New Mexico

More New Mexico students are going to class

Published

4 months ago

September 6, 2024

More New Mexico students are going to class

A school bus leaves Desert Hills Elementary in Las Cruces Wednesday, July 31, 2024 to start dropping children off at home. (Photo by Leah Romero / Source New Mexico)

The rate of chronic absenteeism in New Mexico schools dropped in the last school year, but the state continues to report some of the highest rates in the country since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Missing at least 10% of school days in an academic year, or 18 days in a 180-day school year, is how state and national experts define chronic absenteeism. Since 2020, New Mexico has been one of the states with the highest rates in the country, with only Washington D.C. and Alaska reporting higher rates.

“Chronic absenteeism has a direct correlation to graduation: Students who are chronically absent in pre-K through 1st grade have a harder time reading at grade level by 3rd grade, which results in lower achievement scores in middle school. In high school, these students are more likely to drop out. Simply put, you cannot learn if you’re not in school,” said Kelly Jameson, spokesperson for Las Cruces Public Schools.

Jameson said the LCPS Board of Education adopted Policy JHB in 2020 to ensure the district complies with the state’s Attendance for Success Act, an effort to address the high number of students missing school. The policy established an “early warning system” allowing the district to identify absent students early to prevent and intervene in individual cases before a student became chronically absent.

“In LCPS, 30% of our students were considered chronically absent last semester, which is better than the state average. More importantly, we are making progress – that number is down from the end of 2023, which was 34%,” said Jameson.

One factor in the state’s high absenteeism is inconsistency in how attendance is reported, according to a Legislative Finance Committee analysis. The Public Education Department was instructed in 2019 through the signing of the Attendance for Success Act to collect attendance data and confirm school districts are reporting “consistently and correctly.”

Guidance from the state department has been slow to reach districts.

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The New Mexico Public Education Department released data this week showing the absenteeism rate in the state dropped to 32.8% in the 2023-2024 school year. This is an almost 7 percentage point drop compared to the previous year.

The highest rate New Mexico has reported in the last several years was 40.73% in the 2021-2022 school year.

“We will continue to build on this momentum to foster an environment where consistent attendance is the norm, not the exception,” said Public Education Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo.

Only a handful of states have released data for the 2023-2024 school year and New Mexico so far leads with the highest rate.

Earlier this summer, state lawmakers received an update from Legislative Finance Committee analysts which showed New Mexico had the largest increase in students missing school between 2019 and 2023. The state’s rate jumped by 119% while the national increase was 71%.

Jameson said prevention and intervention efforts in Las Cruces also include the statewide partnership with the national organization Graduation Alliance and community partnerships with New Mexico State University social workers who provide attendance data, interns managing family caseloads and home visits with parents of absent students who were unreachable three times.

According to the Public Education Department, efforts to address chronic absenteeism statewide also include the department’s “Be Here NM” campaign to spread awareness of the issue and training for districts and charter schools.

The department also noted the change from tracking “habitual truancy” to “chronic absenteeism,” which was meant to create better support for students and families struggling with attendance rather than punishment.

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New Mexico

Let’s pass the Clear Horizons Act for a thriving New Mexico

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Let’s pass the Clear Horizons Act for a thriving New Mexico

Sen. Mimi Stewart
| New Mexico Senate Pro Tempore

New Mexico stands at a pivotal moment with a historic opportunity to secure a sustainable future that protects our air, land, water, and communities for generations. Climate change is no longer a distant threat—it’s already devastating our way of life, endangering lives, homes, and livelihoods. We can no longer afford a “wait and see” approach.

This past summer, the village of Ruidoso faced a nightmare. Residents evacuated as the Southfork Fire encroached, transforming a short drive into hours of terror. Though firefighters’ heroic efforts spared the town, not all communities have been so lucky. In 2022, the Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon fires destroyed over 630 homes, and caused more than $4 billion in damage. Recently, Roswell saw a quarter of its annual rainfall in just a few hours, causing severe flooding, breaking a 123-year record, and claiming two lives. These events are not isolated. In the past two years, one in three New Mexico counties has experienced devastating fire and flood damage, highlighting the growing threat of climate change.

