Because I think the rest of the state is realizing we neglected education for too long. And it should be on the front burner. The state now identifies the best schools, schools that are improving, and low-performing schools like Valle Vista which need the most help. The revamped system, however, is in its infancy. Since the Legislature strengthened the law in 1997, no school has been taken over for failing its students.
Most politicians agree such measures are steps in the right direction.
Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Brad Allison, perhaps the most high-profile educator on the public hot seat, believes an accountability system is long overdue. In rewriting the accountability law two years ago, the Legislature put more teeth in it while also providing some money for schools that improve. Legislators told the state school board to identify what students ought to know, how to measure progress, how the state would review progress and what resulting actions would be. Many legislators agree it's too soon to know if the program will lead to better schools. Schools that are doing well bask in state recognition.