DEXTER CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS
DISTRICT EQUITY COUNCIL
In 2014, families and school districts, represented by
the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and families represented by the
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, sued the New Mexico Public
Education Department (PED) and the state legislature for failing to provide a
sufficient and uniform system of education to all New Mexican children as
guaranteed by the education clause of the New Mexico State Constitution.
The consolidated lawsuit, Yazzie/Martinez v. State
of New Mexico challenged the state’s failure to provide students—especially
low-income, Native American, English language learner (ELL), and students with disabilities—the
programs and services necessary for them to learn and thrive, and challenged
the state’s failure to sufficiently fund these programs and services.
On July 20, 2018, Judge Sarah Singleton ruled that all
New Mexico students have a right to be college and career ready and that the
state is failing to meet this obligation.
Per the New Mexico Public Education
(NMPED) website (https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/yazzie-martinez%20updates/), the NMPED
acknowledges the Court’s ruling that “no education system can be sufficient for
the education of all children unless it is founded on the sound principle that
every child can learn and succeed[.]2” Similarly, the New Mexico Legislature
found that the key to success is having a multicultural education system that:
- attracts
and retains quality and diverse teachers to teach New Mexico’s
multicultural student population;
- holds
teachers, students, schools, districts, and the state accountable;
- integrates
the cultural strengths of its diverse student population into the
curriculum with high expectations for all students;
- recognizes
that cultural diversity in the state presents special challenges for
policymakers, administrators, teachers, and students;
- provides
students with a rigorous and relevant high school curriculum that prepares
them to succeed in college and the workplace; and
- elevates
the importance of public education in the state by clarifying the
governance structure at different levels.
DISTRICT AND
CHARTER SCHOOL IMPLEMENTATION OF MARTINEZ AND YAZZIE
Under the leadership of Governor
Michelle Lujan Grisham, the state has decided the best path forward for our
students is to accept the Court’s ruling, rather than appeal, and work to
address the Court’s concerns. Remedying the identified deficiencies, adhering
to the requirements applicable legal directives, and creating positive
educational experiences and improved outcomes for all of our students will
require effort and cooperation from all parties, including the NMPED,
districts, charter schools, higher education institutions, Tribes, families,
and other education stakeholders.
The NMPED will be pursuing a
four-part strategy that will create an effective and equitable system of
supports for all students focused on root-cause analysis, equity-focused
leadership and continuous improvement, and culturally and linguistically responsive
curriculum and pedagogy. To help achieve the goals listed above, districts and
charter schools must initially concentrate on the development of the following:
- establishment
of equity councils at each district and charter school;
- completion
of a Martinez and Yazzie readiness assessment to support schools;
- implementation
of a culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) framework for every
school; and
- submission
and implementation of 90-day plans through the New Mexico Data,
Accountability, Sustainability, and High Achievement tool (NMDASH) with
specific focus on economically disadvantaged students, Native American
students, English learners, and students with disabilities.
More information on each component
of the strategy is described below.
ESTABLISHMENT
OF DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL EQUITY COUNCILS
The opportunity to lead with
equity-focused leadership and through continuous improvement is at the
forefront of this work. NMPED will work with each district and charter school
to establish a Superintendent’s/Executive Director’s equity council, with
members who are selected from the district and charter school community. These
councils will provide leadership to create an equity plan based on a Martinez
and Yazzie readiness assessment at the district level or at each charter
school, specific to the needs of economically disadvantaged students, Native
American students, English learners, and students with disabilities. Further
guidance regarding the establishment of the equity councils and the content and
administration of the readiness assessments will be forthcoming.
The members of the Dexter Equity Council include:
- Heather Garner - Superintendent
- Lorena Castro - Equity Council Lead
- Rosalba Duran - Special Education
Director
- Greg Barela - School Safety Director
- Matthew Loveland - High School Teacher
- Susan Schmidt - High School Teacher
- Greg Smith - High School Teacher
- Don Arganbright - ES/MS Teacher
- Lisa Granados - Elementary School Teacher
- Vilma Velasco - Elementary School Teacher
- Anna Chaney - Parent
Building Principals and Department
Directors shared information regarding the Equity Council with staff. Prospective council members were initially identified
by the district Leadership Team and then personally asked by district
representatives if they would be willing to serve on this important team. Per NMPED requirements, each district is
allowed to have up to 15 council members.
Any additional staff, students, parents, or community members wishing to
participate on the Equity Council should contact Lesa Dodd,
Superintendent.
