Latest news with #MichaelChavez
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Alternative licenced teachers pose as a possible solution for NM teacher vacancies
New Mexico educators say alternative licensed teachers could fill the gaps in teacher vacancies throughout the state. (Photo courtesy Santa Fe Public Schools) As New Mexico schools continue to grapple with more than 700 teacher vacancies, according to the most recent data, some districts have begun to rely on teachers licensed through the state's alternative licensing programs, which provide licensure pathways for people with degrees in areas outside of education. For instance, Hatch Valley Public Schools Superintendent Michael Chavez told Source NM about one third of the teachers the district employs are non-traditional teachers and because of this, the district does not deal with teacher vacancies to the same extent as other districts. According to the 2024 New Mexico Educator Vacancy Report released in October, there were 737 teacher vacancies last year, 34% of which were special education teacher positions and 24% were elementary positions. The vacancy rate showed a slight improvement over 2023 by 14 positions. When asked for the total number of current teachers licensed through an alternative program, a Public Education Department spokesperson pointed to the same report, which noted that more than 1,100 students completed a teacher preparation program at a New Mexico school last year and more than half of those students were enrolled in an alternative program. These teachers are 'highly qualified' and bring years of professional experience in their field to the classroom, Chavez said. However, he noted, they are still learning how to be teachers. This is why professional work hours are so important, for teachers from all pathways and experience. 'One of the things that I've been really pushing on since we came out of COVID is we need to build the capacity of our teachers,' Chavez said. But finding the time with 180 days of instruction — a number set by the state Public Education Department in a March 2024 rule and currently in litigation — is challenging, he said. 'What we need is more time…for professional development with teachers so we can develop them and build their capacity in learning how to become an effective teacher.' New Mexico's current Public School Code allows middle and high school teachers to use 30 hours of instructional time for parent-teacher meetings, professional development and mentorship, while elementary teachers can use up to 60 hours. These standards were established in 2023 through House Bill 130, which also set a required 1,140 instructional hours per school year. The maximum professional work hours allowed previously were even fewer. When the Public Education Department subsequently created its rule requiring 180 instructional days per calendar year, it also included a stipulation that professional work hours be completed before school, after school or on a day outside of the required minimum, so as to not detract from students' instructional time. That component of the rule also faces opposition. Whitney Holland, president of American Federation of Teachers' New Mexico chapter, told Source NM that there are 'more than enough opportunities to accommodate' professional development during regular school time and that her organization is 'going to hold the line' against the PED's rule. Holland told Source that AFT-NM always advocates for more professional development time and an alignment between primary and secondary teachers' allowed hours. 'I think the most valuable time I had as professional development as a teacher was that time where I could collaborate with my peers and even go into their classrooms and see what they're doing,' Holland said. She said she has some concern over alternative licensed teachers filling so many teacher vacancies because teaching is often their second career and AFT wants to make sure 'we're investing in people who are going to stay in their communities and stay in their field,' but 'at the end of the day, I've worked with a ton of [alternative] licensed teachers who have been super capable. They bring a lot to the table.' Holland said she would rather have alternative licensed teachers fill vacancies than long-term substitutes, so long as there are 'some' individuals in classrooms with traditional licensure through the PED. House Bill 238, introduced during this year's legislative session, would have amended the Public School Code to allow all levels of teachers K-12 up to 60 hours of professional work hours. The House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill, but it eventually died in the Senate Finance Committee. Holland said she will continue advocating for teachers to have more professional work hours going forward because 'we are looking at a holistic model of what pieces of education need to change and I think looking at that traditional school year, school day is part of that,' she said. 'It's not going to be one fix. It's going to have to be a whole bunch of different things.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State educators say they are on hold waiting to see how federal DEI demands will impact NM students
Local school districts say they are waiting for direction from the New Mexico Public Education Department concerning federal diversity, equity and inclusion demands. (Photo courtesy Santa Fe Public Schools) New Mexico educators say federal demands to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs or lose funding are 'frustrating' and it's unclear how they might ultimately impact students. The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to state education leaders last week ordering them to certify their compliance with federal requirements banning diversity, equity and inclusion practices in order to continue receiving federal assistance. States were given 10 days to respond to the letter, but a spokesperson for the federal education department told Source NM that the deadline was extended to April 24. Michael Chavez, superintendent of Hatch Valley Public Schools, told Source NM that he feels districts are in a 'wait and see' situation and that he hasn't received any specific directive from the New Mexico Public Education Department about how the state will respond. 'I guess the first question I have is: 'What does that mean for us?'' he said. 'I don't know what that means because we're all about providing equity…Are we talking equality or we talking equity, because that's two different things.' Hatch Valley Public Schools consists of five schools from elementary to high school, and serves fewer than 2,000 students. A majority of children come from families living below the poverty line and many are English Language Learners, Chavez said. Chavez told Source that about 15 to 20% of the Hatch Valley district's budget is made up of federal funds. He pointed out that Title I and Title II funds are particularly important to the Hatch Valley district as they provide federal financial assistance for at-risk students as well as professional development for teachers serving these students. 'We'll roll with the punches and do whatever we have to do, but we're not going to compromise on providing equitable services for kids,' Chavez said. He added that a majority of his district's budget comes from the state and described the federal money as 'extra' for expanding programs even further. He noted that the spring budget conference for all public schools in the state is this week — during which districts develop their budgets for the next year — and said he hopes the state will 'share with us any information that they have.' Janelle Taylor Garcia, a spokesperson for the state education department, said in a written statement to Source NM that the department 'is working closely with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the Governor's Office on addressing these directives. NMPED will continue to monitor communications from the U.S. Department of Education and remains focused on supporting districts and charters in serving all our student populations in the state.' Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders, told Source that he is working with Education Secretary Mariana Padilla as much as possible to develop a strategy for dealing with the Trump administration's demands. He said he is also working with the American Association of School Administrators, his organization's federal counterpart. 'Our hope is to be able to retain programs and funds that have been in play, so it's navigation as much as anything that we're having to do,' Rounds told Source. Whitney Holland, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico chapter, told Source that from the perspective of teachers in the state, 'our students are being used as political pawns.' She said she is concerned for the 'unique populations' of students who require additional assistance federal money pays for, as well as school social workers and occupational therapists. 'And that is super, super frustrating because we've hit this really good stride where every year we're chipping away at the narrative of 51st in education and school funding and all of that. And then to have this come, this blow come from the federal level, it feels like a huge step backwards,' Holland said. She added that if the certification letter does not work to satisfy federal demands, she anticipates the Trump administration will 'continue to put the pressure on.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
USA Today
29-01-2025
- USA Today
A text from a co-worker reminded a man to check his lottery ticket. He then won $1.2M.
