Santa Fe, New Mexico, August 13, 2024—Teach Plus New Mexico today issued the following statement on the New Mexico Public Education Department’s (NMPED) proposal to repeal the Teacher Leader Development rule, 6.65.4 NMAC, which provides avenues for educators across the state to hone their leadership skills and amplify their voice on important issues impacting their students and the teacher workforce at the school, district, and charter levels.
“As an educator, I began my journey into advocacy on behalf of all our students when I first participated in the NMPED teacher leader programs in 2016. Through these programs, I felt appreciated and empowered as a teacher leader,” said Teach Plus New Mexico Executive Director Hope Morales. “As the Executive Director of Teach Plus New Mexico, I have worked with teacher leaders from across our state to successfully advocate for the adoption of these programs into rule so that they remain a priority, despite any department leadership changes. I have heard from many New Mexico educators about the critical role of these programs in their professional lives. We must focus on improving them instead of repealing the rule.”
The teacher leader programs include school liaisons in the Teacher Leader Network, Teacher Ambassadors, and the Secretary’s Teacher Advisory Council. Programs’ goals for teachers include:
- Gaining knowledge about NMPED areas of focus to support student outcomes
- Serving as their school’s liaison when other teachers have questions about NMPED areas of focus
- Providing feedback about NMPED areas of focus
- Developing skills to support colleagues’ growth and development
- Gaining access to NMPED resources and tools
- Uplifting and celebrating the profession
At the height of the NMPED teacher leader programs in 2017, more than 800 teachers across the state were engaged in the opportunities the programs offered, including 1,300 educators participating in the annual Teacher Leader Summit. This report from the national bipartisan Chiefs for Change details the impact.
“Teachers want to grow into leaders who will advocate on behalf of New Mexico students. Our ongoing learning comes from leadership opportunities and quality programs. These opportunities and programs that uplift the voices of teachers at the state level are desperately needed,” said Andrea Kiesling, special education teacher at Avis Elementary School in Clayton and Teach Plus New Mexico Policy Fellowship alumna.
“Over the last eight years, the hours I have spent with like-minded professionals in various teacher leadership programs offered through the NMPED have enriched my career and my skill set as a teacher and leader in ways I could never have achieved from within the walls of my classroom,” said Dawn Bilbrey, San Jon High School English teacher and Teach Plus New Mexico Policy Fellowship alumna.
“While we welcome NMPED’s intention to maintain the programs through internal guidance, Teach Plus and Teach Plus teacher leaders want to ensure that there is transparency of implementation and a focus on effectiveness and accountability,” said Ms. Morales. “We urge the NMPED to keep the teacher leader programs in rule to demonstrate to teachers across the state that their roles are valuable and their partnership needed. We stand ready to support the NMPED in ensuring that the programs continue and are implemented at the level of success that we know can be achieved.”
The NMPED will accept written feedback about the rule emailed to Rule.Feedback@ped.nm.gov until 5 p.m. Aug. 20.
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. In pursuing this mission, Teach Plus is guided by the Student Opportunity Mandate: All students should have the opportunity to achieve their potential in an education system defined by its commitment to equity, its responsiveness to individual needs, and its ability to prepare students for postsecondary success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has trained thousands of teacher leaders across the country who are driving policy changes and improving the instructional practices of teachers to create an education system driven by equity, access, and excellence for all students. teachplus.org/nm
