COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

INNOVATIVE ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

What is this Community of Practice?

Future Focused Education continues to facilitate the New Mexico Innovative Assessment Community of Practice (CoP) in partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED). The work of the CoP supports The New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative (NMGEI).

Together we are defining and piloting a new project-based graduation pathway that culminates with senior exhibitions to demonstrate learning, as an alternative to graduation options that require traditional testing. This option will be made available statewide for Graduation Cohort 2023.

Additionally, 2021-2022 is the inaugural year of the Educator Community of Practice, which is designed for educators who are practicing capstone teachers and their students who are engaged in the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). 

What is The New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative?

The goal of the New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative (NMGEI) is to address the education system’s history of structural and inherent racism. New Mexico’s high school students need a more expansive learning and assessment system that honors their cultural and linguistic strengths while providing feedback and other engaging opportunities—allowing students to take ownership of their learning, build strong identities, and see a rich future ahead.

Join Us

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

authentic choice in how they will

ways to develop our students’ unique

standardize children. We must seek out

“We can standardize tests but we can’t

skills and perspectives, and give them

demonstrate their learning.”

Dr. Donna Navarrete

Turnaround Specialist,

Cuba Independent School District

Turnaround Specialist,

Students and staff from Siembra Leadership High School standing on the sidewalk

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Dr. Donna Navarrete

Cuba Independent School District

Turnaround Specialist,

“We can standardize tests but we can’t

choice in how they will demonstrate

their learning.”

and perspectives, and give them authentic

ways to develop our students’ unique skills

standardize children. We must seek out

WHY WE NEED THIS NOW

The CoP is an outgrowth of PED’s Student Success Task Force which made several high-level recommendations that require a new emphasis on teaching and learning, including:
  • Ensure assessment practices are culturally responsive
  • Involve New Mexico educators in the process
  • Pursue other innovative practices that measure student learning (e.g. performance-based assessments)

In order to get to a place of culturally and linguistically sustainable teaching practices, our work needs to be rooted in building on the assets students bring with them. If this new system is to be accessible to all kids, we need to grow our multiple student pathways to demonstrate their college and career readiness. A new graduation pathway built on innovative assessments that culminate in senior exhibitions is one step toward a more equitable and balanced assessment system in New Mexico.

As we re-imagine assessment in New Mexico, educators should lead the way. Empowering educators to co-create change while providing support and building their capacity are cornerstones of any high-quality initiative in our schools. The CoP will engage educators in learning from one another, reflecting on their own practice, and connecting with local and national expertise as we work together to define and pilot a new project-based graduation pathway for the state.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

community members and educators, and

should be rooted in local communities. We

be based on NMPED’s decisions alone, but

“Any effort at lasting change should not

needed to seek knowledge from local

build from the ground up.”

Dr. Gwen Warniment

New Mexico Public Education Department

Deputy Secretary for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Educator writing on presentation paper

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Dr. Gwen Warniment,

New Mexico Public Education Department

Deputy Secretary for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

“Any effort at lasting change should not

community members and educators,

and build from the ground up.”

needed to seek knowledge from local

should be rooted in local communities. We

be based on NMPED’s decisions alone, but

How it works

CoP members will define a problem of practice that is specific to their school or district in implementing capstone assessments and will receive support and data to successfully implement capstone assessments.  Community of Practice members who complete the process and learning targets will receive an assessment waiver for the 2021-2022 school year to offer capstones as an option for graduates to meet the demonstration of competency requirement. 

Meeting schedule:

Community of Practice members will engage in monthly, hybrid meetings to include regional in-person meetings with other CoP members, monthly hour-long online meetings, as well as other learning opportunities.

  • Monthly: Online meeting and learning targets
  • Quarterly:
    • Host/participate in-person half-day Problem of Practice inter-visitation for your assigned Regional Cohort
    • Online focused content sessions
  • Each Semester: Whole CoP participant event
    LEAs join at one of three participation tiers:
    Tier 3 (Open throughout the year)
    Assessment Literacy Pathway

    Flexible Participation

    • No required team
    • Optional attendance at CoP sessions
    • No assigned work between meetings
    • Goal: Grow your assessment literacy
    • Not expected to pilot a senior exhibition program at this time

    How to join

    Applications for membership are now open. Tier 1 and 2 must apply by September 27. Please click the button below to fill out the preliminary form.

    For questions, contact lisa@futurefocusededucation.org.

    Application Form

    MEET THE TEAM

    Kelsey Baun, MBA

    Kelsey Baun, MBA

    Social Impact Independent Consultant

    Kelsey blends experience working in secondary and higher ed, organizing education reform, and establishing workforce development and economic resiliency initiatives. Kelsey offers CoP expertise in facilitation, design thinking, and program management.

    Email Kelsey
    Lisa Martinez

    Lisa Martinez

    Director of Learning by Doing,
    Future Focused Education

    Lisa has been a New Mexican educator for the last 13 years, is interested in holistic assessments for emerging bilinguals and is designing the Community of Practice for Educators.
    Email Lisa
    Paul Leather

    Paul Leather

    Director of the Interstate Learning Community for the Center for Innovation in Education

    Paul brings expertise in implementing statewide initiatives, education policy reform, and mastery of competency-and-performance based assessments.
    Email Paul

    Community of Practice Members

    *asterisk denotes active member

    Ace Leadership High School*

    Amy Biehl High School*

    Aztec Public Schools*

    Belen High School

    Bloomfield School District

    Central Consolidated District*

    Chama Schools

    Cuba ISD*

    Deming Public Schools*

    Dora Schools

    Farmington Municipal Schools*

    Gadsden Independent School District*

    Grants High School*

    Goddard High School*

    Health Leadership High School*

    Infinity High School

    LADE Charter

    Las Cruces Public Schools*

    Los Lunas Public Schools*

    McCurdy Charter School*

    NACA Inspired Schools

    Rio Rancho Public Schools*

    Roswell Public Schools*

    Santa Fe Public Schools*

    Siembra Leadership*

    South Valley Academy*

    Tech Leadership High School*

    MASTERS Program, Early College Charter High School*

    Vista Grande High School*

    Zuni Public Schools*

    Resources

    Check back for additional resources as we learn together.