An ongoing legal fight between teachers unions and the state over New Mexico’s teacher evaluation system will get its day in court next year.
A District Court judge on Monday agreed to hear the case on Oct. 23, 2017. The long wait comes after Albuquerque Teachers Federation and American Federation of Teachers. New Mexico attorney Shane Youtz requested time to review New Mexico Public Education Department changes to the evaluation process.
In January, the department announced changes that simplify the evaluations, moving from 107 assessment categories to just three. The teachers unions argue the evaluation system is forcing veteran educators to retire or have their licenses jeopardized. The system ties teacher performance to test scores. PED has argued that their system creates accountability and helps teachers improve.
