Front Page  news  state

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

More Schools Will Be Left Behind

By Russell Contreras
Journal Staff Writer
    More schools this year won't meet basic No Child Left Behind requirements, state Education Secretary Veronica C. Garcia warned Monday.
    But she said that was something she expected because more students last school year were required to take the New Mexico Standards-Based Assessment test.
    "I want to forewarn you that we're going to see a rise in schools not making" the requirements, Garcia told a group of school administrators.
    The state will release new school ratings Aug. 1.
    Schools were required by state and federal law to give the reading and math tests to all students in grades 3-8, 9 and 11. In 2003-2004, the tests were given only to students in grades 4, 8 and 11.
    Test scores are used to determine a school's annual state ranking. Since more grades were tested last year, schools have a higher chance of not meeting basic requirements.
    No Child Left Behind says if even one subgroup, such as Latino students, doesn't meet testing targets, the school as a whole doesn't meet requirements.
    Garcia made her comments during a "community conversation" with school administrators. The conversations are part of Garcia's effort to "saturate the public" with data on the state's student achievement gap.
    For example, 71 percent of New Mexico's Anglo students tested proficient in reading in 2003-2004 compared to 46 percent of Latinos and 36 percent of Native Americans.
    Monday's "conversation" was Garcia's fourth since announcing earlier this year that she planned to crisscross New Mexico to get the public thinking about closing that gap.
    During Monday's event, Garcia heard from principals around the state who said more parental involvement and earlier literacy programs were needed.
    Garcia heads to Cloudcroft on Friday to meet with the New Mexico School Board Association. On Monday, she will meet with members of the American Federation of Teachers in Albuquerque.
    Garcia said she plans on having at least eight more "conversations" this year.