New Mexico has long been committed to protecting our natural resources. We’ve led the nation with aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets through executive orders, and the 2019 Energy Transition Act set ambitious clean electricity goals. However, we’re falling short, and without a comprehensive, long-term plan, we risk losing the New Mexican way of life we cherish. Our progress has slowed at a time when urgency is critical. To protect communities like Ruidoso, Mora, and Roswell from climate impacts, we must act now. We need a comprehensive framework to guide us toward a resilient, clean future.

That’s why, in the next legislative session, I’m sponsoring three key bills: the Clear Horizons Act, the Community Benefit Fund, and the New Mexico Innovation in Government Act. These bills will help create a New Mexico where families don’t have to flee from wildfires, where livelihoods are not lost to drought, and where we develop the workforce and infrastructure needed to address these challenges.

The Clear Horizons Act will establish a clear roadmap for the future, providing the regulatory certainty that businesses, communities, and families need to invest in a sustainable, clean future. Many New Mexico companies have already voluntarily pledged to meet emissions reduction targets similar to those outlined in the bill. By setting achievable greenhouse gas reduction targets and regularly evaluating progress, we can stay on track while adapting to emerging challenges.

The Community Benefit Fund, with immediate funding from state budget surpluses, will invest in local, community-driven projects that reduce emissions, create jobs, and build resilience. Priority will be given to overburdened communities most affected by climate change, like Ruidoso and Mora. This fund will support efforts such as rebuilding after fires, safeguarding water supplies, and transitioning to renewable energy, ensuring that local solutions drive New Mexico’s sustainable future.

The New Mexico Innovation in Government Act will build the state’s capacity to lead the clean energy transition. By investing in the resources, talent, and expertise within state agencies, we can ensure efficient implementation of clean energy projects. This will empower public servants to lead New Mexico toward a cleaner, more resilient future.

The time to act is now. If we fail to act, more communities will face devastation. But if we rise to the occasion, New Mexico can lead the way to a brighter, more resilient future for all. Let’s pass the Clear Horizons Act and ensure a sustainable future for New Mexico.

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New Mexico

New Mexico lacks EV charging stations in rural and tribal areas

Published

9 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

New Mexico lacks EV charging stations in rural and tribal areas

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New Mexico

NMDOJ issues report on NMSU hazing case

Published

17 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Department of Justice released a report on its investigation into alleged cases of sexual assault and hazing within the New Mexico State University men’s basketball program during the 2022-23 season.

The NMDOJ issued a report accusing the NMSU men’s basketball program of failing to protect student-athletes and having a “pervasive culture of misconduct,” leading to the cancellation of the season.

The report stems from an investigation into alleged hazing and sexual assault incidents within the NMSU men’s basketball program back then, which led to the cancellation of the season.

In April 2023, two players sued the school, players and coaches, accusing multiple players of sexually assaulting them multiple times over several months – and accusing the coaches of not stepping in. In November 2023, a grand jury indicted Deshawndre Washington, Kim Aiken Jr., and Doctor Bradley on criminal charges.

Bradley and Aiken each took a plea deal. Aiken agreed to testify against Washington as a part of his deal.

The NMDOJ blames the alleged assaults on an environment characterized by a toxic culture within the program. They allege people close to the team missed “opportunities to observe and intervene” and that student safety programs didn’t do enough “to deter or address this behavior.” They cited “lax oversight, inconsistent discipline, and inadequate preventative measures.”

“This report is intended to shine a light not only on the specific misconduct by members of NMSU’s basketball team but also the institutional deficiencies that allowed that misconduct to go unaddressed by leaders inside the university,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez said. “While NMSU has made commendable progress since these incidents occurred, more must be done to ensure accountability and prevent future harm.”

The NMDOJ called on NMSU to:

Develop written guidelines for collaborations between athletics, institutional equity office and the dean
Institute recurring Title IX and anti-hazing training for all students and staff
Enforce “disciplinary measures for student-athletes based on the severity of misconduct”
Strengthen standards for recruiting practices and coach and player vetting
Ensure senior leadership “prioritizes and adequately funds” safety initiatives and programming
Establish a center “dedicated to sexual violence education, prevention, and victim advocacy”

The NMDOJ is calling on the New Mexico Legislature to pass anti-hazing legislation. According to them, New Mexico is one of six states that lacks this.

They also identified seven critical areas of concern: