New Mexico Education: Do You Know What Is Happening? Catherine Cross Maple, Ph.D. Deputy Secretary Learning and Accountability NM Public Education Department ABQ Business Education Compact June 7, 2007

Past and Present: NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS n New Mexico has participated every year since 1990 n NAEP 2005: n 165 schools and 5,435 students in New Mexico participated in Grades 4 and 8 n National-20,000 schools and 1.1 million students n NAEP 2006: 23 schools, 5 districts and 2 BIA

Quality Counts 2006 Reading: n No significant increase in reading scores from 1992 to present. Mathematics: n Significant increases in math scores from 1992 to present. n Gains greatest in low-performing groups. n Younger groups, Blacks, Hispanics

NM Public Education Knowing the problem we face may be as important as the solutions we formulate. Understanding the problem helps to solve it.

NAEP

Past Performance: Grade NAEP

US & NM Reading: Grade NAEP

Quality Counts 2006 Standards based policy reform implementation: n The higher the policy implementation score, the higher the NAEP test score in reading and math. n New Mexico received an ‘A’ on our Standards and Accountability; and a ‘B’ for policy implementation.

How Many 9 th Graders Make It To, And Through, College? Source: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Policy Alert, April Data are estimates of pipeline progress rather than actual cohort.

EPE (Editorial Projects in Education Research Center) Policy Score

Policy Implementation: EPE (Editorial Projects in Education Research Center)

NAEP Test Score 8 4 EPE (Editorial Projects in Education Research Center) The higher the policy implementation score the higher the math and reading scores for 4th and 8th grades.

New Mexico Assessment RESULTS FROM THE SPRING 2006 ASSESSMENT

Reading Proficiency Proficiency of all students in 2006 ranged from a high of 58% in 11 th grade to a low of 40.4% in 6 th grade. Increases in performance in grades 4 and 11. Lowest proficiency among students transitioning from elementary to middle school and middle school to high school. NM SBA

Reading Proficiency

Reading: Students at or Above Proficient by Ethnicity 2006 NM SBA

Math Proficiency

Mathematics: Students At or Above Proficient by Ethnicity 2006 NM SBA

Science Proficiency

Science: Students At or Above Proficient by Ethnicity 2006 NM SBA

Percentage Of Public High School Graduates Taking College Developmental Classes By Type of Class (N=35,654) NM OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY 2006

Percent of Students Taking Literacy and/or Numeracy Courses In Higher Education By School Type (N=43,540) NM OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY 2006

Percentage of Public High School Graduates Taking Literacy and/or Numeracy Courses By Ethnicity (N=35,579) NM OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY 2006

High School Diploma: Not The Last Educational Stop Jobs that require at least some postsecond ary education will make up more than two- thirds of new jobs. Share of New Jobs, 2000–10 Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna M. Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K–16 Reform, Educational Testing Service, 2003.

New Mexico: Path to Improvement n Viewed the National Averages and New Mexico’s progress regarding policy implementation, reading, mathematics, and science n Statement of obstacles, successes and improvements

n Major Policy Initiatives: 1. Full Implementation of Standards Based System 2. Resource Equity 3. Math & Science 4. Cohort Graduation Rate 5. Closing the achievement gaps – within subgroups, nationally, & internationally New Mexico: Path to Improvement

n Major Policy Initiatives: 6. Holistic Approach to Children and Learning 7. Students Ready to Learn 8. Redesign of High School System 9. Instructional Materials Alignment 10. Teacher and Principal Quality 11. School Improvement Framework 12. Seamless P-20 System New Mexico: Path to Improvement

What is Success? The definition of success is changing and emerging for high schools. Significant shifts in role, function and purpose are occurring.

Groups Capturing the Momentum n Legislative Education Study Committee – Workgroup n Public Ed/Sandia National Labs Initiative n New Mexico Town Hall Recommendations n Higher Ed/Public Ed Alignment Taskforce – Dual Enrollment n Governor Richardson’s Career Cluster Initiatives n Southwest Comprehensive Center TA n Career/Technical Education (Perkins) Initiatives

Producing the Redesign of New Mexico’s High School System n Members of the New Mexico Business Roundtable, Sandia National Labs, and the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) chartered a team to redesign New Mexico’s high school system. n Charged with conceiving a set of models that could be flexibly combined to suit the needs of the unique regions of the state n Did not design a single blueprint for every high school in New Mexico n Detailed a collective vision of the high school system n Did not look at incrementally improving what currently exists

Stakeholders Want A Student- Focused High School System Where: 1. … students are challenged and engaged in relevant learning that prepares them for their futures as productive citizens. 2. … schools meet the individualized needs of students. 3. … project-based, active learning experiences are driven by student need and interest. 4. … flexibility and choices exist, including a variable pace of completion and active student roles and responsibilities in developing, executing, and evaluating their own education plans.

Stakeholders Specified Critical Aspects Of The High School System 5. … developing lifelong learning skills and a love of education 6. … using modern technologies and multiple resources 7. … a community working together on education- -one that includes strong roles for parents, employers, and community organizations 8. …high quality teachers who are responsive to students and who continue to develop their skills and knowledge during their careers 9. …evidence that students have learned through authentic assessments of proficiency-based learning benchmarks

10. …smooth transitions from middle school to high school and from high school to higher education and work 11. …small learning communities 12. …equitable access to all learning opportunities, funding, and outcomes 13. …a flexible system that builds on and reflects native and local cultures 14. …safe, modern, cost-effective, functional and attractive facilities Stakeholders Specified Critical Aspects Of The High School System

The Six High-Priority Concepts: n Collaborative Regional Networks n Strategic Business Partnerships n Integrated Technology n Policy And Statute n Flexible Scheduling n Personalized Program Of Study

What’s Next for New Mexico’s High School Education System? n Implement new system changes n Align the high school system with post secondary education and the workplace n Transform classroom instruction

Implement the New System Changes n Promulgate Rules for New Graduation Requirements n Participate in the American Diploma Project to ensure NM standards meet college and workplace expectations n Change Current Rule to Raise Dropout Age to 18 n Eliminate Current High School Competency Exam and 9 th Grade Standards Based Assessment n Develop three-prong high school assess- ment for high school, college & workplace

HED/PED Alignment Work Plan 1. Complete formal alignment process Default Curriculum for Post- Secondary preparation by June Agree on scoring ranges for high school and college entrance exams 3. Create an assessment framework for 9 th grade high school readiness, 10 th grade college readiness, and 11 th grade workplace readiness 4. Finalize the dual credit master agreement

Transform Classroom Instruction n Create a Voluntary Statewide Mathematics Curriculum n Initiate Statewide Cyber Academy and Online Learning n Align High School Coursework and Curriculum with the Standards n Enroll students in at least one course from the following: Advanced Placement; Dual-Enrollment with a 2 or 4 year college; On-line or Distance Learning