REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO A VERY IMPORTANT EDITION OF REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS DR. KURT STEINHAUS, THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TO TELL US WHAT IS GOING ON.

>>KURT: LORENE, I AM JUST SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AND EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

I HAVE WATCHED IT SO MANY TIMES, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU ASKED ME TO COME TODAY.

>>LORENE: I AM SO GRATEFUL BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING, YOU HAVE THE CHALLENGE, A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGES.

BUT FIRST LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT.

YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF MASTERS DEGREES, YOU HAVE A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

YOUR PHD WAS TITLED, "EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING," TAILOR MADE, I MEAN YOU HAVE REALLY RESEARCHED THE BEST WAYS TO BE CABINET SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION.

AND TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LOS ALAMOS ROOTS AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL CONNECTION TO LOS ALAMOS.

>>KURT: SURE.

I WAS BORN IN LOS ALAMOS, GREW UP THERE, GRADUATED AS A HILL TOPPER FROM LOS ALAMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND REALLY ENJOYED MUSIC AND THE BEST MUSIC SCHOOL IN NEW MEXICO WAS IN PORTALES, EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY AND THAT IS WHERE I WENT TO UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL AND THEN WENT BACK TO LOS ALAMOS TO DO MY STUDENT TEACHING.

THEN FOLLOWED A LOS ALAMOS TEACHER TO ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO WHERE I WAS A TEACHER FOR 11 YEARS, OUR TWO CHILDREN WERE BORN THERE AND THEN SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THEN WHILE I WAS THERE, MADE A CONNECTION WITH A VOLUNTEER PROFESSIONAL FROM LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY AND HE SAID TO ME, "KURT, I AM ABOUT TO RETIRE.

YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR MY JOB AND I AM IN CHARGE OF EDUCATION FOR THE LAB."

AND I SAID, "WOW."

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>KURT: I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A JOB BUT, YEAH, I THINK WILL TRY THAT.

AND SO I WORKED FOR LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY FOR 15 YEARS, I RAN THEIR EDUCATION PROGRAMS, THEIR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THEIR PIPELINE PROGRAMS, WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

>>LORENE: BUT ALSO WHAT AN EDUCATED POPULATION.

>>KURT: YES, YEAH, VERY EDUCATED AND WHILE I WAS AT THE LAB, THE SCHOOL BOARD CAME TO ME AND SAID, "KURT, WE WANT YOU TO BE OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOLS."

AND I SAID, "WOW, THAT IS A BIG CHALLENGE.

I WOULD DO IT IF YOU HAD ME APPLY AND COMPETE FOR THE JOB JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE."

AND SO IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR AND I APPLIED FOR THE JOB AND GOT IT, I WAS IN LOS ALAMOS FOR SEVEN YEARS AS THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH A VERY EXCITING POPULATION OF KIDS AND PARENTS AND THEN RETIRED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

I WAS CAMPING WITH MY FAMILY AT THE GRAND CANYON AND I GOT A PHONE CALL AND THE GOVERNOR SAID, "KURT, WE WANT YOU TO COME OUT OF RETIREMENT AND COME SERVE AS OUR CABINET SECRETARY," SO THAT'S THE JOB I AM IN NOW.

>>LORENE: WELL, I THINK WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK.

THERE ARE TWO INTERESTING AND HUGE DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT.

>>KURT: SURE.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OF THEM IS SOMETHING THAT HAS MADE EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER WORKED IN AN OFFICE IN THEIR LIFE SO HAPPY.

THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK, IT IS JUST WONDERFUL THAT THE STATE HAS REDUCED THE PAPERWORK THAT TEACHERS HAVE TO GRIND OUT BY 41 PERCENT AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE PAPERWORK IS REDUCED BY 34 PERCENT AND YET NOTHING BAD HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REALLY GET RID OF A LOT OF THE PAPERWORK, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

>>KURT: I AM HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT IT CAME FROM AN EXPERIENCE I HAD AS SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.

