ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)- New Mexico’s educators are getting a say in how they’ll be evaluated by a new system.
They’re hoping it will help retain more teachers and put the focus back on the students.
“We’ve had an evaluation system that was imposed upon them, and doesn’t allow them to do what they want to do which is grow and improve and better serve students,” said Edward Tabet-Cubero, the Executive Director of the Learning Alliance.
Educators are demanding a change in the way they’re evaluated.
“It’s really important for the voice of the professionals to be included in what is needed,” said Stephanie Ly, the Executive Director of the American Federation of Teachers, New Mexico.
A new task force comprised of teachers, administrators and parents from around the state brainstormed ways to improve the teacher evaluation system. In the past, they’ve been graded based on their students’ standardized test scores, and time off, among other measures developed by schools.
Educators say the system was too cutthroat and unfairly penalized teachers.
“It was a punitive model that caused teachers, who were excellent teachers to leave the classroom,” said Mary Parr-Sanchez, the President of the National Education Association of New Mexico.
Parr-Sanchez says it’ll take years to recover from the teacher shortage. “We have over 800 vacancies statewide… we also have very few people entering into the colleges of education in our universities,” said Parr-Sanchez.
Teacher Jeff Tuttle hopes a new system will allow teachers to focus more on their students.
“The culture that is set here, I hope will be the culture in the classroom eventually,” said Tuttle.
The new task force will meet again Sunday. They hope to roll out the new system in a year after presenting it to the governor and education secretary.
