SANTA FE – Governor Susana Martinez announced today that the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) will receive $460,000 from the Daniels Fund to help the state’s 40 lowest-performing schools. The funds will be used to pair leaders in these schools with those from the top 40 performing schools in a mentorship program. The idea is simple: to share the practices from successful schools with those that are struggling. The innovative program will also provide a stipend of up to $3,000 for each participating school leader.
“There is greatness in every one of our children, and I’m thankful for this significant investment in a mentorship program to help our lowest-performing schools,” said Governor Susana Martinez. “By assessing the progress of our students, rewarding excellence in the classroom, and supporting struggling children and schools, we can enact meaningful education reform that better prepares our kids to succeed.”
“Since taking office in January, Governor Martinez has made improving education for New Mexico’s kids one of her top priorities,” explained Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “We are impressed by the strong commitment of this administration to raising the quality of public education in New Mexico,” she added.
Martinez Draws Praise and a Grant for Education
From the Washington Times.com - The Obama administration on Monday called on a Mennonite-owned health insurance company to cancel its proposed 11.6 percent rate hike, marking the first time the government has tried to pressure a private company under the new health care law. While Pennsylvania-based Everence Insurance said it needs to raise rates on about 5,000 customers to cover costs, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius called the increase “unreasonable,” holding it up as evidence that the government has an important role to play in reining in the cost of coverage. “This sends a message to insurers around the country that the days of unchecked, double-digit increases are over,” Mrs. Sebelius said. But Everence officials disputed the methods used by HHS to reach its conclusion, arguing that the agency calculated the plan’s loss ratio over a one-year period, instead of calculating rates based on a two-year period that they said would give a better idea of gains and losses Read more
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