The petition contends the PED system is not uniform, because the administrative rule allows state charter schools, but not traditional school districts, to apply for a waiver from the system. That distinction is couched in the rule’s definition of a school district.
Last month,, Behrens said in an email that New Mexico’s waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires all public schools to use the new teacher evaluation system. He said Wednesday that PED has not received any waiver requests from charters.
Public employees — past and present — are able to depress the talent pool that would exist if legislators were paid a decent salary. Instead, most in the private sector have to watch legislative elections from the sideline, never getting a chance to compete.
New Mexico’s 112-member Legislature includes teachers, a college president, a school superintendent, a lower-ranking school administrator and a firefighter.
In a press release issued by his campaign office, King said, “I am very disappointed by this decision of the Governor’s commission. It threatens the precious supplies of water we drink in New Mexico. Groundwater contamination is a serious public health challenge, and it puts our children and grandchildren’s well-being at risk.”
And speaking of the government part of governance, what about legislators? Senator Udall was impressive, the state engineer was there, other government types as well. But any transformation of water policy has to involve new initiatives in the New Mexico legislature. The recent session featured more water talk than any in recent memory, but little came of it. There were some important new laws. Senator Wirth, for example, pushed a law through that aimed at the notorious “double dipping.” The phrase means that one buys land with water rights, sells the rights, and then drills domestic wells. However, no state legislators spoke at the conference. I don’t know if there were any in attendance or not. Obviously not even minor changes in water policy—much less a transformation—will happen without legislative action.
Chevron will pay href="http://www.abqjournal.com/261331/biz/nm-officials-chevron-to-pay-52-million-for-misusing-cleanup-money.html" target="_blank">$5.2 million for improperly using money from a stat environmental cleanup fund.
More recently, Jones said, “we talked to some of the sheriff’s departments and the police departments around the state, and they told us what they need for a basic police officer in the state of New Mexico. So we made these changes. They will still come out with the same skill set. But the academy will be more dynamic and focused, and we’re going to get them there quicker by streamlining the process.”
The state Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe, which is run by the Department of Public Safety, will begin running 16-week academy classes in January, Jones said.
Los Alamos High School teacher Joy Handsberry explained why the teachers are protesting during an interview with the Los Alamos Daily Post. "Skandera is creating more work for us and she is not improving education ... moral is so low ... it's going to drive great teachers out of education. I love teaching, it's my passion, but I'm overwhelmed by what's asked of me."
An Albuquerque Journal poll conducted by Research and Polling, Inc. shows
. Just 15 percent disapprove, but a massive 40 percent don't know or won't say -- showing that he is still largely unknown in his position as the head of the state's largest university.
"The reason that they committed the burglary in the first place is usually drugs," said Sen. Lisa Torraco, R-Albuquerque. "It's only a very short matter of time before they violate their probation and they're in jail."
Rep. Antonio Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said, "The jail can only have so many cells; the prison can only have so many cells. We have to prioritize and currently, the criminal justice code doesn't prioritize."