I KNEW THAT THE PAPERWORK AS A TEACHER WAS A REAL BURDEN, SO I PULLED MY TEAM TOGETHER MY VERY FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS ON THE JOB AS A SUPERINTENDENT AND PUT A BIG FLIPCHART ON THE WALL AND SAID, "LET'S CREATE A NOT TO DO LIST."

SO EVERYTHING WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER, I AM GOING TO MAKE A LIST AND WE WORKED THROUGH THAT.

IT TOOK US A COUPLE OF YEARS TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND THOSE WERE THE THINGS WE COULD CONTROL AND WHILE I WAS DOING THAT, I NOTICED THERE WAS A LOT FROM THE STATE THAT WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER SO WHEN I TOOK THIS POSITION AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, I WENT TO THE GOVERNOR AND SAID, "HEY, GOVERNOR, LET'S DO THIS FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

I THINK IT WOULD ALLOW TEACHERS TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH KIDS AND LESS TIME FILLING OUT PAPERWORK."

>>LORENE: AND BE GOOD FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE NOBODY LIKES TO FILL OUT EIGHT PAGE REPORTS EVERY WEEK.

NO STRESS, YEAH.

>>KURT: YEAH, VERY WELL SAID AND SO KNOWING OUR GOVERNOR, I ASKED HER FOR TWO YEARS, SHE GAVE ME TWO MONTHS TO GET THIS JOB DONE.

AND SO WE GOT A THIRD PARTY TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT KIND OF FROM THE OUTSIDE AND HELP US IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS TO REDUCE AND WE ARE NOT DONE YET, WE HAVE PUBLISHED A REPORT, WE HAVE GOT A HUGE REDUCTION, BUT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO REDUCE THE PAPERWORK.

PLUS, I WILL ADD THAT I HAVE INVITED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO JOIN ME IN REDUCING PAPERWORK AND OUR NEW MEXICO LEGISLATORS IN IDENTIFYING WAYS TO REDUCE PAPERWORK.

>>LORENE: WOW.

WE WILL HAVE TO DO A FOLLOW-UP ON THAT AND SEE HOW IT IS GOING.

IT JUST MAKES SUCH SENSE AND IT IS ALMOST LIKE THIS IMPERMEABLE BARRIER, THE WALL OF PAPERWORK AND DOCUMENTATION AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO FORMIDABLE AND TIME CONSUMING.

SO ON BEHALF OF EVERY PENCIL PUSHER, PAPER PUSHER IN THE WORLD, I THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.

YOUR OTHER CHALLENGE IS NOT QUITE SO EASY BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED SUCH, HAS WREAKED HAVOC IN EDUCATION.

I WAS LOOKING AT THE LFC ADDRESSED THE PANDEMIC IMPACTS ON LEARNING AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAD POINTED OUT WAS THAT KIDS WERE ALREADY LIKE A HALF OF A YEAR BEHIND, SIX THOUSAND HOURS, 100 DAYS, 20 WEEKS, FOUR MONTHS BEHIND IN LEARNING BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, IT WAS LIKE THE EQUIVALENT ACCORDING TO THE LFC REPORT THEY LOST ANOTHER 10 TO 60 DAYS OF INSTRUCTION DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, SO, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

BUT ONE OF THE FUNCTIONS, ONE OF THE RESULTS WAS THAT ACT, THE COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS, THEIR TEST SCORES DROPPED TO THE LOWEST IN 30 YEARS.

SO THERE ARE MANY OTHER ASPECTS BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THAT.

>>KURT: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO AND I THINK YOU DESCRIBED IT REALLY WELL.

AND I LOOK AT IT FROM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, LORENE.

ONE OF THEM IS, YOU KNOW, THE OLD SAYING, "NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE."

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>KURT: SO THAT WAS A CRISIS AND IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

SO HERE IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES.

WE LEARNED, WE, EDUCATORS, TEACHERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, PARENTS, LEARNED SOME NEW STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING.

