New Mexico Innovative Assessment
COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Innovative Assessment Community of Practice
What is this Community of Practice?

Future Focused Education is facilitating the New Mexico Innovative Assessment Community of Practice (CoP) in partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED). The CoP is a community of educators and leaders from school districts and charter schools across New Mexico engaged in collective learning about innovative assessment models that are project-based, culturally and linguistically responsive, and reflective of local practices.

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 2022.

The CoP began in early 2020 with 14 founding members. More LEAs (districts and charter schools) have joined for the 2020-21 school year, and others are still welcome to join at Participation Tier 3. (Tiers 1 and 2 have closed for the school year.)

Join Us
“We can standardize tests but we can’t standardize children. We must seek out ways to develop our students’ unique skills and perspectives, and give them authentic choice in how they will demonstrate their learning.”Dr. Donna Navarrete, Turnaround Specialist, Cuba Independent School District
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.

“Any effort at lasting change should not be based on NMPED’s decisions alone, but should be rooted in local communities. We needed to seek knowledge from local community members and educators, and build from the ground up.”Dr. Gwen Warniment, Deputy Secretary for Teaching, Learning and Assessment | New Mexico Public Education Department
How it works
LEAs join the CoP 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

LEAs can choose to join the CoP at one of three Participation Tiers:

Tier

Expectations of LEA

Tier 1

Acceleration Pathway

Highest Level of Participation

  • Name a multi-role team of up to six members representing different levels in the LEA, including at least one teacher
  • Attend 80-90% of CoP sessions
  • Follow through quickly on actions (i.e., complete assignments between sessions)
  • Pilot a new or improved senior exhibition program in the 2020-21 school year
  • Collectively develop guidelines for a senior exhibition graduation option to be made available statewide for 2023 graduates*

Tier 2

Incremental Pathway

Moderate Participation

  • Name a multi-role team of up to six members representing different levels in the LEA, including at least one teacher
  • Attend CoP sessions as relevant to your project focus and stage of implementation
  • Enjoy longer action periods (i.e., you will have more time to complete assignments)
  • Pilot a new or improved senior exhibition program in the 2021-22 or 2022-23 school year
  • Collectively develop guidelines for a senior exhibition graduation option to be made available statewide for 2023 graduates*

Tier 3

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
Tier 1 (Closed for 2020-21 school year)
Acceleration Pathway
Highest Level of Participation
  • Name a multi-role team of up to six members representing different levels in the LEA, including at least one teacher
  • Attend 80-90% of CoP sessions
  • Follow through quickly on actions (i.e., complete assignments between sessions)
  • Pilot a new or improved senior exhibition program in the 2020-21 school year
  • Collectively develop guidelines for a senior exhibition graduation option to be made available statewide for 2023 graduates*
Tier 2 (Closed for 2020-21 school year)
Incremental Pathway
Moderate Participation
  • Name a multi-role team of up to six members representing different levels in the LEA, including at least one teacher
  • Attend CoP sessions as relevant to your project focus and stage of implementation
  • Enjoy longer action periods (i.e., you will have more time to complete assignments)
  • Pilot a new or improved senior exhibition program in the 2021-22 or 2022-23 school year
  • Collectively develop guidelines for a senior exhibition graduation option to be made available statewide for 2023 graduates*
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

To join the CoP at Tier 3:
Note: The CoP has been meeting since August and is no longer accepting new members at Tiers 1 and 2

  1. Identify a primary contact and additional team members up to six people.
  2. Complete this Commitment Form.

Contact tony@futurefocusededucation.org with questions.

Calendar
All sessions are one hour long.
[MEC id="2592"]
LEA
Primary Contact Name
Email

ACE Leadership

Justin Trager

justin@aceleadership.org 

Amy Biehl High School

Stephanie Becker

sbecker@abhs.k12.nm.us 

Cuba Independent School District (CISD)

Karen Sanchez-Griego

ksanchez-griego@cuba.k12.nm.us 

Deming Public Schools

Teri Trejo

teri.trejo@demingps.org

Explora

Allison Brody

abrody@explora.us

Farmington Municipal Schools

Korth Ellsworth

kellsworth@fms.k12.nm.us 

Health Leadership

Leticia Archuleta

leticia@healthleadershiphighschool.org

Las Cruces

Roberto  Lozano

rlozano@lcps.net

Santa Fe Public Schools

Veronica Garcia

vcgarcia@sfps.k12.nm.us

Siembra Leadership

Melissa Govea

m.govea@siembraabq.org

South Valley Academy

Jenn Gable

jgable@southvalleyacademy.org

Tech Leadership

Sahra Saedi

saedi@techabq.org

Vista Grande HS

Jenny Lewis

jenny.lewis@vghs.org

Zuni Public Schools

Randy Stickney

randy.stickney@zpsd.org 

Founding members

LEA Primary Contact



Ace Leadership



Justin Trager
justin@aceleadership.org



Amy Biehl High School


Stephanie Becker
sbecker@abhs.k12.nm.us



Cuba Independent School District (CISD)


Karen Sanchez-Griego
sanchez-griego@cuba.k12.nm.us



Deming Public Schools


Teri Trejo
teri.trejo@demingps.org



Explora


Allison Brody
abrody@explora.us



Farmington Municipal Schools


Korth Ellsworth
kellsworth@fms.k12.nm.us



Health Leadership


Leticia Archuleta
leticia@healthleadershiphighschool.org



Las Cruces


Roberto Lozano
rlozano@lcps.net



Santa Fe Public Schools


Veronica Garcia
vcgarcia@sfps.k12.nm.us



Siembra Leadership


Melissa Govea
m.govea@siembraabq.org



South Valley Academy


 Jenn Gable
 jgable@southvalleyacademy.org



Tech Leadership


Sahra Saedi
saedi@techabq.org



Vista Grande HS


Jenny Lewis
jenny.lewis@vghs.org



Zuni Public Schools


Randy Stickney
randy.stickney@zpsd.org


Resources

Check back for additional resources as we learn together.

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