Background: Youth identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) and/or transgender/gender nonconforming (TGNC) are at increased risk of violence. School policies and practices may mitigate this risk. Methods: Researchers merged data from the 2016 New Mexico School Health Profiles and the 2017 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey. Researchers…

Because of the funding decisions being made in New Mexico related to public education, working as an educator has become physically, psychically, and spiritually demanding for the lead author, Trujillo Ellis. The lead author seeks clarity in understanding New Mexico youth space, or the conditions of New Mexico youths' lives, that better equips…

This Spotlight explores key aspects of MTSS implementation, including its relationship to special education and effectiveness in improving student outcomes. Discover how MTSS can be used to support social-emotional learning, address discipline disparities, and ensure equitable access to resources and support. By combining data-driven…

This study explores the relationship between state and federal funding policies and the ability of minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to support low-income and minority students. The way US public higher education is financed has changed dramatically since the Great Recession. State appropriations to institutions have declined (SHEEO, 2017),…

The Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) provided states with newfound flexibility on accountability measures and school improvement strategies. Many policy experts have analyzed states' ESSA plans, which explain how states use their federal funds under various provisions of the new law, as well as the approaches states take to identify and rate…

In many ways standards-based school reform is at a crossroads. On one side, the movement has made tremendous strides. The Common Core State Standards Initiative, known simply as Common Core, is now strongly established in more than 40 states. Many teachers believe that the new, higher academic standards have helped them improve instruction. And,…

In today's economy, employers increasingly demand that workers have a high school diploma, yet America's graduation rates are unacceptably low, particularly among poor and minority students. Nationally, only about 70 percent of students graduate from high school on time with a regular diploma; for African American and Hispanic students, this…

New Mexico's unique demographics and rich intellectual assets, including two of the three largest national engineering and science research laboratories in the country (Sandia and Los Alamos), provide an excellent national setting for educational transformation. With approximately 320,000 K-12 students, New Mexico's demographics are distinctive:…

Controversy surrounding the definition of the gifted student, as enacted through New Mexico's Public School Reform Act of 1986 (S.B. 106) is examined in this study. The Kingdon decision-making model is applied to examine the reasons for the persistence of the policy definition of "gifted," despite continuing controversy. The summary…

This edition of "Network" reports on state-level activities to increase diversity in the teaching force and to prepare teachers to work with increasingly diverse student populations. The studies took place in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. An overview and information on recruitment, preparation, credentialing, and…

In 2003, the Lumina Foundation for Education launched a major initiative, "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count," to increase student success at community colleges. The initiative focuses on colleges with high enrollments of low-income students and students of color. In the first round, 27 colleges in five states were selected.…

This annual report provides an overview of major initiatives and accomplishments of the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education in implementing the policy directions identified in "Planning for the Class of 2005: A Vision for the Future." It begins with a specification of Commission responsibilities and outlines its legislative agenda…

This annual report provides a statement of the mission of the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education and an overview of its major initiatives and accomplishments, reflecting the Commission's emphasis on achieving the policy goals set forth in a 1988 strategic plan and a 1990 management plan. It analyzes, via text and tables, the following…