Education
How New Mexico child care workers got the state to invest in their industry
Merline Gallegos’ child care center has been on the verge of closing many times. She’s long struggled to pay her workers the wages she believes they deserve, and when the pandemic hit, things only got worse. “We were going to close or we needed to find some help,” Gallegos, 36, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, […]
Supporters turn out to champion affirmative consent in Roundhouse hearing
Legislation making its way through the session would transform how sexual assault cases are handled by public schools and New Mexico colleges that take state money. And it would make what’s known as “affirmative consent” a part of sex ed in high school health classes. In a room full of educators, students, survivors of sexual […]
N.M. educators seek a role in setting requirements for extended learning
Danielle Gurnea said she doesn’t mind the additional hours teaching middle school students in Las Cruces, and if state lawmakers approve additional funds for her public school district to expand extended learning or professional development, she just wants a say in the matter. “I enjoy doing programs with my school, but I also appreciate when […]
A watchdog says the feds aren’t doing enough to investigate problem colleges
WASHINGTON — Incomplete written guidelines and penalties that had not been updated since 2016. Significant turnover and reductions among staff. Changing agency priorities and department probes put “on hold.” Over the past six years, these problems have stifled the U.S. Department of Education’s investigations team that is supposed to probe colleges that misrepresent themselves to […]
Survivors and descendants of federal Indian boarding schools share experiences
Sitting on a chair in the middle of a crowded gym, Hopi woman Pershlie Ami talked softly into the microphone to share her experience about going to Phoenix Indian School when she was a kid. “I don’t speak my language, I don’t know my culture as well as I would like to, and that was […]
Folklórico dancers bring life to the rotunda while lawmakers mull over art and music in schools
An athlete and an introvert dance together on top of the New Mexico seal inlaid in the floor at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. The circumstances of how they got here is the perfect setup for a high school coming-of-age story. The athlete suffered an injury preventing him from being on the field, so he […]
Advocates voice support as Lujan Grisham pitches improvements for N.M. children
Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham promised billions in educational investment during her State of the State address and unveiled two programs to big applause. Universal child care, she said on Tuesday, could be supported by the Early Childhood Education Trust Fund. And a universal school lunch program would also roll out $20 million for school kitchens so […]
Native American education advocates in NM seek long-term funding for reform
Rep. Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo) received endorsements Monday for two bills intended to directly address the legacy of racism and disparity for Indigenous students in New Mexico’s schools. The bills would allocate millions in funding toward equitable education in the state, prioritizing tribal leadership and funding for tribal efforts to build culturally and linguistically relevant […]
Clean air in schools could become New Mexico law
Even though New Mexico requires public schools to upgrade their heating and air conditioning systems to clean indoor air well enough to remove coronavirus and other harms, people can’t just look up whether their local school district actually meets those standards. A legislative proposal — with backing from unions representing New Mexico teachers and sheet […]
Educator ready to serve her first term in the Roundhouse
A political version of musical chairs concluded this week during a meeting of the Bernalillo County Commission, tasked with filling empty legislative seats over the last couple of months. Democratic Rep. Flor Yanira Gurrola Valenzuela was surprised and honored, she said, to be selected Monday by the commission to fill the House seat in the […]
Nevada college tuition waiver program for Native Americans is off to a promising start
Brian Melendez can trace his family history back to an encampment on the land where the Reynolds School of Journalism now stands, before they were forcibly removed to make room for the old Mackey Stadium. “Not too long ago, my great-great-grandmother gave birth where the University of Nevada, Reno football statue is currently located. That […]
Flu, RSV and COVID are wreaking havoc — but sick teachers don’t feel like they can stay home
Flu case counts are at their highest level for early December in a decade. COVID-19 is spiking once again. Surging diagnoses of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are resulting in overcrowded pediatric emergency rooms. And still, research shows, teachers may not be staying home when they’re sick. With public health experts worried about a brutal winter […]