More than 50 school districts have won a temporary victory in their fight against the state's new 180-school calendar requirement. “We were ecstatic. We were very appreciative of the judge's ruling,” said Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico Educational Leadership Coalition. They joined other school districts and superintendents in a lawsuit to block the Department of Public Instruction from requiring each grade to have 180 days of instruction. “Of New Mexico's 89 schools, more than 30 school districts and many charter schools are operating on much smaller schedules,” Lowndes said. Many local school districts operate on a four-day week due to travel time. They claim the new rules will force a switch to a five-day week. But Judge Dustin Hunter granted the injunction at a Roswell hearing Monday, blocking next year's rules. “Do the regulations published by the Department of Public Instruction comply with the Act passed by Congress in 2023 called “Instead of Counting Hours, Sorry, Counting Days, Counting Hours,'' Lowndes said. Ta. He's referring to House Bill 130, passed last year, which requires public schools to have up to 1,140 instructional hours, but allows school districts to decide how to use the extra time. It looks like this. Although the injunction was granted, the situation surrounding the next school year remains uncertain. “Everyone could be in trouble every time a trial or trial begins in late June, it's all about what the judges and courts decide,” Tularosa Superintendent Todd Lindsey said. “I don't have a dog in this fight, but I do have a dog because field control is important to all of us.” Lindsey said her school operates 180 days a week. However, he said he was glad the judge decided to allow other schools to continue four days a week. “Some of these kids live 110 miles away from school, so when we can get four days of education instead of five, we try to give those kids as much as possible.” I'm trying to get him to go to school one more day,” Lindsey said. He hopes lawmakers will clarify the law in the next Congress. “We need to take back local control. We have a school board, and I have a great school board. To make sure we're meeting local needs. We also have a school board,” Lindsey said. “Cimarron schools have had a four-day week since 1974. It's been 50 years, and the new rules would have taken that away from that community,” Lowndes said. He said another concern is the impact the new requirements will have on district budgets. “In Logan, New Mexico, we would have to add another 33 days of buses if we didn't have additional funding to run them. Those are the kinds of details we were really trying to eliminate.” said Mr. Lowndes. On Wednesday, both the judge and the council are scheduled to meet to discuss when the next hearing will take place. The governor's communications director, Michael Coleman, sent this statement. “We believe the Department of Public Instruction has the rule-making authority to set school calendar guidelines in the best interest of students. We show that having more days in the classroom improves student outcomes and ensures that New Mexico's children are in the classroom.” We will continue to fight this case and ensure that New Mexico's public education We are exploring legal options, taking every step we can to improve the system. ”
More than 50 school districts have won a temporary victory in their fight against the state's new 180-school calendar requirement.
“We were ecstatic. We were very appreciative of the judge's ruling,” said Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico Educational Leadership Coalition.
They joined other school districts and superintendents in a lawsuit to block the Department of Public Instruction from requiring each grade to have 180 days of instruction.
“Of New Mexico's 89 schools, more than 30 school districts and many charter schools operate on schedules that are significantly lower than that,” Lowndes said.
Many local school districts operate on a four-day week due to travel time. They claim the new rules will force a switch to a five-day week. But Judge Dustin Hunter granted the injunction at a Roswell hearing Monday, blocking next year's rules.
“Do the regulations published by the Department of Public Instruction comply with the Act passed by Congress in 2023 called “Instead of Counting Hours, Sorry, Counting Days, Counting Hours,'' Lowndes said. Ta.
He's referring to House Bill 130, passed last year, which requires public schools to have up to 1,140 instructional hours, but allows school districts to decide how to use the extra time. It looks like this.
Although the injunction was granted, the situation surrounding the next school year remains uncertain.
“Everyone could be in trouble every time a trial or trial begins in late June, it's all about what the judges and courts decide,” Tularosa Superintendent Todd Lindsey said. “I don't have a dog in this fight, but I do have a dog because field control is important to all of us.”
Lindsey said her school operates 180 days a week and is glad the judge ruled to allow other schools to continue four days a week.
“Some of these kids live 110 miles away from school, so when we can get four days of education instead of five, we try to give those kids as much as possible.” I'm thinking of giving him one more day of school,” Lindsey said.
He hopes lawmakers will clarify the law in the next Congress.
“We need to take back local control. We have a school board, and I have a great school board. To make sure we're meeting local needs. We also have a school board,” Lindsey said.
“Cimarron schools have had a four-day week since 1974. It's been 50 years, and the new rules would have taken that away from that community,” Lowndes said.
He said another concern is the impact the new requirements will have on district budgets.
“In Logan, New Mexico, we would have to add another 33 days of buses if we didn't have additional funding to run them. Those are the kinds of details we were really trying to eliminate.” said Mr. Lowndes.
On Wednesday, both the judge and the council are scheduled to meet to discuss when the next hearing will take place.
The governor's communications director, Michael Coleman, sent this statement.
“We believe the Department of Public Instruction has the rule-making authority to set school calendar guidelines in the best interest of students. We show that having more days in the classroom improves student outcomes and ensures that New Mexico's children are in the classroom.” We will continue to fight this case and ensure that New Mexico's public education We are exploring legal options, taking every step we can to improve the system. ”