April 9, 2003

SBE Elects Del Archuleta as President, Modifies Methodology For Rating Schools in 2003-2004

(Santa Fe, NM)-The New Mexico State Board of Education (SBE) approved a modified methodology for rating schools in 2003-2004 at its Tuesday and Wednesday, April 8-9, regular meeting in Santa Fe. Under the methodology, New Mexico will continue to rate schools while transitioning to a criterion-referenced system, as required under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

In order to ensure the minimum number of students statistically acceptable in a subgroup to rate the subgroups, student achievement data will be combined across grade levels by subject. Status and growth data points will be assigned. Graduation rates were added for secondary schools. A key change is that if a school lacks 95 percent participation, it cannot rate above "meets standards."

In addition, student achievement data will be disaggregated per the following: Caucasian/White not of Hispanic origin, Black not of Hispanic origin, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan native, English Language Learners (ELL), Special Education and Free and Reduced-Price Lunch. The SBE will consider further requirements to the Accountability Program in June, including inclusion of charter, alternative and small schools and the assessment for K-2 schools.

On Wednesday, the SBE elected new officers for 2003. They are Adelmo "Del" Archuleta of Albuquerque, president, Eleanor B. Ortiz of Santa Fe, vice-president, Donovan Gomez of Taos, secretary, Catherine M. Smith of Mimbres, at-large position 1, Alfred Herrera of Espanola, at-large position 2, and Dr. Beverlee J. McClure of Clovis, at-large position 3.

"We should love nothing more than to come to work every day to raise the bar. What we should be doing in the eyes of everyone is to raise the integrity of education," said President Archuleta upon election to the position.

The SBE voted on Tuesday to remand the charter for La Academia de Idiomas Y Cultura Charter School to the Las Cruces Public Schools for approval. The approval is conditioned on the school meeting the special instructions recommended by New Mexico State Department of Education (SDE) staff. The SBE designated 2003-2004 as a planning year for the school.

In other action, the SBE changed the 2002-2003 rating for Valle Vista Elementary in Albuquerque from probationary to meets standards, appointed Dr. Marshall Berman of Albuquerque to the Educational Standards Commission and approved amendments to align licensure regulations with NCLB.