Public Square; 201; Improving Graduation Rates

>> WHAT WE HAVE AT STAKE HERE IS OUR SOCIETY BECAUSE AN EDUCATED SOCIETY IS A POWERFUL SOCIETY. >> SHE SAYS TO US, "DAD, GET ME OUT OF THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE THE TEACHER IS NOT TEACHING ME NOTHING." >> WE HAVE DONE A VERY POOR JOB PREPARING OUR YOUTH TO ENTER COLLEGE OR GET A JOB THAT PAYS A LIVING WAGE. >> ANY SOCIETY THAT FAILS TO EDUCATE A LARGE NUMBER OF ITS KIDS IS NOT GOING TO DO WELL INTO THE FUTURE. >> I CAN TELL YOU, KIDS TODAY ARE GETTING A FAR BETTER EDUCATION THAN I GOT 30 YEARS AGO. >> THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING NO EDUCATION; IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO GET THERE AND HOW WE GET THEM THERE. >> WELCOME TO THE PREMIER OF "PUBLIC SQUARE'S" SECOND SEASON. "PUBLIC SQUARE" IS THE PLACE ON TELEVISION THAT PUTS SPECIFIC DIALOGUE CENTER STAGE. WHERE REAL PEOPLE COME TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DISCUSS, AND TO HELP SOLVE IMPORTANT ISSUES. ON THIS PROGRAM WE TACKLE A

TOPIC ON EVERYONE'S MIND, HOW AND THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE. WE'RE JOINED BY FOLKS FROM ALBUQUERQUE'S SOUTH VALLEY WHO WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUES AND THEN MEET WITH TOP LEADERS IN NEW MEXICO EDUCATION; WINSTON BROOKS, SUPERINTENDENT OF ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS; KATHARINE WINOGRAD, PRESIDENT OF CNM. CHRIS BACA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INC. AND NEW MEXICO PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, DIRECTOR, ANNA LISA BANEGAS-PENA. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, HERE IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR TOPIC. >> THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF NEW MEXICO AND OF THE NATION DEPENDS ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, WORKERS, ENTREPRENEURS AND TAXPAYERS. ONE OF EVERY FOUR KIDS IN NEW

MEXICO LIVES IN POVERTY. NEARLY HALF LIVE IN SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS HARDER FOR KIDS BORN INTO POVERTY TO DO WELL IN SCHOOL, TO GO TO COLLEGE AND PUSH THEMSELVES INTO A HIGHER TAX BRACKETS. A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS AGO, FAMILIES COULD MAKE DO WITH ONE PARENT AT HOME AND ONE AT WORK. A COLLEGE DEGREE HELPED BUT EVEN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES COULD EARN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A FAMILY. THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW. THE GLOBAL ECONOMY HAS SHIFTED MANY OF THOSE ENTRY LEVEL JOBS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, MEANING AMERICAN WORKERS NEED TO BE BETTER SKILLED IN ORDER TO COMPETE. ALL OF THESE FACTORS PLAY OUT IN ALBUQUERQUE'S SOUTH VALLEY. THIS IS A HISTORIC COMMUNITY OF 50,000 PEOPLE BASED ON THE BANKS OF THE RIO GRANDE. IT IS AN AREA OF GREAT BEAUTY AND ENDURING POVERTY. ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA, MANY

FAMILIES HERE STILL TAKE HOME LESS THAN THOSE IN OTHER AREAS. AND GOOD JOBS NEAR HOME ARE HARD TO COME BY. THE POPULATION HERE IS MOSTLY HISPANIC AND YOUNG. ABOUT 1/3 OF RESIDENTS ARE KIDS. A COLLEGE EDUCATION PROVIDES HOPE FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT MANY HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THERE AND SUCCEEDING ONCE THEY DO. NEW MEXICO'S EDUCATION CHIEF, HANNA SKANDERA, SAYS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MEET THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY A GLOBAL ECONOMY. >> IF YOU LOOK AT PROFESSIONS ACROSS THE STATE AND NATION TECHNOLOGY, MATH, SCIENCE, ARE RAMPING UP, EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO JUST COMING RIGHT STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. NEARLY 50% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ON GRADE LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO READING AND PROFICIENCY. ARE WE PREPARING OUR KIDS FOR CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS? WE'RE STEPPING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. >> TEACHERS ARE THE NO. 1 SCHOOL-BASED FACTOR IN HOW WELL THE KIDS ARE LEARNING BUT SO FAR WE DON'T HAVE A VERY

GOOD WAY OF FIGURING OUT WHICH TEACHERS ARE DOING THE BEST JOBS. >> IT IS DIFFICULT TO EVALUATE TEACHER PERFORMANCE. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO SO AND I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT HAS TO BE OF IT HAS TO BE DONE BY THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, SOME OF IT HAS TO BE DONE IN THE CLASSROOM OBSERVATION AND SOME OF IT HAS TO, AGAIN, GO BACK TO THE QUESTION OF ARE THE STUDENTS IN THAT TEACHER'S CLASS ACTUALLY MAKING PROGRESS. >> KEEPING KIDS IN SCHOOL IS ALSO TOUGH. IN NEW MEXICO, 1/3 OF NINTH GRADERS FAIL TO GRADUATE WITHIN FOUR YEARS. SENATOR BINGAMAN SAYS, KEEPING SCHOOLS SMALL IS PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM. >> ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE SUCH A BIG DROPOUT PROBLEM IN MANY OF THESE SCHOOLS, IS THEY ARE TOO LARGE AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF REASONS WHY SCHOOL BOARDS CHOOSE TO BUILD VERY LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS. MOST OF WHICH HAVE NOTHING TO

DO WITH ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BUT I AM PERSUADED THAT WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE SCHOOL BOARDS TO MOVE TO SMALLER SCHOOLS, SMALLER SCHOOLS, SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND THAT WILL HELP US WITH THE DROPOUT PROBLEM. IT DOES COST MORE. BUT, IT COSTS SOCIETY TO HAVE PEOPLE DROP OUT OF SCHOOL AND, I THINK THAT THE PAYOFF IS THERE. >> EVEN STUDENTS WHO GO ON TO COLLEGE ARE STRUGGLING. NEARLY HALF ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE REMEDIAL CLASSES BEFORE THEY CAN START COLLEGE LEVEL WORK AND THE MORE REMEDIAL CLASSES THEY HAVE TO TAKE, THE LESS LIKELY THEY ARE TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. >> YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE BETTER INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND THE UNIVERSITIES SO THAT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE PREPARING STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GO INTO UNIVERSITY

WITHOUT REMEDIATION. >> CONGRESS ALSO NEEDS TO MAKE CHANGES TO "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" SENATOR BINGAMAN SAYS, BECAUSE THE LAW ISN'T WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD. >> THE PURPOSE OF "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" WAS A GOOD ONE, TO RAISE STANDARDS, TO HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. I THINK IT IS NOT WORKABLE THE WAY IT IS NOW STRUCTURED AND PROOF OF THAT IS SOMETHING LIKE 80% OF THE SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE ARE NOT GOING TO ACHIEVE THE ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS. >> STRUGGLING SCHOOLS CAN LEARN FROM MORE SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS TOO. >> WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO IS TRY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THOSE SCHOOLS IF THEY WILL ADOPT STRATEGIES THAT HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER SCHOOLS. >> BUT NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS WEREN'T DOING BETTER WHEN WE HAD MORE MONEY IN THE STATE'S COFFERS, SKANDERA SAYS. >> IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE DID HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN

EDUCATION. WE WERE DOING VERY WELL AS A STATE FROM ECONOMIC STATEMENT, ET CETERA, AND OUR ACHIEVEMENT DID NOT HIT THE MARK. WE WERE CONSISTENTLY RATED 49TH, 50TH, WHETHER IT WAS FOURTH GRADE READING OR GRADUATION RATES, SO, WHEN WE PRESUME THAT MONEY IS THE ANSWER FOR EFFECTIVENESS IN CLASSROOMS AND SUCCESS FOR OUR KIDS, I THINK WE'RE MISSING THE MARK. I AM NOT SAYING IT IS NOT IMPORTANT BUT WE KNOW THAT MONEY IS NOT THE CHANGE AGENT. OUR PARENTS, OUR TEACHERS AND PARENTS ARE THE CHANGE AGENT. >> NOW LET'S MEET SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. >> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SOME OF THE PLAYERS AT THE TOP HEAR WHAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY GO THROUGH EVERYDAY, WHAT WE SEE. WE'RE THE DAY-TO-DAY PEOPLE THAT INTERACT WITH THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ON A DAILY BASIS. >> I WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED WITH MY COMMUNITY.

WITH MY SCHOOL AND WITH THE EDUCATION OF MY KIDS. >> I WANTED TO COME AND EXPRESS MY VIEWS ON WHAT IS LACKING TODAY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL. >> WHAT DO YOU WANT -- >> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. WE ARE A REALLY POOR FAMILY, SO, I THINK EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WAY FOR TO GET OUT OF THAT SUPPRESSION AND TO BE IN A BETTER POSITION IN LIFE. >> OF COURSE, IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO BE FOCUSED ON THE POSITIVE BUT I THINK JUST AS SERIOUS TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED TO IMPROVE AND BE VERY REAL ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, HOW COME MINORITY STUDENTS JUST DON'T DO AS WELL AS OUR ANGLO STUDENTS? >> IF WE DON'T DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY FOR THE SOUTH VALLEY, I FEEL THAT THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS AT STAKE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GRADUATING AND GOING TO COLLEGE AND NOT HANGING OUT IN THE STREETS WHEN THEY SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL. >> MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM SOUTH VALLEY ACADEMY AND NOW SHE IS ATTENDING AMHERST COLLEGE AND MY SON IS GOING TO NEW MEXICO TECH. THEY WILL HAVE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE BECAUSE WHATEVER THEY LEARN, NOBODY CAN TAKE IT FROM THEM. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE SOMEBODY IN OUR FAMILY GETS A TITLE BEFORE THEIR NAME. >> HOW DO YOU THINK WE ARE DOING AT PREPARING KIDS TO EITHER GET A JOB RIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL, A GOOD JOB, OR GO TO HIGHER ED, GO ONTO COLLEGE AND DO WELL? HOW ARE WE DOING? >> MY OLDEST SON IS 14, SO, NOW, HE CAN WORK WITH A WORKING PERMIT. IT BROKE MY HEART TO HAVE HIM WANT TO APPLY FOR A JOB AT THE SOUTHWEST PROJECT FOR ONE OF

THE INTERNSHIPS BECAUSE HE CANNOT READ FLUENTLY NOR WRITE. EVEN MY YOUNGEST SON, WHEN WE WERE AT BARCELONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WE MOVED OUT OF THAT DISTRICT, I HAD TO SWITCH AND THERE WAS NO SPACES IN REGULAR ED SO THEY PUT BOTH MY CHILDREN IN SPECIAL ED CLASSES. SO THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN THEY PUT THEM IN REGULAR ED CLASSES, HE ENDED UP BEING ON AN ACADEMIC PLAN BECAUSE HE HAD FALLEN BEHIND A GRADE LEVEL. SO I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH CAPACITY IN THE SCHOOLS AND OVERFILLING SOME OF THESE CLASSES BECAUSE EACH STUDENT HAS DIFFERENT WAYS OF LEARNING. WHAT REALLY KIND OF UPSET ME TOO IS JUST BECAUSE WE ARE LATINO, THEY RIGHT AWAY THINK HE NEEDS TO BE IN ESL, BECAUSE HE DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ

BECAUSE HE IS SPANISH SPEAKING ALSO AND THAT IS NOT REALLY TRUE BECAUSE HIS FIRST LANGUAGE WAS ENGLISH. SO, AS A PARENT WHEN YOU SAW THAT HAPPENING TO YOUR YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE TREATED OR RECEIVED AT THE SCHOOL? DID YOU GO AND TALK TO THE PRINCIPAL OR THE TEACHERS AND HOW DID THEY RESPOND TO YOU? >> WE MET REGULARLY, BUT WHEN THEY CAME TO THE REGULAR ED CLASSES, SOME WILL WORK WITH YOU BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE TEACHER. >> I THINK IN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, WE HAVE DONE A POOR JOB PREPARING OUR YOUTH TO ENTER COLLEGE OR GET A JOB I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE SOUTH VALLEY. I GOT A VERY GOOD EDUCATION. I WAS LUCKY, BUT I WAS THE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE AND I THINK THAT THE REALITY IS THERE IS A LOT OF STRESS ON OUR FAMILIES, IN PARTICULAR, IN THE SOUTH VALLEY, A LOT OF SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES, A LOT OF PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING TWO OR THREE JOBS. THEY CALL THEM THE WORKING POOR BUT THEY ARE DOING THE

VERY BEST THEY CAN AND WHEN YOUR FAMILIES ARE UNDER A GREAT AMOUNT OF STRESS, YOU SEE IT PLAY OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN AMONG THE CHILDREN AT SCHOOL. SO, I THINK COLLECTIVELY FOR ME, I AM INTERESTED IN THE LARGER QUESTION OF WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AS A COMMUNITY AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL WHEN WE SEE A STRUGGLING COMMUNITY OR SCHOOL, NOT AS AN INDIVIDUAL PARENT, PER SE, BUT AS A COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. >> I AGREE, A LOT OF WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING. SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY THAT I SEE AT RIO GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL, A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES, ECONOMIC ISSUES. I HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE WORKING TO HELP SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND PAY THE MORTGAGE OR PAY THE RENT. OR THAT HAVE TO STAY HOME TO PROVIDE DAY CARE OR CHILD CARE FOR THEIR SIBLINGS BECAUSE ECONOMICALLY, IF THE PARENT HAS TO GO TO WORK, THEY CANNOT STAY HOME. SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS, I THINK, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY SOMETIMES THAT OUR KIDS IN THE SOUTH VALLEY ENCOUNTER AND I WAS TALKING EARLIER

