May 21, 2020
Contact: Nancy Martira, Director of Communications
505.690.6038 | Nancy.Martira@state.nm.us
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Public Education Department is asking families to complete an online survey about their experiences with continuous learning during the school closing period triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Survey responses will help school districts better meet community needs and help the New Mexico School Reentry Task Force shape plans for reopening public schools in the state.
Parents can expect to spend about eight minutes per student to complete the New Mexico Family Education Survey. They will answer both open- and close-ended questions about their child’s level of engagement in school, the family’s level of satisfaction with their school’s expectations and supports, their school’s ability to meet the child’s individual needs, and their communication preferences.
The Family Education Survey launches the day after the first virtual meeting of the New Mexico School Reentry Task Force. The Task Force, convened by Education Secretary Ryan Stewart, is made up of stakeholders who meet virtually to discuss the myriad and complex issues of returning to school safely.
The task force represents the geographic diversity of New Mexico and includes educators, administrators, students, parents, public and school health officials, legislators, advocates and union and school board representation. A complete list of task force members is published below.
“The public health situation is still changing too quickly for us to develop a single plan for return to school,” said Secretary Stewart. “We’ll be looking to our School Reentry Task Force to contribute their perspective and help shape a number of contingency plans for a safe return to school.”
Those plans will likely include in-person instruction, continued distance learning and hybrid options.
Secretary Stewart encouraged all New Mexican families to complete the online Family Education Survey.
“With our Continuous Learning Plans, educators, students and families were asked to quickly adapt to an unfamiliar model. We know that there were some bumps along the road, and we want to learn what worked well and what needs to be improved for the way forward.”
NMPED is also launching a website to make it easier for schools, educators and families to learn about local schools and their offerings. NM Vistas will celebrate excellence in New Mexico’s schools and identify and provide resources for schools needing more support. Visitors to the site will share the successes of New Mexico’s diverse and dynamic schools as they tell their stories in their own words.
Parents will find information they can use when advocating for their children, schools and communities. Other valuable information available on NM Vistas includes academic growth data, attendance and graduation rates, and learning environment insights.
NM Vistas rolls out after an extensive beta testing period and will continue to evolve. Future phases will be dedicated to connecting teachers to quality resources and providing information to help families choose the best school for each child’s needs. As the site evolves, visitors will be invited to provide feedback via a brief survey.
