New system gives most New Mexico schools passing grades

A new state rating system gives most of New Mexico’s schools passing grades, although the bulk of those are Cs and Ds.

Gov. Susana Martinez on Monday unveiled the first report card under a new grading system that allows officials to consider more than just annual student test scores. The grades were developed after the state won a waiver from the federal government to include others factors, like past test scores, academic growth, attendance and college preparedness.

Under the traditional federal rating system, 98 percent of the state’s schools would have failed. Under the new system, all but 69 of the states 831 schools passed, although 250 got Ds and 275 got Cs. Only 39 received an A, while 198 got Bs.

Education Secretary Hanna Skandera says the new system enables the state to more clearly evaluate what needs to be done to help schools improve.