A lighthearted text from a co-worker led a man to learn that he had won $1.2 million after playing the California lottery. On November 5, the night of Election Day, Michael Chavez woke up in the middle of the night for the results rather than checking the drawing for his MegaMillions ticket. According to lottery officials, he purchased it from a liquor store in Los Angeles County. It wasn't until his colleague texted him when he didn't show up to work that he remembered the ticket. "Chavez said he'd forgotten to tell his staff he wouldn't be at the office, and his co-worker joked that he knew the reason for his absence, sending him a screenshot of the Mega Millions results from the California Lottery website," lottery officials said in a news release. Lottery:Mega Millions winning numbers for January 28 drawing: Jackpot rises to $44 million Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. 'I'm so excited' The text conversation between Chavez and his co-worker shows the moment Chavez realized he might be a winner. "Is that why you not here boss," the co-worker wrote with a screenshot of the results. "Holy (expletive) I haven't checked mine," Chavez responded. "That's where I bought my ticket." When Chavez finally checked, he realized he had five of the six numbers and won $1,214,818, lottery officials said. According to the news release, the liquor store received over $6,000 for selling the ticket. "I could not believe my eyes. I'm so excited and extremely grateful," Chavez told officials. "I'll never forget election night or especially that text.' Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
He was worried about who won the election. Meanwhile, he won the lottery
It was the night of the presidential election, and the results were slow in arriving. The contest weighed on Michael Chavez's mind so much that it interrupted his sleep. "I actually woke up in the middle of the night to check the election results to see who won for president," Chavez said, according to the California Lottery. Instead of the presidential ticket, he should have been focused on his lottery ticket. But Chavez didn't check what the winning lottery numbers were until the morning, when he received a humorous text from a co-worker. Chavez said he had forgotten to tell staff that he wouldn't be at work. The employee sent a screenshot of the Mega Millions results and the location in Lakewood where a winning ticket was sold. "Is that why you not here yet boss lol," the text read. Chavez matched five out of six numbers in the Nov. 5, 2024, draw. 'I could not believe my eyes,' he said. "I'll never forget election night or especially that text.' He bought his ticket, worth more than $1.2 million, from Lake Liquor in Lakewood, which will receive $6,000 for selling Chavez his ticket. In April, the price of a Mega Millions ticket is set to rise from $2 to $5. It will also become — ever so slightly — easier to win. The odds of winning, according to a lottery official, will go from 1 in 302.6 million to around those for winning at Powerball, which are 1 in 292.2 million. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
29-01-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
He was worried about who won the election. Meanwhile, he won the lottery
It was the night of the presidential election, and the results were slow in arriving. The contest weighed on Michael Chavez's mind so much that it interrupted his sleep. 'I actually woke up in the middle of the night to check the election results to see who won for president,' Chavez said, according to the California Lottery. Instead of the presidential ticket, he should have been focused on his lottery ticket. But Chavez didn't check what the winning lottery numbers were until the morning, when he received a humorous text from a co-worker. Chavez said he had forgotten to tell staff that he wouldn't be at work. The employee sent a screenshot of the Mega Millions results and the location in Lakewood where a winning ticket was sold. 'Is that why you not here yet boss lol,' the text read. Chavez matched five out of six numbers in the Nov. 5, 2024, draw. 'I could not believe my eyes,' he said. 'I'll never forget election night or especially that text.' He bought his ticket, worth more than $1.2 million, from Lake Liquor in Lakewood, which will receive $6,000 for selling Chavez his ticket. In April, the price of a Mega Millions ticket is set to rise from $2 to $5. It will also become — ever so slightly — easier to win. The odds of winning, according to a lottery official, will go from 1 in 302.6 million to around those for winning at Powerball, which are 1 in 292.2 million.
