Education SubCluster
Education Disparities. The U.S.-Mexico border region experiences severe disparities in education. For Latinos, in particular, this disparity in educational attainment is also evident in other parts of the country. For instance, 30 percent of Latinos drop out of high school, compared to 8 percent of White non-Latinos; 63 percent of Latinos complete high school, compared to 90 percent of White non-Latinos; and 11 percent of Latinos have attained at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 25 percent of White non-Latinos. Since education and economic development are closely related, it is no surprise that the U.S.-Mexico border region’s unemployment rate is 300 percent higher than in the rest of the country. One-third of families in the border region live in poverty, and students’ achievement scores in this region are substantially lower than in other parts of the nation. New Mexico’s population is 42 percent Latino, the highest percentage of any state in the nation. If New Mexico is to succeed, better education for our underserved communities is critical, and strategies developed in NMSU’s laboratory can benefit those working to improve education in other regions of the U.S.
A unique opportunity exists in New Mexico to transform the educational landscape. As a result of Governor Richardson’s tiered incentive strategy for educators, many are re-enrolling in universities to obtain additional degrees. To leverage the impact of the Governor’s program, NMSU must use this opportunity to equip NMSU’s teachers to meet the needs of New Mexico students and the growing technological community.
Of primary concern is adequate housing space for the accelerating enrollment in the College of Education and the rapid growth of successful programs that meet the needs described above. A new Center for Educational Outreach would coordinate a variety of successful programs that are assisting teachers, administrators, schools and communities to address existing educational disparities. In 2004, the College of Education received a $1 million donation for a Stan Fulton Chair for the Improvement of Border Schools. This academic chair and an associated office within the new center would coordinate multiple efforts to meet pressing educational needs. The College of Education is currently in the process of renovating and adding on to its primary academic building, providing a window of opportunity to add a hall or wing focused on improving educational outreach.
Existing outreach efforts include strong initiatives that have shown success in increasing educational opportunities and achievement for New Mexico’s students. These include the following:
The Alliance for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning is an outreach effort that has developed over the last two years to address the K-12 drop-out problem. This alliance currently involves 25 partnering school districts, three Regional Education Centers, a partnership with the Public Education Department, partnerships among NMSU colleges to raise the achievement level of students left behind, as well as exemplary programs in educational administration, early childhood, literacy, physical education and obesity prevention, bilingual counseling and STEM education
- The Institute for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education (ISE) is to be housed in the new hall or building on NMSU’s campus. The goals of the ISE include the transformation of teaching in STEM disciplines, greater recruitment of minority students into STEM programs of study, and creation of workforce development initiatives that will facilitate the employment of STEM graduates in regional businesses. Work with nearby rural school districts has yielded promising strategies that will facilitate meeting the goals mentioned above. Between 2000 and 2004, the NSF-sponsored Gadsden Math Initiative raised student proficiency in mathematics at the middle school level from 7 percent to 40 percent. Students at La Mesa Elementary (98 percent Latino) participated in this initiative and in the NASA-sponsored Southern New Mexico Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Aerospace Academy (SNM SEMAA) and scored an average of 76 percent proficiency in mathematics.
- The Center for Border and Indigenous Education Leadership and Models for Indian School Administration (CEBIEL) is currently funded by the New Mexico Department of Education. CEBIEL provides instructional leadership and services to school administrators to promote academic achievement for all students. The center also houses the MAISA (Models for Indian School Administration) and other projects.
- The Institute for Early Childhood Studies (IECS) provides leadership for the entire state in early childhood programs and in the development of state-wide standards for these programs. The IECS currently provides over $3 million annually in services to Latino children and families.
- Distance Education Programs provide teachers and administrators with access to high quality programs to complete certification or obtain additional endorsements. These programs include a BA licensure completion program, endorsements in special education, mathematics, reading, bilingual education, information technology, and administration.
In conjunction with the Center for Educational Outreach, funding is requested for The National Center for Latino Success, an effort involving coordinated research focused on Latinos which will be facilitated across campus by the provost’s office at the university. As a result of increased collaboration among existing programs with partner institutions, school districts, educational agencies, and the New Mexico Department of Education, NMSU will be in an excellent position to carry out and synthesize research and best practices on educational success for Latinos and then share the results of that research with colleagues across the country. NMSU will build on its existing initiatives to enhance Latino educational success including ENLACE (Engaging Latino Communities for Education), CAMP (College Assistance Migrant Program, and CeBIEL (Center for Border and Indigenous Educational Leadership), among others. Building on our successful track record, we can bring to life the mission of NCLES to enhance Latino educational success through multiple approaches. Ultimately, the National Center will serve as a clearinghouse for information on the transformation of education for Latinos through culturally appropriate practices with the goal of doubling the graduation rate of K-12 Latino and other underserved students and ensuring students are prepared to enter the university and 21st century jobs.