Albuquerque Public Schools
2017 APS Board of Education Resolution for Local Authority
Board of Education
Albuquerque Public School – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Resolution
Providing that the Albuquerque Public Schools board of education enter its appearance and indicate its support of a motion to support a revitalization of and dedication to the control of the local school board to make educational policy decisions and set education priorities for its local school district.
WHEREAS, New Mexico State Statute respects the division of power between the legislature, the executive and the local school board which is why it grants local school boards the responsibility of establishing the local district budget, setting policy and hiring the superintendent to implement the will of the board; and
WHEREAS, local school boards respect and welcome the authority of the legislature and executive to establish a framework in which local schools are required to operate, minimum standards of programs that schools must establish and performance goals schools must meet but believe specific decisions about operations, programs and how to meet goals should be left to the school board; and
WHEREAS, local school boards are elected by their communities, are often the most in tune to the community and students’ individual needs and how best to work within the parameters established by the State to meet those needs; and
WHEREAS, local school boards and superintendents take their mission seriously – to provide the very best education possible to each child who walks through the public school doors; and
WHEREAS, local school boards, in collaboration with their superintendent, ought to have the freedom to make decisions related to curriculum programs and the accountability regime to monitor the success of the curriculum and student performance; and
WHEREAS, funding granted to school districts to implement new programs or proven strategies to increase student achievement which may force the school district to participate in practices that they believe to be substandard and infringe upon the local board and superintendent’s ability to make decisions they believe to be in the best interest of their students; and
WHEREAS, local school boards support accountability and request that the legislature adopt a legislative strategy of less mandates on program specifics so districts may meet the demands of student success in the way they deem best; and
WHEREAS, increased mandates for testing students has hampered districts’ ability to allow students to demonstrate their progress and achievement in more creative, individualized ways and has created a situation where districts are forced to treat all students as a score and tie their educational programming to that score; and
WHEREAS, the success of public education in New Mexico is dependent on legislators and executive adequately funding the state equalization guarantee (a.k.a. “above-the-line”) and trusting local districts to do their jobs; and
WHERAS, trusting local school boards allows them to foster local relationships with families, teachers, elected officials and business leaders and seek buy in from all stakeholders for successful educational reforms in schools; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education formally requests that the legislature and Public Education Department allow local school boards to exercise their statutorily granted authority to make policy decisions about education; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education and administration want to work collaboratively with the legislature and the Public Education Department in the best interest of the students of New Mexico; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico State Legislature work with the executive to determine best ways to ensure student success while not hampering local flexibility to implement programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico Public Education Department not require the administration of assessments that go beyond what is required in state statute; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education requests that the state allow teachers, principals and school districts to use their professional judgment to administer assessments as an instructional tool and not go further than what is educationally appropriate for students; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico State Legislature adequately fund the local school board to meet the educational needs of students; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of New Mexico, the Secretary of Public Education, the Legislative Education Study Committee, the Legislative Finance Committee and the New Mexico School Boards Association.