New Mexico legislators are working on bills that will have an impact on education in general and Albuquerque Public Schools in particular, Superintendent Scott Elder says.
“The Roundhouse can feel like it’s a world away, but the decisions our lawmakers and the governor make there are incredibly important and affect each and every one of us,” Elder wrote in his weekly message to the community. “Fortunately, the governor and many lawmakers are pushing for significant investments in public education, with raises for educators and quality instruction for students at the forefront of their agendas.”
Among those investments are a 6.1% funding increase for public schools and a 2% pay increase for school and state employees included in the $10.1 billion budget bill passed by the New Mexico House of Representatives last week, Elder wrote.
“State Representatives also want to allocate an additional pot of money for raises—averaging 2 percent—but give agencies the leeway to distribute them to employees as they see fit,” he added.
The budget bill now heads to the state Senate, where it is likely to be amended.
Elder’s message states that adequate funding is important to the district’s goal of hiring and retaining quality faculty and staff. He wrote that being able to offer competitive wages and benefits is a key part of that strategy.
The deadline for getting bills to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s is Feb. 15 at noon.
School day requirements
Also on his radar is a potential change to state law regarding the number of school days students must attend. Under current law, Elder wrote, districts are allowed to count some professional development days toward the required 180 days.
“If that’s no longer allowed, we’ll have to add more instructional days to the calendar, which would likely mean a slightly longer school year,” he wrote, adding that APS is preparing for both possible outcomes as it builds a 2024-2025 academic calendar.
Lawmakers are also looking at revising high school graduation requirements, and weighing a constitutional amendment that would effectively replace the current appointed secretary with a state board of education, Elder wrote.