ABQJOURNAL OPINION/GUEST_COLUMNS: N.M. Must Find What Works in Education

Friday, January 21, 2011

N.M. Must Find What Works in Education

By Dr. Mark Unverzagt And Mike May
Amy Biehl High School
          The promise of 2011, like any New Year, is to meet old challenges with fresh ideas and renewed energy. Few challenges are as pressing in New Mexico as education reform.
        The statistics are grim: New Mexico resides toward the bottom of national rankings, with low graduation and high dropout rates and low rates of college completion. What is unclear is what to do about these daunting statistics.
        Unfortunately, much of the public discourse focuses on turf battles for control of resources rather than an exchange of ideas about real solutions. So for many of us, the following questions go unanswered: What constitutes a good education for my child? What type of school will best meet my child's needs? What new ideas can help raise standards for all New Mexico's children? Who are the local leaders in education reform, and what are they doing?
        Ten years ago, Amy Biehl High School, a charter school in Downtown Albuquerque, took on many of these questions. We targeted kids who had struggled in school and had little chance of attending college and decided to immerse them in a rigorous but supportive high school environment.
        By having each ABHS student take a minimum of two college courses while simultaneously engaging with adults in their community through service, we strive to create the leaders of tomorrow for our state. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we can confidently say that for the majority of students that have attended ABHS, our approach is working.
        Ninety-eight percent of our graduates have gone onto college, and 80 percent of those graduates have completed or are still in college.
        Although our track record is still limited, when compared with New Mexico's four-year college completion rate of 33 percent, the school is clearly having a positive impact.
        That being said, we still have much to improve upon. Most notably, we must increase the number of students who persist and graduate from ABHS. Too many of our students choose to leave the school for less rigorous environments or to obtain a GED.
        Although our formula is not for everyone, it does demonstrate that many different models of successful education exist to serve the diverse students, families and communities in New Mexico.
        In spite of the dire statistics, there are children in New Mexico who succeed in a variety of settings: in charter, traditional public, private or parochial schools, or in home school environments. Amy Biehl is committed to promoting conversations that reveal these pathways to success.
        In celebration of our tenth anniversary, the Foundation Board of Amy Biehl High School has decided to model our commitment to community engagement that we seek to instill in our students. We are hosting a series of discussions on effective education and what changes are needed to create excellent educational opportunities for all of New Mexico's children.
        On Sunday at 2 p.m. at the school — 123 Fourth Street SW — Leonard Pitts Jr., a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, will begin this year of discussion for us, sharing insights gained while journeying across the country to explore successful schools.
        Our democracy requires an educated and informed public; in this spirit we invite you to join us for this first and all subsequent events. What could be a more meaningful way to start the New Year?
        Dr. Mark Unverzagt is a local physician and president of the Foundation Board of Amy Biehl High School. Mike May is Executive Director of Amy Biehl High School.

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