HOUSE MEMORIAL 37

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE TESTING OF AN ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOL-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDERS.

     WHEREAS, the public education department has implemented the NMTEACH system to evaluate teachers in New Mexico public schools; and

     WHEREAS, NMTEACH is a value-added assessment system that weights student achievement at fifty percent, classroom observation at twenty-five percent and other measures at twenty-five percent as criteria to evaluate teacher performance each year; and

     WHEREAS, teacher contributions to student learning are determined by calculating student growth on standardized tests; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department plans to use NMTEACH to assess school-based instructional support providers; and

     WHEREAS, instructional support providers include educational assistants, school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, recreational therapists, interpreters for the deaf, diagnosticians and other service providers; and

     WHEREAS, the current NMTEACH evaluation and support system does not adequately address the roles and responsibilities of school-based instructional support providers; and

     WHEREAS, a group of state school-based instructional support representatives, regional education cooperative representatives, public school administrators and New Mexico council of administrators of special education personnel have developed NMTEACH group D, an alternative evaluation system; and

     WHEREAS, NMTEACH group D addresses four domains of an evaluation system: planning and preparation, the environment, delivery of service and professional responsibilities; and

     WHEREAS, each domain includes several components that define each domain and can be scored on five measurable levels: ineffective, minimally effective, effective, highly effective and exemplary; and

     WHEREAS, these domains are more appropriate to school-based instructional support providers and address job responsibilities more accurately; and

     WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to test the NMTEACH group D alternative evaluation system for evaluating school-based instructional support providers; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico speech-language and hearing association and regional education cooperative number five are supportive of testing the NMTEACH group D alternative evaluation system for instructional support providers;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to support the testing of an alternative system to evaluate the performance of school-based instructional support providers; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in consultation with the New Mexico speech-language and hearing association and regional education cooperative number five, the public education department be requested to oversee the training of staff and the testing of the NMTEACH group D evaluation system for instructional support personnel during the 2017-2018 school year; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that findings on the effectiveness of the NMTEACH group D evaluation system be reported to the legislative education study committee prior to the 2018 legislative session; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the secretary of public education, the director of the legislative education study committee, the president of the New Mexico speech-language and hearing association and the director of regional education cooperative number five.

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