ABOUT RESILIENCY AND I WISH I COULD BOTTLE THAT. I WISH I KNEW WHAT MAKES ONE STUDENT RESILIENT AND ONE NOT BECAUSE I SEE STUDENTS THAT WIN INCREDIBLE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT REALLY ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY THAT DO FANTASTIC THINGS. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT GO ON TO FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS IN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING HARVARD AND WE REALLY DO HAVE THAT AT RIO. BUT THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS THAT MANY OF THEM CAN'T OVERCOME OR IT BECOMES TOO MUCH OF A STRUGGLE AND THEY LEAVE SCHOOL OR THEY ARE NOT AS FOCUSED IN THEIR CLASSES WITH THEIR TEACHERS ON THEIR SUBJECT MATTER AS THEY COULD BE AND SO THAT RESILIENCY, WHY ONE STUDENT OR ONE FAMILY BECOMES -- THAT ONE STUDENT CAN BECOME SO RESILIENT AND ANOTHER DOES NOT. I WISH I HAD THE ANSWER AND I COULD BOTTLE IT BUT I DON'T. >> I BELIEVE WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB WITH A LOT OF STUDENTS. I SEE KIND OF SLANTED BECAUSE I SEE THE FANTASTIC KIDS COMING AND TRYING HARD AND THEY ARE SO MOTIVATED WITH GOOD TEST SCORES, BUT I SEE A

LOT OF KIDS THAT AREN'T COLLEGE AND CAREER READY. THEY ARE GRADUATING AND GETTING A DIPLOMA AND MAYBE THEY GOT INTO COLLEGE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO ONCE THEY GET THERE. >> HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? >> I SEE STUDENTS THAT ARE MEETING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION BUT MAYBE NOT FOR COLLEGE AND THERE IS A DISCONNECT THERE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> WHY IS THERE A DISCONNECT THERE? >> I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT BUT I KNOW THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR A STUDENT TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND WHETHER THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THE WORK IN A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE, CERTAINLY. >> WE NEED TO CONNECT THE UNIVERSITIES OR UNM, CNM OR NEW MEXICO TECH WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO KNOW WHAT THE KID NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE UNIVERSITY AND IN THE SCHOOL. THEY NEED TO TALK EACH OTHER AND TO SEE WHAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.

>> ONE THING THAT REALLY MAKES STUDENTS SUCCESSFUL DESPITE WHETHER THEY ARE RESILIENT, NOT RESILIENT, IS HOW MANY FACTORS THEY HAVE AT HOME THAT ARE DIFFICULT, WHETHER THEY HAVE FULL SUPPORT AT HOME, ARE SMALL CLASSROOM SIZES. >> FOR ME, I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH VALLEY. I WENT TO WEST MESA HIGH I WAS VERY POOR GROWING UP, FIRST PERSON TO GRADUATE COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY, PRISON, DRUG ADDICTS AND I THINK THE THING FOR ME WAS JUST THE FOUNDATION OF MY PARENTS AND MY DAD REALLY STRESSED EDUCATION. I THINK IT REALLY COMES FROM THE FAMILY AND REALLY STRESSING EDUCATION. >> WELL, I THINK EVERY KID, EVERY EDUCATION STARTS IN HOME. RIGHT? WHEN THEY START GOING TO SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BE SURE THAT THEY ARE LEARNING THE RIGHT THING. MY DAUGHTER USED TO, WHEN SHE

WAS IN FIFTH GRADE, SHE SAY TO US, "DAD, GET ME OUT OF THE SCHOOL. PUT ME IN ANOTHER SCHOOL." I SAY, WHY? "WELL, I GO TO THE SCHOOL AND I GET BORED." AND I WAS CONCERNED. BUT I COULDN'T DO NOTHING BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I WASN'T INVOLVED WITH ANYBODY. WHEN THEY GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL, AND I SAW THAT THE CLASSROOM WAS SMALL, AND THE TEACHERS WERE PUTTING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THEM, THEN, WAS A BIG CHANGE. >> FOR ME IT WAS JUST, I KNEW I HAD TO GET GOOD GRADES OR ELSE I WAS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BE PUNISHED. I WOULD BE GROUNDED. SO WHEN MY REPORT CARD CAME HOME AND I DIDN'T HAVE GOOD GRADES, I WOULD BE IN TROUBLE. WELL, ON THE OTHER HAND, IF I GOT HONOR ROLL MY DAD WOULD REWARD ME. >> I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE SEEN KIDS WHO, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE EVEN LIVED AND SPENT SOME TIME IN A HOMELESS SHELTERS AND THEY HAD MORE OF

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL AND THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS WHO, BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE SITUATION THAT THEY ARE IN, THEY WORKED REALLY HARD SO THEY CAN GO TO COLLEGE AND MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THEN SOME STUDENTS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF BOTH FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU WANT TO DO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PUT YOU IN ALL THESE COLLEGE PREP CLASSES AND DO THESE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND YOU CAN HAVE THE BEST ADVANTAGE EVER, BUT THOSE THINGS AREN'T NECESSARILY CONTINGENT UPON COMPLETELY MAKING THE STUDENT SUCCESSFUL. >> I LIVE IN A POOR NEIGHBORHOOD AND I SEE A MOTHER WHO LIVES DOWN THE STREET, SHE IS AN ADDICT, YET SHE IS UP EVERY MORNING WALKING HER KIDS TO SCHOOL. IS SHE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO BE IS WHERE I THINK AS A COMMUNITY WE NEED TO COME IN AND REALLY PROVIDE THE RESOURCES AND HELP PARENTS OR HELP THAT CHILD, EVEN, JUST TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. >> A LOT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS JUST A BREAK DOWN OF

VILLAGE THAT USED TO BE HOW WE RAISED NOT JUST OUR CHILDREN BUT HOW WE TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES, HOW WE TAKE CARE OF OUR ELDERS. IT IS JUST THIS RELENTLESS MOVE TO PRIVATIZE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES, YOU KNOW, AND I SEE THE MOVE HAPPENING EVEN WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT BLOWS MY MIND WHEN I FIRST LEARNED THAT OUR LUNCHES AREN'T EVEN MADE IN THE SCHOOL ANYMORE. SLOWLY BUT SURELY, YOU START BREAKING DOWN AND PRIVATIZING ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR ANY REAL ACCOUNTABILITY. >> WE TALK ABOUT ISSUES AND WE TALK ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. SOME ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES HAVE CHALLENGES WITH THEIR KIDS, BUT SO DO PARENTS WHO ARE BOTH PARENTS ARE THERE, YOU KNOW. WE HAVE OUR FIVE CHILDREN, AS I EXPLAINED EARLIER, AND EACH ONE OF THEM THAT HAVE WENT TO COLLEGE, ACTUALLY, ALSO HAD TO TAKE REMEDIAL COURSES. I THINK FOR ME, IN MY EXPERIENCES, IN THE SOUTHWEST

MESA AND SOUTH VALLEY, I THINK THEY UNDERESTIMATE US. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF. I THINK THAT WITH MY KIDS, I HAD A DAUGHTER WHO WAS GIFTED. MY TWO OLDER ONES WHO I THINK PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FIT INTO GIFTED BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE GIFTED PROGRAMS AT THE SCHOOL WHERE WE WERE AT. THEY HERDED YOU LIKE CATTLE AND REALLY DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION SHE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO WHERE SHE WANTED TO GET. YOU KNOW. OF COURSE, AS PARENTS WE'RE TRYING TO GET HER SOMEWHERE BUT SHE HAD HER OWN SET OF IDEALS, WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO, AND SHE FELT THAT IT JUST WASN'T THERE FOR HER. AND SHE STRUGGLED. >> LET ME TAKE THIS BACK JUST A MINUTE AND GO BACK TO THE NOTION OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. YOU KNOW, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF CONSENSUS HERE THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATION FALLS ON DIFFERENT SHOULDERS; PARENTS, STUDENTS, SCHOOLS AND THE VILLAGE. SO, WHO IS NOT CARRYING THEIR

