Our Gov. didn't make it for President, had to back out of his appointment by Pres. Elect Obama, but has new (new?) ideas for education:
Governor Bill Richardson Announces Expanded Education Initiatives for 2009 Legislative Session
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson today outlined his expanded education agenda for the upcoming legislative session during visits to Clovis and Tucumcari. While speaking with lawmakers, community leaders, education officials and students, the Governor reiterated his support for changing the current education funding formula and announced his proposals to increase college opportunities for New Mexico students.
We have no higher priority than ensuring all New Mexico students receive a quality education and are given the tools and opportunities for success, Governor Richardson said. I look forward to working with the legislature to make sure we are adequately funding our classrooms, but ultimately I believe the voters of New Mexico must have a say on this major investment.
Two years ago, Governor Richardson signed legislation to fund a task force to study the funding formula that New Mexico has used for more than 30 years. It found the funding formula is outdated and underfunds schools, particularly smaller and rural schools, by $350 million. The Governor will work with lawmakers to find a way so that voters decide how changes to the formula will be funded.
Other educational initiatives the Governor will be pushing for this year include:
Requiring students to be in the classroom 180 days and moving teacher professional development outside of the instruction day.
This has always been a gripe of mine, being taken out of my classroom for days on end to learn to teach things I already know how to teach! Students whose parents think it is more important to keep them home to go to work with dad to learn to pour cement because they don't need an education to do that!
Increasing math requirements for K-8 teachers by three credit hours.
Oh yeah, this means that even those who don't teach math will be spending money to take courses they don't need.
Strengthening the Public Education Departments ability to sanction school districts that do not adhere to audit requirements.
This is for district in case you hadn't caught my previous complaints. No audits for 5 years???? Now we are being punished and having to give up pay, and they can say it was our choice to do it too,,, less pay or no job? There's a choice! Where does it say they will force the district to pay us back?
Expanding the College Affordability Fund Scholarship to increase the number of students who can receive assistance.
They don't mean all students, trust me.
Put all of the states 3% Scholarships into need-based aid.
New Mexico doesn't go by need, they go by race, they can say they don't, but they go by race. What used to be a minority is not anymore, but are still treated as such, and those that really need scholarships but are not in that group suffer.
Creating a division within the Higher Education Department to coordinate all major initiatives targeted towards Native American Students
Another gripe of mine, the tribe around here is given anything and everything they want but the students are not forced to go to school. They are kept out for this ceremony, that ceremony, the cat had a hairball, the chicken laid an egg,, they fail and the teacher is punished.
Expand dual credit opportunities so that Native American high school students can take advanced classes and earn credit toward graduation at Tribal and other colleges.
They have to be in class to take advanced classes!!! If they don't enforce attendance on the Res it ain't gonna happen!
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Governor Bill Richardson Announces Expanded Education Initiatives for 2009 Legislative Session
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson today outlined his expanded education agenda for the upcoming legislative session during visits to Clovis and Tucumcari. While speaking with lawmakers, community leaders, education officials and students, the Governor reiterated his support for changing the current education funding formula and announced his proposals to increase college opportunities for New Mexico students.
We have no higher priority than ensuring all New Mexico students receive a quality education and are given the tools and opportunities for success, Governor Richardson said. I look forward to working with the legislature to make sure we are adequately funding our classrooms, but ultimately I believe the voters of New Mexico must have a say on this major investment.
Two years ago, Governor Richardson signed legislation to fund a task force to study the funding formula that New Mexico has used for more than 30 years. It found the funding formula is outdated and underfunds schools, particularly smaller and rural schools, by $350 million. The Governor will work with lawmakers to find a way so that voters decide how changes to the formula will be funded.
Other educational initiatives the Governor will be pushing for this year include:
Requiring students to be in the classroom 180 days and moving teacher professional development outside of the instruction day.
This has always been a gripe of mine, being taken out of my classroom for days on end to learn to teach things I already know how to teach! Students whose parents think it is more important to keep them home to go to work with dad to learn to pour cement because they don't need an education to do that!
Increasing math requirements for K-8 teachers by three credit hours.
Oh yeah, this means that even those who don't teach math will be spending money to take courses they don't need.
Strengthening the Public Education Departments ability to sanction school districts that do not adhere to audit requirements.
This is for district in case you hadn't caught my previous complaints. No audits for 5 years???? Now we are being punished and having to give up pay, and they can say it was our choice to do it too,,, less pay or no job? There's a choice! Where does it say they will force the district to pay us back?
Expanding the College Affordability Fund Scholarship to increase the number of students who can receive assistance.
They don't mean all students, trust me.
Put all of the states 3% Scholarships into need-based aid.
New Mexico doesn't go by need, they go by race, they can say they don't, but they go by race. What used to be a minority is not anymore, but are still treated as such, and those that really need scholarships but are not in that group suffer.
Creating a division within the Higher Education Department to coordinate all major initiatives targeted towards Native American Students
Another gripe of mine, the tribe around here is given anything and everything they want but the students are not forced to go to school. They are kept out for this ceremony, that ceremony, the cat had a hairball, the chicken laid an egg,, they fail and the teacher is punished.
Expand dual credit opportunities so that Native American high school students can take advanced classes and earn credit toward graduation at Tribal and other colleges.
They have to be in class to take advanced classes!!! If they don't enforce attendance on the Res it ain't gonna happen!
##
