Commentary: American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly released the following statement:
“Today Secretary Skandera released letter grades for New Mexico’s public schools. As education professionals, we know our schools serve different populations and each has unique needs, often not reflected in an arbitrary letter grade. We question the need to continue labeling our public schools as ‘failing’ and urge the discontinuation of this practice of so-called accountability.
“Secretary Skandera’s school grades willfully ignores important factors such as child poverty, over-testing, and limited access to early education opportunities. Leadership is more than just labeling a school, and it is impossible to cut our way to proficiency.
“Secretary Skandera needs to truly invest in our public schools through increased and earlier intervention, resource and educational equity, and the discontinuation of Public Education Department pet projects diverting taxpayer money away from local district control. Students, parents, and educators are invested in the success of our public schools, and the only failure has been the policies of the Public Education Department under Secretary Skandera.”