The state is looking to boost the number of bilingual and multicultural early childhood educators in New Mexico.
The New Mexico Higher Education and Early Childhood and Care departments are teaming up to spur recruitment and create a pipeline for personnel.
According to a news release, the state budget includes $7 million for this effort, which is billed as “the first of its kind.”
The money can go toward hiring costs, recruitment initiatives and endowments.
“Through this new investment, we hope to expand the talent pool of bilingual and Indigenous early childhood educators to meet the needs of our state’s multicultural and multilingual communities,” Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky said in a statement. “We especially look forward to working in partnership and close consultation with New Mexico’s pueblos, tribes and nations as we seek to actively support their efforts to integrate language and culture into the education of their youngest learners.”
APS SUMMER PROGRAMS: Parents may feel like the 2020-21 school year, which has largely taken place online during the COVID-19 pandemic, may never end, but it is nearing the finish line. Albuquerque Public Schools announced details of summer program options such as Summer Learning Adventure, a free project-based, in-person program for grades K-5.
There’s also online high school credit recovery for APS students to take up to four half-credit courses for free, in addition to other programs.
Scheduling information and a more exhaustive list of options are available at APS.edu.
IT’S A SIGN: New Mexicans who are continuing their education beyond high school were celebrated last week as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared Tuesday “College and Career Signing Day.” The day aimed to encourage students to look into higher education.
Students were recognized in a video on the state Public Education Department’s Facebook page.
“Students and community leaders from across New Mexico submitted photos and videos announcing their college, trade school or training program of choice,” state officials wrote in a news release.
REQUEST DECLINED: Recently, the Journal was denied an interview with Secretary of Education Ryan Stewart about schools reopening.
The PED communication team said Stewart declined to talk because there wasn’t new information. Spokeswoman Judy Robinson said that was the sole reason the interview didn’t happen.
It’s worth noting that a few days earlier, the Journal was told to submit questions in advance of a potential interview for Stewart to be prepared.
When the Journal refused, the paper was told that Stewart wouldn’t be sent to an interview that he can’t be prepared for.
Shelby Perea: sperea@abqjournal.com
