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Thursday, August 06, 2009

Gov. Says Bold Plan Will Mean 10,000 More High School Grads

By Martin Salazar
Journal Staff Writer
       Gov. Bill Richardson's new education reforms call for a "cultural shift" on the value of high school graduation, similar to one that has changed attitudes toward smoking and driving drunk.
    Two days after the state revealed a 2008 graduation rate of 54 percent, Richardson announced that he plans to get 10,000 dropouts back in school as he dedicates his final year and a half as governor to education reform.
    He pledged $8.9 million in federal stimulus money to pay for the efforts, aimed at improving the graduation rate and addressing the achievement gap.
    "I know that today is a start for an education renaissance in New Mexico," Richardson said.
    The sweeping proposals include a public accountability component — an annual report card to track achievement, high school graduation rates, dropout rates, college attendance, and college and university graduation rates for each ethnic group. The first report is slated for release by Dec. 31.
    And the state plans to air public service announcements about the importance of completing school, with the first to feature former Lobo basketball star Danny Granger.
    "The main thing is outreach, to communicate to them and to create a cultural shift in New Mexico that, you know what, you can't have quality of life. At a minimum, you have to graduate from high school," said Education Secretary Veronica Garcia.
    The governor plans to travel around the state announcing additional reforms in the coming weeks.
    "All New Mexicans — here's the goal — must be able to at least graduate from high school," Richardson said.
    "We must accept that, in the 21st century, to secure a job that will support a family, pay decent wages, a decent quality of life, a high school diploma is a must. It's going to take all of us. ... Not just educators and teachers."
    Business leaders praised the plan, while a key legislator called it a good start to tackling the dropout "crisis."
    Richardson stressed that it's going to take all involved parties — from parents and students to lawmakers and business leaders — to increase the number of graduates.
    He said the Public Education Department would partner with community groups to get the 10,000 dropouts back in school by May 2011.
    Alex Romero, president and CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, called the initiatives positive steps toward improving student achievement, and applauded the decision to establish an office of Hispanic education.
    Romero is also a member of a group that has called the Hispanic achievement gap a crisis.
    Sen. Cynthia Nava, a Las Cruces Democrat, called the reforms "a good start." Nava, chair of the Legislative Education Study Committee, said the state's graduation rate is unacceptable.
    "I think we have to take some bold and immediate measures to address it," she said. Nava, superintendent of the Gadsden school district, said part of the problem is that New Mexico doesn't adequately fund schools. She pointed to a study that found the state's schools are underfunded by $350 million. The state spends about $2.4 billion each year on public education.
    While the percentage of the state general fund that goes to education has been decreasing, the actual amount of funding has increased.
    According to Garcia, New Mexico now spends about $489 million more in recurring funds on public education than was spent in 2003. Enrollment has remained relatively flat over the same period.

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