Las Cruces Public Schools data shows students failing at ‘alarming’ rates

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - With school fully online, Las Cruces middle and high school students are failing classes at much higher rates than the previous year, according to data shared with ABC-7 by Las Cruces Public Schools.

"It's alarming for all of us," said Superintendent Karen Trujillo.

According to district data, more than 47 percent of high school students have at least one failing grade, compared with 26 percent last year.

At the middle school level, 57 percent of students have at least one failing grade, compared with 20 percent last year.

“That’s unacceptable to this district," said district spokeswoman Kelly Jameson. "We know that our students can do better."

Trujillo told ABC-7 that after seeing the grades for the first nine weeks, the district decided to start calling parents if their children did not attend zoom class for the day.

"This is school," Trujillo said. "Whether it's remote or in person, a school day is a school day is scheduled for you."

Kelly Bloomfield has five children that attend Las Cruces Public Schools. She told ABC-7 that she decided to homeschool her sons in middle school after she noticed them failing.

"I don't know that there's necessarily any fault to be placed because nobody chose what we're going through right now," Bloomfield said. "We are all in this together. But half of us are struggling and drowning while the other half tells us to keep trying."

Bloomfield said the principal and teachers at Vista Middle School did their best to ensure a high quality of learning, but that her sons weren't retaining the information they needed.

"There were already knowledge and education gaps there that I was not aware of and I don't believe their teachers were aware of," Bloomfield said.

Before the pandemic, nearly 1 in 5 LCPS students did not have access to the technology they needed for school, including internet and computers. When schools went fully remote in March, the district scrambled to get students WiFi access and laptops.

"We knew there would be some lag in getting kids on board with remote learning, but we have given them every tool possible for success," Jameson said. "We have handed out devices. We have connected them on the internet. It’s just trying to address that gap in remote learning that isn’t keeping students engaged.”

"When we do finally go back, I truly believe that they're going to have to reteach everything," Bloomfield said. "Otherwise we're going to have a generation of kids that has an educational gap of a year."

If the failing grades continue, ABC-7 asked the superintendent if the district would consider reteaching all the subject material that was taught online.

"No," said Superintendent Trujillo. "We would never hold back 24,500 students and reteach the content from the 2020-2021 school year."

The superintendent also said there are a number of students who are excelling in the online environment. She told ABC-7 the district will focus its attention on the students who are falling behind.

"If we engage those students, then they become more successful," Trujillo. "We're not the only school district, state or country facing these issues."

In September, the LCPS Board of Education voted unanimously to keep students online until the end of the semester, at least.

"I know that sending back to the classroom is what our students need, but I also know that we are not in control of the virus," said board member Maria Flores in September, who represents district three.

“Online school is not working," said LCPS parent Diantha Talbot during the September meeting. "Ask the students, ask the good teachers, ask the parents. It is not working. The kids need to go back to school. Other states are doing it and they are fine. Why does New Mexico have to be last in everything?"