READINESS
ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW OF JUDGE SINGLETON’S DECISION AND ORDER
In order to best prepare ourselves
to serve our students we are excited to begin to assess relevant policies and
identify what works for students. Districts, charter schools and equity
councils would benefit from reviewing the Court’s Decision and Order, as well as the attendant Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, when
completing the readiness assessment, formulating their frameworks and 90-day
plans, and assessing implementation. Those documents are available on the NMPED
website. Progress in addressing the Court’s concerns are the responsibility of
the district and school equity councils, and will be supported by the NMPED
through the 90-day plans. The NMPED will work with schools districts and
charter schools to ensure successful implementation of IEA, HEA, BMEA and district
plans for serving English learners and students with disabilities and will
monitor and review district and charter school progress toward those goals.
CULTURALLY
AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE FRAMEWORK
Holding students’ identity, culture,
and language at the center of our work as a strength is key in the design of
our schools and every aspect of our educational system. Districts and charter
schools must implement a culturally and linguistically responsive framework to
prepare students for college, career, and life by supporting their identity and
holistic development, including social, emotional, and physical wellness, in
addition to rigorous academic standards. Through the work of the equity
councils, districts and charter schools will engage in the development of their
framework. The framework will be used to guide the allocation of district and
charter school resources, professional learning, staffing, culturally and
linguistically responsive curriculum development, and assessment of progress
towards implementation to support improved student outcomes, adherence to the
IEA, HEA, BMEA, and the students’ needs identified in the order. The final
framework is due on June 30, 2020 and early submissions are strongly suggested.
The school community should be engaged in the process of the development of the
framework and align with the criteria provided by the NMPED. We will provide a
timeline that allows for effective and authentic community engagement and development
of the framework. It is expected that districts and charter schools will engage
students, families, tribes, and key community stakeholders in a series of
community-led conversations about the creation of the framework aimed at
student outcomes that ensure wellbeing, academic achievement, and success. The
NMPED will provide guidance and training for the creation and implementation of
the framework.
NMDASH:
PROGRESS MONITORING AND SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION ONLINE PLANNING TOOL
The PED’s core value of reflection
and continuous improvement is a driver for the systemic shift to ensure that
diversity, equity and inclusion are further incorporated into our cycles of
improvement and practices. NMDASH, the state’s online school planning tool,
will include a functionality for addressing the needs of at-risk students,
including those who are economically disadvantaged, Native American, English
learners, or students with disabilities through root-cause analysis. NMPED
initially has selected certain schools currently implementing the Principals
Pursuing Excellence program to implement this new NMDASH function, with full
implementation in all schools planned for the 2020-2021 school year. Through
submission of one annual and two 90-day plans, districts and charter schools
must build leadership capacity to implement and sustain effective
evidence-based practices to serve at-risk students with resource allocation
aligned to programmatic practices.
READINESS
ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW OF JUDGE SINGLETON’S DECISION AND ORDER
In order to best prepare ourselves
to serve our students we are excited to begin to assess relevant policies and
identify what works for students. Districts, charter schools and equity
councils would benefit from reviewing the Court’s Decision and Order, as well as the attendant Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, when
completing the readiness assessment, formulating their frameworks and 90-day
plans, and assessing implementation. Those documents are available on the NMPED
website. Progress in addressing the Court’s concerns are the responsibility of
the district and school equity councils, and will be supported by the NMPED
through the 90-day plans. The NMPED will work with schools districts and
charter schools to ensure successful implementation of IEA, HEA, BMEA and
district plans for serving English learners and students with disabilities and
will monitor and review district and charter school progress toward those
goals.
SUPPORT AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
The NMPED will continue to monitor
various programs and outcomes for each school, district, and charter school.
The Court’s order called for increased oversight by the Department. To that
end, the NMPED will provide support to districts and charter schools and will
implement the New Mexico Spotlight system to track annual progress.
Districts and charter schools will
receive further guidance from the NMPED for each area identified as guidance as
it is developed with early adopter districts and charter schools. Regional
trainings and webinars will also be provided.
If a district or charter school is
making insufficient progress in implementing its framework and addressing the
learning needs of all students, NMPED will initiate a progressive action plan
to assist. First, NMPED will help the district or charter school determine
specific areas in need of improvement. Next, if the district or charter school
is still unable to make needed progress, NMPED will undertake on-site
monitoring with the district and school leadership to directly address areas of
insufficient progress or noncompliance. If, after this focused support, the
district or charter school continues to inadequately address deficiencies,
NMPED may take further action [under Section 22-2-14 NMSA 1978] to ensure that
funds, staff, and resources are appropriately directed to address areas of
noncompliance in the most severe and extreme circumstances.
All of us must work together to
fulfill the requirements of the Court’s decision and order. We look forward to
working with all of you to enhance the educational experience of our students,
so that they are healthy, secure in their identity, and holistically prepared
for college, career, and life.
As the Dexter Equity
Council completes each of the requirements, information will be posted on this
site. For additional information from
the NM Public Education Department (NMPED), please visit https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/yazzie-martinez%20updates/