WEIGHT? >> THAT IS THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND." IT IS EASY TO START BLAMING ONE PERSON OR THE ONE THING OR THE OTHER, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICIES AND LAWS THAT EXIST AND CREATE THIS, YOU KNOW, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM, THEY CREATE THESE UNREACHABLE EXPECTATIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH AYP AND THAT KIND OF THING, THAT IT IS NOT ABOUT WHO OR WHAT TEACHER AND IF YOU GET LUCKY OR IF YOU ARE RESILIENT OR NOT, WE LIVE WITH A STRUCTURE THAT IS DESIGNED TO FAIL. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO THAT SAYING THOSE ARE SOME OF THE STRUGGLES WE HAVE IN THE SOUTH VALLEY AND SOUTHWEST MESA, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SINGLE MOTHERS, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF APS STUDENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE KIDS WHEN THEY ARE GOING HOME, AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THEY GO HOME AND THERE IS NO JOBS AND THEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN HOW DOES THAT HELP THEM TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO AT SCHOOL? >> I LIVED AT PAJARITO MESA FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND

BEING FROM THE SOUTH VALLEY WE HAVE VERY LITTLE RESOURCES. PAJARITO HAS NO ELECTRICITY. WE DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS UP THERE. SO WE LACK THAT EDUCATION ON HOW TO OPERATE ALL THE PROGRAMS, ONLY AT SCHOOL OR LIBRARIES. LIBRARY HOURS ARE VERY HARD TO WORK AROUND WORKING PARENTS, SO, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE, MORE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO MORE, LIKE, GET MORE INVOLVED AND TAKE THAT EXTRA STEP. >> GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY, I CHALLENGE HIGHER ED IN THE STATE TO DO CONCRETE THINGS THAT WOULD REALLY HELP. I KNOW THROUGH ALLIANCE SCHOOLS NETWORKING AND ALBUQUERQUE INTERFAITH WE HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH CNM TO DO WORKFORCE READINESS TRAINING AND WE'RE PILOTING A PROJECT IN THE SOUTH VALLEY RIGHT NOW WHEREBY WE HAVE A LOT OF PARENTS WHO ARE EITHER HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS, VERY LITTLE FORMAL EDUCATION, DOING A THREE-WEEK INTENSIVE WORKFORCE READINESS TRAINING; THINGS DRESS APPROPRIATELY AT WORK, AND REALLY GIVING THEM BASIC WORK SKILLS THAT THE EMPLOYERS IN THE SOUTH VALLEY ARE

TELLING US THAT THEY NEED. I THINK THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS TAKING SOME GREAT STEPS IN GETTING OUR STUDENTS COLLEGE READY. THEY PASSED THE NEW LEGISLATION THAT SAYS ALL STUDENTS HAVE TO GRADUATE WITH AT LEAST ONE CREDIT THAT IS DUAL ENROLLMENT APR HONORS, THAT IS FANTASTIC, BUT AGAIN A CASE THAT WE HAVE HAD IS ACCU PLACER SCORES ARE SO HIGH FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT IT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS THEM OUT, SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN LEGISLATION THAT MANDATES ALL OF OUR YOUTH HAVE TO GRADUATE WITH THIS, THEN CNM AND UNM, I REALLY WANT TO CHALLENGE THEM TO SAY OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO EARN A 23 ON THE MATH SUBSECTION OF THE ACT IN ORDER TO TAKE MATH 121. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY TO MEET HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AND PREPARE WHEN THEY GRADUATE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE REMEDIAL WORK. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT REMEDIAL CLASSES FOR A SECOND BECAUSE

WE KNOW A HUGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO END UP GOING TO UNM NEED TO TAKE REMEDIAL MATH AND ENGLISH CLASSES BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN START DOING REGULAR CLASSES. AND IT SLOWS THEM DOWN. I AM SURE IT IS FRUSTRATING FOR THEM. IT COSTS EVERYBODY TIME AND MONEY. HOW CAN WE REVERSE THIS? WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THERE READY TO LAUNCH RIGHT IN? >> BECAUSE, I WAS A REALLY GOOD STUDENT, I FINISHED ALGEBRA II BY THE TIME I WAS SOPHOMORE, BUT BY THE TIME I TRIED TO TAKE MY FIRST COLLEGE MATH CLASS, I DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING. SO, I HAD TO TAKE A REMEDIAL MATH CLASS. >> LET ME SPEAK AS A REALLY BAD MATH STUDENT WHO BARELY MADE IT OUT OF MATH. >> I HAD A HARD TIME TOO, BUT, I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THOSE SUBJECTS WHERE TEACHERS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT IS TEACHER EVALUATION. AND, IT IS A BIG STRUGGLE. HOW TO FIND THE BEST TEACHERS AND MAKE SURE THOSE ARE THE ONES WE ARE KEEPING AND PAYING

MORE AND PROMOTING. HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT SHOULD WE SPEND ON FIGURING OUT WHICH ARE THE BEST TEACHERS AND MAKING SURE THOSE ARE THE ONES WE'RE KEEPING? >> YOU KNOW, AS A STUDENT, I DID REALLY WELL IN SOME SUBJECTS AND A LOT OF IT WAS BECAUSE MY TEACHERS INSPIRED ME. AND IF I HAD A POOR TEACHER, I DID POORLY IN THE SUBJECT AND THAT MAYBE WAS A PERSONALITY ISSUE OR A TESTING ISSUE. >> IT WOULD BE HARD TO EVALUATE A TEACHER ON ANY LEVEL IF THE STUDENTS AREN'T SHOWING UP FOR CLASS. THAT MAY BE LESS OF A PROBLEM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAN A HIGH SCHOOL. AND I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT IS THE PARENTS' FAULT. PARENTS ARE OFTENTIMES HORRIFIED TO FIND OUT STUDENTS HAVEN'T BEEN IN CLASS FOR TWO WEEKS. A FEW YEARS BACK, I HAD A STUDENT, HE WAS FROM A LITTLE AREA IN THE SOUTH VALLEY THAT IS KNOWN FOR GANG ACTIVITY, AND HE HAD INDICATED THAT HE WANTED TO GO TO POSSIBLY CNM AND STUDY AUTO MECHANICS. HE WAS GOOD AT MATH AND LIKED THAT KIND OF THING. HE HAD NEVER HAD ANYONE SAY "I THINK YOU CAN DO MORE."

