKING A CAREER DECISION.
GET EDUCATED FIRST AND FILL OUT THE OTHER PART SECOND,
BUT, TO ROB'S POINT, SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER TO KNOW WHERE YOU
ARE GOING WITH A ROAD MAP EARLY AND TO GET THERE.
DOES THIS ENCOMPASS BOTH OF THOSE AS YOU SEE IT?
>> YES, I GUESS I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID
SO FAR. THE ONE THING I THINK A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS NEW MEXICO ACTUALLY SPENDS MORE ON
COLLEGE EDUCATION THAN, ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS, THAN ALMOST
ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS AT THE OTHER
END. 71% OF OUR KIDS ARE BORN TO
MEDICAID FAMILIES, DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES, SINGLE
FAMILIES. THOSE KIDS ARE GOING TO GROW
UP WITH PROBLEMS UNLESS THERE IS SOME KIND OF PROGRAM.
THERE IS ONLY 3% OF THEM IN A HOME VISITING PROGRAM.
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE PRE-K, 15% OF OUR KIDS.
ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY.
>> DO YOU SEE THOSE THINGS AS POTENTIAL ROADBLOCKS TO THE
SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM? >> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALL KINDS OF THINGS YOU COULD
DO BUT THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS
EARLY CHILDHOOD, I MEAN, REALLY EARLY, PRENATAL TO ONE,
GET THE MOTHER AND CHILD TO ATTACH.
THAT IS ACTUALLY MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN IQ
ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES AND THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN SHOWN
TO WORK, SO IF I WERE GOING TO SAY ANYTHING TO THESE PEOPLE,
I WOULD SAY, CONCENTRATE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD.
IT IS EXPENSIVE. IT IS LIKE $3,000 A KID.
BUT, THESE PROGRAMS IN DOUBLE BLIND STUDIES, RANDOMIZED
STUDIES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO GIVE STATES 4 AND 5 TO 1
RETURNS, THE STATES, NOT THE KIDS, NOT THE PARENTS, BUT
STATES. >> BIG ARGUMENT IN OUR
LEGISLATURE FOR YEARS AND ROB IT IS INTERESTING TO HEAR
STEVEN SAY THIS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY
TIMES ON THE SHOW AS WELL, THAT IDEA THAT IF THE ECO
SYSTEM OF HOW A PERSON IS WHOLE AND READY TO LEARN IS
NOT FIXED BEFORE THEY GET IN THE CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW,
CHANCE OF SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FOR THAT KID ARE VERY MUCH
DIMINISHED. IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK
AT THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT STEVEN IS TALKING ABOUT NOW
THAT WE HAVE THIS IN PLACE, CAN WE BACK UP?
>> I THINK SO, BUT ANOTHER STATISTIC TO LOOK AT AS WELL
IS SOMETHING LIKE 60% OF THE STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF NEW
MEXICO NEED REMEDIAL TRAINING. I MEAN THAT POINTS TO THE
PROBLEMS AT THE ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND HIGH
SCHOOL LEVELS. AND I DON'T -- EVEN THOUGH IT
IS A LAUDABLE PLAN AND I AM IN FAVOR OF IT, I THINK WE NEED
TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALANCE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT
INCENTIVIZING KIDS WHO CAN'T CLEAR THAT HURDLE.
60% OF THEM ARE NEEDING REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION AND A
LARGE PERCENTAGE, I THINK, RECENT NEWS STORY SHOWED THAT
A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF KIDS WHO DEFAULT ON STUDENT LOANS ARE
ONES AFTER FIRST SEMESTER OF FRESHMAN YEAR, CLEARLY THEY
ARE NOT ABLE TO HACK IT EDUCATIONALLY.
YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYONE ANY FAVORS BY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE
THEM TO DO SOMETHING THEY CAN'T.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THAT PAINT.
IN FACT, THE ARTICLE, WE READ ABOUT THIS IN OTHERS, THERE IS
A GREAT QUOTE ABOUT THE IDEA, HIGH SCHOOL HAS JUST LEFT IN
MAY AND THEN COME SEPTEMBER WE EXPECT THEM TO DO THIS HUGE
SPIN-UP INTO ADULTHOOD AND MANAGE FINANCES, MANAGE LIFE
CHOICES AND THERE HAS TO BE A BRIDGE THERE SOMEWHERE.
>> IT IS A TREMENDOUS TRANSITION AND ONE THAT WE
THINK KIDS ARE PREPARED TO MAKE -- WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
KIDS ARE PREPARED TO MAKE. IT HIGHLIGHTS AS WELL, THE
COMPACT BETWEEN SOCIETY, EDUCATION AND STUDENTS HAVE
SHIFTED SINCE THE 70'S. 60'S AND 70'S WHEN A COLLEGE
EDUCATION WAS A MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION, YOU
DIDN'T GO INTO LIFE-LONG DEBT IN ORDER TO GET YOUR COLLEGE
EDUCATION, AND ADMITTEDLY FEWER PEOPLE WERE GETTING THEM
BUT ALSO IF YOU DIDN'T GET A COLLEGE DEGREE, YOU COULD GO
INTO A STABLE BLUE COLLAR CAREER THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF
YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AND YOU COULD EXPECT TO RETIRE
FROM THAT CAREER AND HAVE A GOOD SOLID RETIREMENT.
SO, OUR SOCIAL COMPACT AS A WHOLE HAS CHANGED.
SO WE'RE ASKING KIDS WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO
SIGN ON TO 30 YEARS OF DEBT AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T PREPARED
THEM FOR THAT. AND, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THAT
DEBT IS ON THE FACT THAT WE CHANGED HOW WE FUND OUR
UNIVERSITIES. WE HAVE A REALLY LARGE BUCKET
OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AS WE
LOOK AT THE SIMPLE PROPOSITION OF PRE-K TO GRADUATE DEGREE,
PRE-K TO COLLEGE DEGREE. >> I REALLY LIKE THIS PROGRAM,
CNM, OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED GOOD STUFF.
WE'RE BACK TO TALK ABOUT HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
HERE IN NEW MEXICO.