Is NMPED Secretary Veronica Garcia a good role model for New Mexico students?

In a recent Journal report, link, it was revealed that NM student scores on NAEP, National Assessment of Educational Progress, testing showed statistically insignificant growth;

However, New Mexico's scores for both grade levels improved by only two points since 2007 — the last time NAEP released math data — and that change is statistically insignificant, according to the report card.

In the Journal today, NM Public Education Department Secretary Veronica Garcia takes issue with the previous Journal story, link. She writes;

While New Mexico's performance on NAEP since 2003 has shown significant improvement, as a state we cannot afford the attitude that this is "just another test" and not take it seriously.

"Technically", she told the truth today; the select truth.

Which truth is more important to stakeholders,

• the fact NM students continue to perform below the national average and ,there has been no improvement in the last two years, or
• There has been significant improvement since 2003.

I would argue that the former is the truth to look at, and the latter is the truth to tell if you want the Secretary of Public Education to look more competent.

It is possible to tell the truth dishonestly.

According to the standards of conduct that apply to the most of public school students in New Mexico,

Honesty precludes all acts, including half-truths, out-of-context statements, and even silence, that are intended to create beliefs or leave impressions that are untrue or misleading.

It is up to stakeholders to decide whether there has been an effort to create beliefs or leave impressions that are untrue or misleading.

For myself, yes, there have.

In fairness, Garcia is not alone in her willingness to mislead stakeholders. The leadership of the APS are more than willing, through their silence (stonewalling) to create the belief and leave the impression that they are accountable as role models of the APS student standards of conduct, when in all honestly, nothing could be further from the truth.




photo Mark Bralley