I ENDED UP NOMINATING HIM INTO AND HE ENDED UP WINNING THAT AND GOING ON A FULL-RIDE SCHOLARSHIP TO UNM. HE IS NOW STUDYING ENGINEERING. I MET HIS FAMILY AND HIS MOTHER. THEY WERE WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT HAD WONDERFUL GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR THIS YOUNG MAN BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW -- IT WASN'T IN THEIR REALM OF POSSIBILITY. THAT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF IF IT WORKS THE WAY IT SHOULD WORK, WE WOULD LIKE IT TO WORK, IT CAN WORK. >> AS A PRINCIPAL, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE CRUCIAL TO ANY SCHOOL. 25 OR 20 YEAR MASTER TEACHER IS VERY DIFFERENT THE WAY I MONITOR, EVALUATE, SUPPORT HIM OR HER. IT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY BRAND NEW TO THE PROFESSION. IT IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT JOB AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AT MY SCHOOL, WE'RE TEACHERS AT HEART. WE STILL TEACH IN THE CLASS. WE PLACE THE MOST VETERAN AND

TALENTED TEACHERS WITH THE MOST DIFFICULT STUDENTS. THOSE ARE NINTH GRADE. SO THE NINTH GRADE TEACHERS ARE THE SMALLER CLASSES BUT MOST CHALLENGING STUDENTS. YOU KNOW, NEW TEACHERS TO THE PROFESSION, THEY WORK WITH THE SENIORS BECAUSE THEY ARE A LOT EASIER. THEY COME WITH DIFFERENT SETS OF ISSUES BUT, ABSOLUTELY, THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN EFFECTIVENESS OF A TEACHER AND I WOULD ARGUE WITH PRINCIPALS. >> YOU KNOW, I ADMIRE ANYONE WHO GOES INTO THE PROFESSION TO BECOME A TEACHER AND WITH MYSELF HAVING GONE THROUGH EACH GRADE LEVEL FIVE TIMES, THERE ARE REALLY SOME INCREDIBLE TEACHERS OUT THERE THAT REALLY HAVE THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO IT AND THERE IS TEACHERS THAT I FELT MAYBE WEREN'T, THEIR HEART AND SOUL WASN'T INTO IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT IS BUT WE HAVE TO DEVELOP SOMETHING TO WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE OF THESE TEACHERS AREN'T BEING UP TO THE STANDARD OF TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND I THINK THOSE ARE SOME HARD QUESTIONS. AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM IF WE WANT TO CREATE CHANGE IN

OUR COMMUNITY. >> I DON'T THINK THAT THE TEST SCORES SHOULD BE THE SOLE BASIS BECAUSE LIKE YOU MENTIONED, IF YOUR STUDENT POPULATION HAS A HIGH LEVEL OF ABSENTEEISM OR IN SOME CASES, ONE YEAR YOU MAY A STELLAR CLASS, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL -- FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY DO REALLY WELL IN THE TEST. NEXT YEAR, NOT SO GOOD. >> IF WE COULD MEASURE GROWTH FOR STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF A STUDENT IS, LET'S SAY, EVEN IN THE SIXTH GRADE, AT A THIRD GRADE READING LEVEL, BUT BY THE TIME THEY END SIXTH GRADE, THEY ARE AT GRADE LEVEL, THAT IS HUGE BUT YET THEY MAY NOT BE UP TO PAR WITH THE REST OF THE CLASSMATES FOR SEVENTH GRADE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SUCCESS, THAT IS HUGE. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS GET FORGOTTEN. OR IF THE CHILD IS ONLY MAKING SMALL AMOUNTS OF SUCCESS, IS THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CHALLENGED IN THE CLASSROOM? OR IS IT BECAUSE THERE AREN'T RESOURCES IN THE SCHOOL OR ARE THERE OTHER FACTORS GOING ON? >> THE PLACES WHERE THEY DO

FIND THAT THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT IS WHEN YOU HAVE SMALLER CLASSROOM SIZES, WHEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND COMMUNITY TO BE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE KIDS IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT THAT SMALLER, MORE FOCUSED INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION IS WHERE YOU SEE SUCCESS. REGARDLESS OF THE CURRICULUM OR THE TEACHER, YOU HAVE MORE ATTENTION. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE MORE AND MORE RESOURCES ARE BEING PULLED AWAY AND THINGS ARE BEING CONSOLIDATED, SO IT IS THIS OPPOSITE MOVE TO, YOU KNOW, TO SMALL PERSONAL, TO JUST THROW EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, 40 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM WHERE THERE USED TO BE 20. >> LET ME ADD THAT THE PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS IS REALLY CRUCIAL BECAUSE WHEN THE PARENTS AND THE TEACHERS AND THE KIDS INTERACT, EACH OTHER, IT IS WONDERFUL. >> CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND I THINK FOR THE

SAME REASONS, JUST TO MIRROR WHAT BOTH OF YOU HAD SAID, SMALLER CLASSROOM SIZES, FOR THE MOST PART, AND I THINK ALSO IT IS LESS DAUNTING FOR PARENTS TO COME IN AND TALK TO TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND TO BE A PART OF THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT IS MORE OF A COMMUNITY, AS OPPOSED TO BEING THIS GIGANTIC INSTITUTION. >> NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO COME UP WITH QUESTIONS FOR TOP LEADERS IN NEW MEXICO EDUCATION. >> WE'LL ASK THESE QUESTIONS AND IF THEY ARE NOT GIVING YOU A GOOD ANSWER, SAY, WELL, YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION. >> LET'S BRING IN SOME OF THE LEADERS IN EDUCATION. >> PARTICULARLY, CONCERNED ABOUT OUR KIDS, THAT ARE MINORITY THAT ARE POOR, THEY SEEM TO BE DOING THE VERY WORST IN TERMS OF TESTING. THEY ARE DOING NOT WELL IN TERMS OF ACCESSING HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT AS A

RESULT. >> THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE, IS THE NARROWING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND AN EMPHASIS ON READING AND WE LOOK AT IT FROM HIGHER ED BUT K12. WE HAVE MANY STUDENTS THAT ARE GRADUATING AND HAVING TO TAKE DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES AND WE REALLY NEED TO STEP BACK AND ANALYZE THE DATA AND LOOK AT WHAT IS REALLY GOING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS IN THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND HIGHER ED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HELPING THE STUDENTS BE BETTER PREPARED. >> I THINK THAT CNM, UNM AND APS CAN BE A MECCA FOR EDUCATION. WE PUT TOGETHER A MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING AND WORKING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE THREE ENTITIES. I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE HAVE CREATED AND THE BENEFIT FOR STUDENTS ULTIMATELY IS SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW THAT IS GOING ON TOO MANY OTHER PLACES AROUND

THE COUNTRY. >> THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE LIVE IN A VERY COMPLEX WORLD WITH A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS AND WE HAVE ISSUES THAT RANGE FROM PRE-K THROUGH DOCTORAL PROGRAMS. THERE ARE THINGS THAT WORK FOR SOME STUDENTS THAT DON'T WORK FOR OTHERS. THERE ARE SUCCESSES THAT ARE EXCITING FOR SOME STUDENTS AND OTHER STUDENTS FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SIT IN A CLASSROOM WITH THAT SAME GROUP OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS SO I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO TRY TO FIND THE ONE THING. ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THIS COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACH THAT YOU'RE SEEING BETWEEN APS, CNM AND UNM IS THE RECOGNITION THAT NOT ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AND NOT ALL STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE SAME THINGS. >> OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A QUESTION FROM CLARISSA. >> MY QUESTION IS TO ANNA LISA. WHY DO SO MANY NEW MEXICO HIGH

