SENATE MEMORIAL 86

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Howie Morales

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE AND THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE RECENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE A-B-C-D-F SCHOOLS RATING SYSTEM.

     WHEREAS, in 2011, the legislature passed, and the governor signed, Senate Bill 427, the A-B-C-D-F Schools Rating Act (Laws 2011, Chapter 10); and

     WHEREAS, the legislation created a new state public school accountability system that operates side by side with existing school and school district accountability systems based on adequate yearly progress, which was established pursuant to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001, also known as the No Child Left Behind Act; and

     WHEREAS, the schools rating system requires all public schools to be graded with a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F annually by the public education department, pursuant to department rules; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department adopted rules for the schools rating system in December 2012; and

     WHEREAS, preliminary grades were issued for New Mexico schools in January 2012; and

     WHEREAS, education stakeholders report that the specific and technical details of the schools rating system are unclear and lack transparency; and

     WHEREAS, concerns have been expressed to the department regarding attempts in the rating system to adjust school grades based on student demographics;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee, with the assistance of the public education department, be requested to form a work group of education stakeholders to review the recent implementation of the A-B-C-D-F schools rating system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group be requested to examine:

          A. the technical details of the formula used to calculate school grades, including, but not limited to, the working matrices used to grade schools, the methodology used to determine statistical peer groups, all data and tools used to determine school grades and the technical step-by-step instructions used by department staff for assigning school grades;

          B. what information and data are available to school districts and charter schools regarding each district's or school's respective grade, and what further information should be available to provide for a more transparent schools rating system;

          C. the extent to which department rules implement the provisions of Senate Bill 427;

          D. whether department rules depart from the provisions of Senate Bill 427;

          E. whether the grade calculations can be simplified so that school officials, teachers, parents and policymakers can readily understand the elements of a calculated school grade;

          F. alternate value-added models and their implications for measuring school growth; and

          G. how the formula used to calculate school grades takes into account factors such as charter status, urban or rural location and student socioeconomic status; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group be requested to report its findings and recommendations to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee by October 31, 2012; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the directors of the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee and to the secretary-designate of public education.

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