New Mexico Diplomas: Empty Promise

I wish someone at APS or in the Public Education Department had gotten caught yanking someone by their hair. Then, perhaps, the daily crisis of New Mexico’s abysmal educational system would have received the attention it deserves.

Instead, we get another article from the Albuquerque Journal explaining that in much of the state, even if students muddle their way through the broken system and receive a diploma, they are often not qualified to get into college. Putting it as delicately as possible, the writer stated:

A Journal analysis of state education data suggests New Mexico may have a quality control problem when it comes to ensuring that students rec eiving high school diplomas have mastered the state curriculum.

The analysis of 23 randomly selected high schools in 13 of the state’s 89 school districts found that some of the schools with the lowest proficiency rates have among the highest graduation rates.

Shocked, I’m shocked I tell you!!! Unaccountable, socialized (government ownership of the means of production) schools are giving students diplomas even if they don’t have the basic skills that they are supposed to have in order to achieve this diploma. I simply cannot fathom why people are not marching in the streets demanding reform…and no, money is not the issue. We’ve increased public school funding dramatically in recent years.

Instead of more money which we simply don’t have, the discussion should start with the “Florida Model” which includes a variety of school choice mechanisms, greater teacher accountability, no social promotion, and incentives. The time for half measures has passed. We need dramatic reforms before even more children are lost in a failed system.