REMEDIAL CLASSES IN COLLEGE? >> YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED AND THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED IS THAT THERE IS A MISALIGNMENT IN HOW WE'RE PREPARING OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERTAKE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL. THERE IS MANY FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO THAT. IT COULD BE READING. THEIR ABILITY TO READ AND BE SUCCESSFUL AT READING AND CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING. THEIR ABILITY TO DO THE MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, THE CORE CONTENT. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THEY GET INTO THE COLLEGE LEVEL AND ARE FACED WITH HAVING TO BE SELF-DISCIPLINED, TO DO THEIR COURSE WORK, TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE. STUDENTS DON'T HAVE THAT INITIATIVE. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE ADEQUATELY VERTICALLY ALIGNING WITH WHAT HAPPENS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL TO WHAT HAPPENS IN HIGHER ED, TO

ADEQUATELY PREPARE THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE THOSE CRITICAL THINKERS, PROBLEM SOLVERS AND SELF-DISCIPLINE TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED AT THAT COLLEGE LEVEL. THAT IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY DOING MOST OF THE REMEDIATION, CERTAINLY IN THIS AREA, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT TO START DECREASING THAT NUMBER. THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH APS HAS ALLOWED US TO DO STUDIES ABOUT THE STUDENTS. WHAT ARE THEY TAKING IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS CREATING A SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE NOT TRULY PREPARED? THE OTHER PIECE IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING THINGS AS WELL TO CREATE A SITUATION THAT HELPS STUDENTS GET THROUGH REMEDIATION FASTER. SO, THAT THEY AREN'T STUCK IN THIS SORT OF SPIRAL OF TAKING REMEDIAL CLASSES. SO, WE TOO ARE CHANGING THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT

REMEDIATION. >> HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT IS SUCH A PROBLEM? I MEAN, I HEARD GWYNN SAY EARLIER THE REMEDIATION NUMBERS ARE HUGE. HOW DO WE KNOW? WHAT DATA ARE WE CITING TO SAY THAT? I AM NOT A NATIVE OF NEW MEXICO. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS WANT TO GO TO THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR HERE. WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE IT AS BAD AS IT POSSIBLY CAN BE, WHETHER IT IS PED SAYING WE'RE 49TH IN THE NATION, WHICH WE'RE NOT, THERE IS DATA THAT SAYS WE ARE 37TH IN THE NATION, WHICH ISN'T ALL THAT GREAT, BUT IT IS BETTER THAN BEING NEXT TO LAST. OR THAT WE HAVE THIS HUGE REMEDIAL PROBLEM AND IT IS NOT TRUE. I MEAN, WE HAVE DONE SO MANY THINGS IN THE LAST YEAR, TWO OR THREE YEARS, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REMEDIAL CLASSES THAT ARE GIVEN TO OUR STUDENTS, THAT IT IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL. >> I DON'T HAVE STATISTICS WITH ME BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE STATISTICS OUT THERE THAT

SAY THAT A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT ARE GOING AND ENROLLING IN COLLEGE HAVE TO TAKE REMEDIAL COURSES. I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, FOR MYSELF, WITH MY CHILDREN, EACH ONE OF MY KIDS HAS HAD TO TAKE REMEDIAL COURSES BEFORE THEY HAVE GONE ONTO REGULAR CLASS COURSES. AND I THINK WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY DARN GOOD PARENTS AND IT IS AN ISSUE AND I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH IT. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE STRUGGLES WE HAVE AND TO REALLY TACKLE THEM SO WE CAN GET OUR KIDS TO WHERE WE NEED THEM. >> I THINK THAT WAS VERY WELL SAID, BECAUSE WHETHER IT IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR OR NOT, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE CREATE THE BEST SITUATION FOR SUCCESS, THAT LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE HARD QUESTIONS IS LEGITIMATE. I THINK IT IS LEGITIMATE AND IT IS NECESSARY. >> WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT REMEDIAL EDUCATION, ALTHOUGH IT SOUNDS VERY BAD, IT ISN'T A BAD THING. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A STUDENT TO ACTUALLY SUCCEED. INSTEAD OF PUTTING THEM IN A CLASSROOM IN A SITUATION WHERE

THEY WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL. SO, IF I COULD CHANGE THE WORLD AND REALLY CREATE A PERFECT SITUATION, THE PERFECT SITUATION FOR ME WOULD BE THAT WE NOT STIGMATIZE STUDENTS WHO DO NEED JUST A LITTLE HELP. BECAUSE MOST OF THEM DON'T NEED A LOT, THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE. >> I GRADUATED FROM WEST MESA HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS IN ALL HONORS CLASSES. I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. I DID HAVE TO TAKE 09 MATH. >> IT MAY NOT BE A BAD THING BUT IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN TRY TO DO IT BEFORE THEY GRADUATE SO THAT THEY ARE AT THAT LEVEL AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO WASTE ANOTHER SEMESTER, ESPECIALLY THE TUITIONS, LIKE, PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING AS IT IS, LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREPARE THEM FOR IT AND THEN HAVE THEM DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. >> I THINK WE TRY TO DO THAT ALREADY. I THINK WE TRY TO IDENTIFY WHERE KIDS ARE. I THINK COUNSELORS TRY TO BE IN TOUCH WITH KIDS AND TRY TO

KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN CLASS OR NOT. AND I DON'T THINK -- I AM NOT TRYING TO SPIN IT SO IT IS POSITIVE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I AM NOT SURE THAT K-12 EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO IS ANY MORE -- IS ANY WORSE OFF THAN ANY OTHER LARGER URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PREPARING STUDENTS TO GO TO SCHOOL. I HAPPEN TO BE ONE, AND MAYBE I AM THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM THAT FEELS THIS WAY, BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB AT EDUCATING KIDS THAN WE HAVE EVER. I CAN TELL YOU THE KIDS TODAY ARE GETTING A FAR BETTER EDUCATION THAN I GOT 30 YEARS AGO WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL. AND I THINK THAT IS TRUE, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY LEVEL, MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, ALL THE WAY THROUGH. >> THE ONES THAT AREN'T GETTING THEIR EDUCATION, BUT WE'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO GET THERE AND HOW WE GET THEM THERE. >> MY QUESTION IS TO ANNA LISA.

