Tag: legislation

Governor Candidates Respond with Stance on Gifted Education

Thanks, Andres Melendez, outgoing president of South Central NMAG, for collecting responses from both the Republican and Democratic candidates for Governor of New Mexico in the upcoming 2018 election. Please click through to read what each has to say. NMAG is here to provide impartial information for you as you consider how you will cast your vote. Please note that each candidate received from Andres the same prompt for a statement on gifted education in New Mexico.

Image of Pearce campaign statement on gifted education

Click here to view the PDF file of Pearce’s campaign statement on gifted education.

Image of MLG campaign statement on gifted education

Click here to view the PDF file of Lujan Grisham’s campaign statement on gifted education.



Activism and the Excellence Gap

On this MLK Day we are reminded that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s work of civil rights activism is not finished. Racism still pervades American culture. We find it not only in our history but in ourselves, our leaders, and our institutions, including in those systems for identifying and serving the needs of high ability students in New Mexico public schools.

We know many high-ability students are being left behind by their school districts.  The latest Office for Civil Rights 2013-2014 data collection reveals wide disparities in the percentages of high schools attended by mostly Black and Latino students that offer courses such as calculus, physics, chemistry, and Algebra II, compared to all high schools.  The data also show low percentages of enrollment in gifted education and AP courses by Black, Latino, and children with disabilities, compared to those groups’ total enrollment in schools offering these programs and services. -NAGC, Closing Opportunity Gaps, July, 2016.

What are you doing to stand up for justice in the field of gifted education? Continue reading



Spring 2017 Newsletter

Introducing the Spring 2017 Newsletter from the New Mexico Association for the Gifted.

Our Farmington-based NMAG Newsletter Chair, Jessica Carlisle, has compiled the newsletter for our members across the state.

Contents include:

  • 2017 Legislative Update: Bills Sponsored by Rep. Christine Trujillo
  • Membership Info and Demographics
  • Opportunities for Gifted Kids
  • NMAG Board Member Profiles
  • Save the Date NMAG Fall Institute, October 20-21, 2017

Click here to download your electronic copy as a PDF.



Action Needed!

Dear supporter of gifted education in New Mexico:

Please read this message and forward it to anyone and everyone–friends, family, co-workers etc. Ask them to send it to others.

Contact your representative to support HM 15 ALLOW SCHOOL ACADEMIC ACCELERATION and HB 354 EXPAND “SCHOOL-AGE PERSON” DEFINITION.

NMAG has worked with Representative Christine Trujillo to sponsor these for the benefit of high ability students in public schools. You may click on this link for the Find My Legislator tool online.

Thank you for your help in ensuring both the memorial and bill get to the governor’s desk.

Cut and paste the paragraph below and add your signature and contact information.

_________________________________________________

Dear [Representative],

Please support HM 15 and HB 354 to ensure that the needs of gifted and high ability students have their needs met in New Mexico’s public schools.

HM 15 ALLOW SCHOOL ACADEMIC ACCELERATION

HB 354 EXPAND “SCHOOL-AGE PERSON” DEFINITION

This legislation will provide acceleration options and consideration for gifted students to receive social work/transportation/ancillary services, and it includes a twice-exceptional definition for our gifted students who meet the criteria for a disability under federal law. I thank you for your support in providing best practices in education throughout New Mexico.

Sincerely,

[Constituent Name]

[Constituent Address]

______________________________________________

Pridefully yours,

Dr. PJ Sedillo

President, NMAG



Draft Legislation for 2017

In late June I met with State Representative, Christine Trujillo, to propose legislation, drafted by NMAG, to benefit the students of New Mexico’s public schools.

Christine Trujillo Supports Draft Legislation from NMAG

NM State Representative Christine Trujillo, District 25

Christine Trujillo, a retired educator, has represented District 25 in Bernalillo County since 2013. She is currently a member of the House Appropriations & Finance Committee, the House Education Committee, and the Legislative Education Study Committee. In 2015 she sponsored the memorial HB 5 Gifted Day  at the legislature. She has agreed to work with our board to put forward ideas for gifted and advanced students in the next legislative 60-day session in January 2017.

A huge thank you to our past president, Geoffrey Moon, for getting the board started on the writing of these legislative ideas!

As you read through the bullet points, please feel to offer additional ideas that we may have forgotten. You can comment below (log in with an existing Google or Facebook account if you wish) or  email us your thoughts and ideas. Continue reading