Rating Teachers

State Public Education Department says local teachers earned better marks in this year's evaluations

Teachers in Santa Fe Public Schools performed better in a statewide evaluation system this year than last. That is, if the results can be trusted.

The New Mexico Public Education Department on May 4 issued its report for the second year of the program it calls NMTEACH, a matrix that evaluates educators based on a 200-point scale that factors in student test-score growth, classroom observations and other factors such as attendance and parent surveys. Last year, the department made errors in its first report about the local district that cast teachers in a worse light than the actual scores, so local administrators are a little gun-shy to react to the new report.

SFPS Chief of Staff Latifah Phillips says the district is reviewing the newest figures for accuracy and expects to announce its findings soon.

The report indicates a higher percentage of teachers in SFPS scored "exemplary" and "highly effective," 1.71 percent and 22.15 percent respectively, compared to 0.85 percent and 15.01 percent using last year's adjusted scores. Conversely, a lower ratio of teachers earned "ineffective" and "minimally effective" scores, 1.96 percent and 25.09 percent respectively, compared to 3.27 percent and 30.15 percent. About 49 percent of teachers are rated "effective" this year, compared to about 51 percent last year.

The trend carries over to statewide data, which shows the an increase in the proportion of 20,000 teachers all over New Mexico rated in the top two categories.

Meanwhile, two lawsuits challenging the evaluation system are pending in district court.

Here's the PED's report in graphics:

2015 NMTEACH Results Overview

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