(Santa Fe, NM)-The New Mexico State Department of Education (SDE) will announce the 2002-2003 high-improving schools on Wednesday, January 22, during the New Mexico State Board of Education's (SBE) Accountability Committee meeting, to be held in Santa Fe at the SDE, Mabry Hall, located at 300 Don Gaspar Street, from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. A news release will follow including incentive awards. The schools have shown the most improvement in test scores from 2000-2001 to 2001-2002.

The SBE will hold its regular meeting on Thursday, January 23, beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the SDE, Mabry Hall. The SBE will consider changes to the SBE's regulation on corrective action to clarify the authority of the SBE and state superintendent regarding local corrective action plans and revising the accountability ratings for Dolores Gonzales and East San Jose Elementaries in Albuquerque from probationary to meets standards.

"In considering any changes to the corrective action regulation, a balance must be struck between the SBE's duty to oversee public schools and its role as an administrative adjudicatory body when it sits as an appellate authority in corrective action appeals," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael J. Davis.

The SDE's recommendation to revise the ratings for Dolores Gonzales and East San Jose Elementaries is being brought to the SBE due to double testing by the dual language instruction schools.

The SBE will also consider elimination of some teacher testing requirements, amendments to the substandard licensure regulation to allow individuals who hold substandard licensure for 2001-2002 and have failed La Prueba de Español para la Certificación Bilingüe to be eligible for renewed substandard licensure through July 31, 2003, and referendums from the New Mexico Activities Association.

The SBE's six standing committees will hold meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 21-22, in Mabry Hall. Committees act in an advisory capacity to the SBE, referring items for action. Committee discussions will include:

• Legislation. The SBE's Executive Committee will meet on Tuesday, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., to hear a status report on legislative proposals affecting public schools.
• Career Pathways. The SBE's Vocational Rehabilitation, Career Education and Adult Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m., to hear a report on how the Carlsbad Municipal Schools is using career pathways to reform its middle schools.
• Advanced Placement. The SBE's Instructional Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., to hear an overview of the Advanced Placement Program.
• Financial Issues. The SBE's Finance, Transportation and Administration Committee will meet on Tuesday, from 3:15 to 6:00 p.m., to hear an update on the SDE's reorganization, review a training program for school business officials, consider referendums by the New Mexico Activities Association to reduce to five days the practice requirement for all fall sports, excluding football, and allow fall sports to begin on the Monday of week seven, consistent with the senior high starting date for practice, and hear a report on school district financial issues in Cuba, Hatch, Loving Maxwell, Mesa Vista, and Vaughn and at the Public Academy for Performing Arts charter school in Albuquerque.

Accountability. The SBE's Accountability Committee will meet on Wednesday, from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m., to receive the SDE's high-improving schools for 2002-2003, consider changes to the SBE's regulation on corrective action to clarify the authority of the SBE and state superintendent regarding local corrective action plans, consider revising the accountability ratings for Dolores Gonzales and East San Jose Elementaries in Albuquerque from probationary to meets standards, a request for proposals for new standards-based criterion-referenced assessments (CRTs), New Mexico's plan to conform with the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act in the area of adequate yearly progress and the timeline for implementing CRTs in grades 3-9 and the standards-based assessment in grade 11.

" Quality Educators. The SBE's Quality Educators Committee will meet on Wednesday, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., to consider elimination of some teacher testing requirements and amendments to the substandard licensure regulation to allow individuals who hold substandard licensure for 2001-2002 and have failed La Prueba de Español para la Certificación Bilingüe to be eligible for renewed substandard licensure through July 31, 2003. The committee will also hear updates on the native language and culture license and three-tiered professional licensure.

The SBE will recess its meetings on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. to attend the opening of the 2003 Legislature. In addition, the SBE will attend a luncheon on Wednesday from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in honor of New Mexico's 2003 teacher of the year, James L. Smith of Las Cruces, to be held at the Inn at Loretto, located at 211 Old Santa Fe Trail in Santa Fe.

The next regular meeting of the SBE will be held on April 7-9 at a location to be determined.

The SBE's January agenda is available at the following web address: http://www.ped.state.nm.us/bd.of.ed/brditems/agenda.items/docs/agenda.jan.21.23.03.pdf