SANTA FE, NM – New Mexico’s Public Education Department received widespread scrutiny, statewide, for its recent proposed rule changes for public schools. One of the proposed requirements forces school districts to implement a 5-day instructional week, which sparked overwhelming frustration from students, parents, teachers, and school staff and administrators, many of them vocalizing their dissent in a public forum held in December.

 House GOP Caucus Chair, Representative Gail Armstrong, is cosponsoring a bill with Representative Brian Baca (R-Los Lunas) that designates local school boards and governing bodies of charter schools to be recognized as the entity authorized to determine the length of the school year and the number of instructional days that will be offered each week.

 Rep. Armstrong, who represents rural school districts, said “While we share PED’s concerns about the state of education in New Mexico, we know that a one-size-fits all approach is wrong for our students and believe in working together to find alternatives so all students can reach their fullest potential.”

 In a letter written to Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham, Reps. Armstrong and Baca explain that PED is overstepping its authority since House Bill 130, which is now law, gave authority to local school districts when deciding on instructional hours which Governor Lujan-Grisham supported. They also mentioned the negative impacts this rule has on various school districts, rural and urban, including increased absenteeism, schools losing teachers who travel long distances to teach in rural New Mexico, and the loss of work-study programs, extracurriculars, and other programs that enrich the learning experience for students.  

 “Parents, teachers, administrators, and local school boards care about their communities and know what’s best for their students. New Mexicans want local control and Santa Fe needs to listen”, said Rep. Baca.