IS EVALUATING TEST SCORES THE BEST WAY TO EVALUATE TEACHERS >> I THINK THAT IS ONLY MAYBE ONE PIECE OF IT. I THINK THAT THERE IS OTHER WAYS OF LOOKING TO SEE HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE SUCCEEDING AND ONE IS, ARE THEY BEING PREPARED TO GO TO COLLEGE? >> IF I COULD DO SOME FOLLOW-UP. I SHOULD SAY THAT THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE ABOUT TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS AND WHAT IS COMING FROM SECRETARY SKANDERA'S OFFICE IS THAT ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS BY WHICH TEACHERS WILL BE EVALUATED WOULD BE BASED ON HOW WELL THEIR STUDENTS DO EITHER BY SHORT CYCLE ASSESSMENT OR THE SBA'S. SO I FEEL THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF ANXIETY AMONG TEACHERS. >> I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FOUR WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM IS PARAMOUNT. I MEAN THAT IS KEY AND PRIME. BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT IS HOW THE LEADERSHIP IS HELPING TEACHERS TO BE MORE EFFICACIOUS IN THE WORK THEY DO WITH STUDENTS. SO, THAT IF WE AS LEADERS ARE NOT PROVIDING THEM THAT KIND

OF SUPPORT, THEN OF COURSE I UNDERSTAND THE ANXIETY, BECAUSE JUST FEELS LIKE WE'RE THROWING THEM OUT TO THE WOLVES WHEN THAT IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL. SO, MY MESSAGE TO TEACHERS IS THAT IT CAN'T BE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT ALONE. I MEAN THAT WOULD BE A VERY UNFAIR APPROACH IF WE'RE REALLY GOING TO MAKE MEANING OF THIS INITIATIVE AND OF THIS PROCESS. SO, THE MESSAGE WE WANT TO DELIVER IS WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN COLLABORATION. WE HAVE TO DO IT IN COLLABORATION. HIGHLIGHT THOSE SUCCESSES THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE, WHERE IT IS ALREADY HAPPENING, TO SHOW THAT GROWTH, TO FIND THOSE EXCELLENT -- THOSE AREAS OF EXCELLENCE AND BE ABLE TO REPLICATE AND MENTOR AND MODEL, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ACTUALLY WORKING. BUT, UNTIL WE CAN BE TRUE TO OURSELVES AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE DATA REALLY TELLING US, THEN WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH THAT IS NOT AS PRODUCTIVE FOR OUR STUDENTS. >> MARLA, YOU HAVE A QUESTION. >> I DO.

AND THAT IS, WHAT SHOULD WE IN PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR EMPLOYERS IN THE WORKFORCE? HOW CAN WE HELP? >> I WILL TELL YOU IT IS AN ONGOING CHALLENGE FOR CNM TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MEETING THE NEED OF THE EMPLOYERS AND WE DO THAT BY TALKING TO THE EMPLOYERS. WHAT WE DO IS BRING THEM IN PERIODICALLY. IF IT IS ABOUT NURSING, WE BRING IN THE NURSES AND SAY WHAT IS IT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT DOING? WHAT DO WE NEED AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH CREDIT OR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INTERNSHIPS TO BE EXPOSED TO THOSE WORKPLACES AND WE AT CNM WANT THEM TO COME AND GET THAT LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION FOR THAT. >> I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. I KNOW YOU GUYS DO SOME WONDERFUL THINGS. HOW CAN WE WORK BETTER WITH

THEM AND HELP THE STUDENTS TO BE MORE WORKFORCE READY. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT IS PARTNERSHIP. I AM A VERY BIG BELIEVE IN DUAL CREDIT THE I BELIEVE IF WE CAN GET STUDENTS IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY GET IN A LAB THAT TEACHES THEM WELDING OR THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SEE WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE THROUGH AN INTERNSHIP, THAT IS THE THING THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL CAN DO, WORKING NOT ONLY WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUT WORKING WITH THE UNION GROUPS AND OTHER KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT WILL BE HIRING THEM. >> IF A STUDENT MAYBE DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT SCORE TO GET INTO A CERTAIN CLASS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT CNM CAN HELP US WORK WITH THAT STUDENT? >> WE TRY VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING STUDENTS IN CLASSES WHERE THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. WE FIND THAT MAYBE THE STUDENTS FROM RIO GRANDE DIDN'T FAIL THAT CLASS BUT WE HAVE OTHERS THAT DO, BUT IT IS

A CONSTANT STRUGGLE TO GET MY STAFF, EVEN, TO CONSIDER THAT MAYBE WE WENT A LITTLE TOO FAR, MAYBE WE DID CREATE A SITUATION THAT WAS A BARRIER. PLEASE KNOW THAT OUR INTENT IS NEVER TO CREATE A BARRIER FOR EDUCATION. OUR INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL. >> I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO RENA. YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR WINSTON BROOKS. >> YES. THAT PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE A VOICE IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, THE MAJOR DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE AT OUR SCHOOLS? >> WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD AND I HAVE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT VERY RECENTLY, LIKE AT THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, IS TO CONSIDER THE BOARD ACTUALLY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND MAYBE HAVING SOME OF OUR MEETINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR THIS YEAR BETWEEN NOW AND THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER. WE HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEETINGS SCHEDULED OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THE

SUPERINTENDENT AND THE RESPECTIVE BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT A VARIETY OF THINGS. SO, SOME PEOPLE CAME TO THE BOARD MEETING RECENTLY AND TALKED ABOUT, I GUESS, IT WAS COMMUNITY ADVISORY OR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEES OR SOMETHING, THAT USED TO EXIST IN APS, AND ASKED THE BOARD IF WE WOULD RECONSIDER DOING THAT AGAIN. SO, I THINK THE INPUT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND I THINK THE BOARD AND I ARE BOTH INTERESTED IN DOING THAT. >> WE HAVE NEXT FROM TOMACITA. >> THE QUESTION IS FOR CHRIS BACA. TO COLLABORATING WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT YOU SEE? >> WE HAVE HAD SOME WONDERFUL COLLABORATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OTHER TIMES IT HASN'T WORKED OUT QUITE AS WELL. IN THE LONG-TERM, ALL THE FOLKS SITTING AROUND THIS CIRCLE ARE HERE WITH THE SAME INTENT; THAT WE WANT THE VERY

BEST THAT WE CAN FOR OUR KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. STAKE HERE IS OUR SOCIETY. BECAUSE AN EDUCATED SOCIETY IS A POWERFUL SOCIETY AND ANY SOCIETY THAT FAILS TO EDUCATE A LARGE NUMBER OF ITS KIDS IS NOT GOING TO DO WELL INTO THE FUTURE. I THINK EVERYBODY HERE UNDERSTANDS THAT. EVERYBODY IS DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO. I THINK SCHOOLS ARE NOW MUCH MORE OPEN THAN THEY WERE MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE SEEN MUCH MORE RECENTLY, IS A MORE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, MORE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS. AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, WE ASK PRINCIPALS SOMETIMES AND TEACHERS TO SHOW UP AND THEY WILL SHOW UP AND THEY WILL TALK, BUT THERE IS JUST A WHOLE LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT. IF YOU ARE GOING TO TURN A COMMUNITY AROUND, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT IN A YEAR OR TWO OR THREE.

