Senate committee: Hike cigarette tax to help schools
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A key Senate committee on Tuesday night pushed ahead a proposal to nearly double New Mexico’s tax on cigarettes to raise money for public schools. Continue Reading
State education chiefs fail to appear at legislative hearing
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Sen. John Arthur Smith said he was offended by the unexplained absences of Hanna Skandera and Barbara Damron. Continue Reading
Bill to give teachers more sick time ‘DOA,’ governor’s office says
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The bill would allow teachers to take up to 10 days of sick leave a year without it hurting their performance evaluations. Continue Reading
Constitutional amendment for early education struggles in House
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The measure would amend the state Constitution to draw less than 1 percent a year from the endowment to pay for early childhood education. Continue Reading
House rejects charter school moratorium in tie vote
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The House on Thursday rejected a two-and-a-half-year moratorium on licensing new charter schools in New Mexico. Continue Reading
Want to champion public schools and students? Raise revenue now.
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Our state’s Republican governor wanted legislators to balance the state’s budget by taking $1,190 out of a beginning teacher’s $34,000 salary. Continue Reading
Breastfeeding bills aim to help children of incarcerated mothers
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The New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force and others advocate for the passing of both bills to support the physical and social health of mothers and infants in our state. Continue Reading
Moratorium on charter schools heads to full House
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A committee voted along party lines Saturday to temporarily halt the creation of any new charter schools. Continue Reading
Spare schools from further cuts, superintendents plead
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At least 41 of New Mexico’s 89 school superintendents stood outside the state Capitol on a windy, bone-chilling Friday afternoon to deliver a message of desperation. Continue Reading
Sweeping charter school reform bill stalls in House committee
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Democrats argued that the bill was too complex and contained provisions many charter school advocates oppose. Continue Reading
Teachers union, wary of more cuts, supports Democrats’ budget plan
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The bill would boost spending on public schools by about $32 million but the governor says she won’t sign it. Continue Reading
Feds didn’t make arrests at Doña Ana County schools, officials say
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Rumors spread Wednesday that federal agents were at schools in Doña Ana County arresting immigrants living in the United States without legal status, but officials say that didn’t happen. Continue Reading
Early childhood education bill advances but faces uphill climb
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The measure would have to clear both houses of the Legislature to make the ballot in 2018. Then voters would decide whether to use the endowment for pre-K programs. Continue Reading
Committee deadlocks on bill to put teacher evals into law
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The bill would have turned the teacher evaluation system from a rule imposed by Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration into a law. Continue Reading
The things they don’t tell you about the permanent fund
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The truth is that the fund will continue to grow even if we ever manage to pump the last barrel of crude out of the ground. Continue Reading