I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The Hispanic Education Act’s next move in the House is a floor vote, after the House version of the bill, HB 150, cleared the House Education Committee this morning on a seven to three vote. On the Senate side, the final committee for SB 132 is Senate Finance. The Hispanic Education Act has gained momentum as a way to focus attention and resources on closing the “achievement gap” between Anglo and Hispanic students.While the bill is on the Senate Finance schedule, the Chair of that committee, Sen. John Arthur Smith, has informed the public that they won’t be taking up other bills until they’ve dealt with HB 2, which is the budget sent to them by the House.
The Act would create an office within the Public Education Department to specifically focus on “measuring the gap, analyzing it, and closing it, systematically,” according to its sponsor in the Senate, Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, D-Albuquerque. A Hispanic Education Advisory Council made up of “citizen-stakeholders” would also be created, she said, to support the efforts of the office.
UPDATE: The Senate Finance Committee decided to not make the Hispanic Education Act wait–it passed that committee late this afternoon on a vote of 7 to 2. The HEA now waits on floor votes in both houses.