BELIEVE ME I FOUND THAT OUT OVER 38 YEARS. >> WE TALKED ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT DIFFERENT GROUPS HAVE FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE ROLE YOU GUYS CAN PLAY IN GETTING KIDS MORE READY FOR COLLEGE OR WORK? >> I THINK WE HAVE TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY, AND THAT MEANS PARENTS, IN A MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL WAY. YOU KNOW, DURING THE AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS, DURING THE SUMMERS, WE HAVE TO BE MUCH MORE ACTIVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN HELPING PARENTS UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE THE VALUE OF EDUCATION FOR NOT ONLY THEIR CHILDREN, BUT FOR THEIR FAMILY. >> MY QUESTION IS FOR WINSTON BROOKS. HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE FAMILIES OPPORTUNITIES AS THESE IN THE COMMUNITY? HOW CAN WE MORE ACCESS APS TO GET THEM INVOLVED. >> I THINK, WORK WITH OUR PRINCIPALS. CHRIS SAID IT, THEY ARE THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND RUNNING

THE SHOW, ARE OUR PRINCIPALS. AND I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO DO THAT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHRIS SAID THAT STRUCK ME IS THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS A SET OF VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS THAT IT HAS EITHER SET FORTH BY THE PED OR BY "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" OR WHATEVER MANDATES THAT WE HAVE. AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO IS INSTEAD OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION ASIDE, WE HAVE THIS GREAT PROGRAM, WISH YOU WOULD TRY IT, IT IS WHAT DO THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THAT CONTRIBUTE OR CAN CONTRIBUTE TO, YOU KNOW, THE MISSION THAT WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD? THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS OUR PRINCIPALS ARE JUST REALLY OVERWHELMED WITH ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY HAVE. NOT JUST OUR PRINCIPALS BUT OUR TEACHERS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID DO, AND I CALLED HER CARLA EARLIER AND IT IS MARLA, IS THAT WE DID START, WITHIN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS,

CAREER TECHNICAL COUNSELORS THAT WE NOW HAVE IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT IS REALLY TOUGH FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO DISSEMINATE ALL THE INFORMATION AND WHAT DO I WANT TO DO AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET THERE. SO, WE NOW ACTUALLY DO HAVE ONE IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL, PEOPLE LIKE MARLA, WHO HELP OUR KIDS TRYING TO DISSEMINATE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND FIND THE RIGHT PATHWAY THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. >> HOW CAN I ACCESS OR GET INTO AN IN-SERVICE OR HOW DO I WORK WITH CAREER ENRICHMENT COUNSELORS OR WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND? >> I THINK THAT IS ONE THING YOU CAN DO. COLLABORATION IS A TWO-WAY STREET. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS FIGURE OUT -- AND WE HAVE HAD ACTUAL CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT. WHAT DOES YDI HAVE THAT CAN HELP APS WITH ITS MISSION, YOU KNOW, WITH WHERE WE ULTIMATELY WANT TO GO. AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE I WOULD GO BACK TO THE HISPANO CHAMBER WITH IS WHAT SERVICES

DO YOU HAVE THAT CAN HELP US ACHIEVE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THE DISTRICT? >> IF I COULD CHIME IN ON THAT. I THINK ONCE WE SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WITH SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE WELL INTENTIONED, THAT WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER AND WE ARE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND RECOGNIZE WHAT EACH OTHER'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, THAT WE CAN JOINTLY DO SOMETHING. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO. NEW MEXICO DOESN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF RESOURCES, SO WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF RESOURCES TO WASTE. SO, THE RESOURCES WE DO HAVE, WE SHOULD EFFECTIVELY LEVERAGE TO THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT OF THOSE STUDENTS AND THOSE KIDS. I THINK WE ALL WANT TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW. >> I THINK THE WAY WE DO THIS AND THE ANSWER TO SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT IS REALLY INVESTING IN THAT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MOVEMENT AND SAYING, HOW DO WE, ACROSS AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS AND APS AND GOVERNMENT, BEGIN TO BUILD THAT CONFLUENCE FOR RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AS OPPOSED TO

JUST TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THESE INSTITUTIONS BUT RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE BASED ON A CORE SET OF VALUES, LIKE WHAT CHRIS BACA SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR VALUE ULTIMATELY IS TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. >> YOU KNOW, I CAME WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE MYSELF BUT AFTER HEARING EVERYONE'S STORIES, I FEEL BETTER ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING. >> I WALK AWAY WITH AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF HOPE. WE IN EDUCATION FEEL LIKE WE'RE RUNNING INTO THE FIRE AND IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE IS PEOPLE RUNNING IN THERE WITH US AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A GREAT AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY BUT WE'RE NOT GOING AT IT ALONE. >> MOST OFTEN WE MARGINALIZE PARENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT

COME FROM MINORITY COMMUNITIES THAT MAY BE FROM THE VALLEY, AND THEIR KIDS MAY BE GOING TO RIO, BUT THEY WERE SO ERUDITE, SO WELL SPOKEN, THE PASSION WAS THERE. TO ME, THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THE COMMUNITY, NOT US FAT CATS, NOT THE GUYS AT THE TOP OF WHATEVER, THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, IT IS THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE THAT REPRESENT THEIR KIDS. >> I ACTUALLY CAME IN WONDERING WHY SOMEONE FROM A COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONVERSATION AND WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO UNDERSTAND, AS I ALWAYS DO, HOW INTERCONNECTED EDUCATION IS AND HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY DO IMPACT EACH OTHER AND COUNT ON EACH OTHER. >> I AM THINKING MAYBE WE SHOULD SET UP MORE MEETINGS WITH CNM, UNM AND FIND OUT, IN PARTICULAR, CNM, MORE NUTS AND BOLTS IDEAS OF WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO.

>> I THINK MONEY AND RESOURCES IS DEFINITELY A SOLUTION. I THINK, YOU KNOW, SO MANY TIMES NOW WE SAY THE MONEY IS GONE, BUT THE MONEY DOESN'T DISAPPEAR. THE MONEY IS SOMEWHERE. IT IS LOOKING AT WHERE THE MONEY IS CONCENTRATED AND HOW DO YOU REDISTRIBUTE THE RESOURCES AND MONEY IN A MORE EQUITABLE MANNER. >> AND WE NEED TO AT THE COLLEGE REALIZE THAT NOT EVERY STUDENT IS THE SAME AND WE NEED TO BE MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING THE SUMMER BEFORE THEY TAKE THEIR COLLEGE LEVEL CLASSES. >> I THINK THERE IS A GENUINE INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DO MORE COLLABORATING. A GENUINE INTEREST THAT COMMUNITY HAVE MORE INVOLVEMENT, MORE SAY. WHAT I HAVE A DIFFICULTY WITH SOMETIMES IS DIFFERENTIATING WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO AND THEN ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DOING IT. >> MY TO DO LIST IS TO MAKE SURE I AM GETTING MORE

INVOLVED NOW THAT THEY ARE HITTING THE END OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MOVING INTO HIGH SCHOOL. >> I DEFINITELY WANT TO TRY TO FOCUS ON ENGAGING MORE WORK DEVELOPMENT CLASSES WITH APS AND MAYBE TRYING TO INTEGRATE AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE. >> YES, WE NEED PROGRESS AND THERE IS A LOT OF COLLABORATION. PEOPLE ARE WORKING HARD. I THINK TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, BUT WE REALLY CAN'T LOSE SIGHT THAT KIDS AREN'T GRADUATING AT AN ALARMING RATE. THERE IS A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. >> JOIN US FOR "PUBLIC SQUARE" ON THE LAST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SQUARE AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO OUR WEBSITE, KNME.ORG AND LOOK FOR THE "PUBLIC SQUARE" LINK. THERE YOU CAN GIVE US FEEDBACK OR SUGGEST TOPICS FOR FUTURE SHOWS. ALSO LOOK FOR US ON FACEBOOK AND ON TWITTER. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.