AND THAT USE OF ZOOM AND THE COMPUTER HAD SOME DOWNSIDES, BUT IT ALSO HAD SOME UPSIDES.

AND SO IF YOU GO INTO NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS TODAY, THE UPSIDES OF BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH PARENTS ELECTRONICALLY IS GOING TO CONTINUE, I THINK FOR DECADES FORWARD.

SO THAT'S ONE OPPORTUNITY.

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT I AM TAKING THIS AS IS A CHANCE TO TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT OUR CURRICULUM.

WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT THE CURRICULUM AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND BECAUSE OF THE COVID, PEOPLE ARE MORE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS ABOUT CHANGING THE CURRICULUM.

SO THIS SCHOOL YEAR WE ARE BACK FULL TIME, IN PERSON AND TEACHERS ARE HAPPY, KIDS ARE HAPPY, PARENTS ARE HAPPY SO THAT PART IS WORKING WELL, BUT WE HAVE GOT THOSE BENEFITS OF WHAT WE LEARNED BEFORE AND IF YOU LIKE, I CAN SHARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT WE WANT TO DO.

>>LORENE: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW BECAUSE I THINK FOR ONE THING, FROM A PARENT POINT OF VIEW, CHARGING DOWN TO DO THE PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES IF YOU COULD DO IT FROM YOUR HOME ON ZOOM, THAT IS JUST A LOT MORE COMFY FOR EVERYONE.

>>KURT: YEAH.

IT IS ALSO GOOD, LET'S SAY YOU WANT TO GET A DOZEN PARENTS TOGETHER THAT HAVE A COMMON INTEREST IN THE SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS, YOU CAN USE ZOOM TO BRING THOSE PARENTS TOGETHER FOR 30 MINUTES, GIVE THEM A QUICK SESSION AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF TRAVELING.

SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE BENEFITS.

BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THIS UNFINISHED LEARNING WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.

WELL THE FIRST ONE IS A TERM THAT EDUCATORS, WE CALL ACCELERATED LEARNING AND WHAT I MEAN BY ACCELERATED LEARNING IS GOING BEYOND REMEDIATION AND TRYING TO CATCH UP BUT ACTUALLY BRINGING THE KIDS, THEY ARE LEARNING AT THE LEVEL THAT WE EXPECT RIGHT NOW IN THEIR CLASSROOM AND THE KIDS ARE ACCEPTING THAT, THEY ARE TAKING THAT CHALLENGE AND IT IS HELPING THEM MOVE FORWARD AND THERE ARE PILES OF RESEARCH THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT.

ANOTHER STRATEGY THAT IS WORKING, LORENE, REALLY WELL FOR US, IS I CALL IT HIGH DOSAGE TUTORING.

SO IT IS MUCH MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK FOR 20 MINUTES WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO HELP ME WITH MY MATH.

THIS IS AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK WITH AN EXPERT WHO UNDERSTANDS PEDAGOGY AND UNDERSTANDS HOW CHILDREN LEARN AND UNDERSTANDS THAT CHILD'S LEARNING STRATEGIES.

>>LORENE: WOW.

>>KURT: YEAH.

>>LORENE: YEAH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>KURT: AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DOING, AND I WOULD INVITE ALL THE LISTENERS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A TUTOR, THAT IS AN AREA WHERE WE COULD REALLY USE SOME HELP, IS CALLING THAT SCHOOL AND SAYING, I HAVE GOT AN EXPERTISE, WHATEVER YOU ARE GOOD AT, WHETHER IT IS LISTENING AND HELPING WITH THE CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH OR IT IS MATHEMATICS OR TELLING STORIES, WRITING, ANY OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN SCHOOLS, WE COULD USE YOU AND YOUR ASSISTANCE IN OUR SCHOOLS.

>>LORENE: WELL THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE AT THE END I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU HOW CAN PEOPLE HELP, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT WAY.

WELL I WANT TO FOCUS JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH, ANXIETY AND SUICIDE.

BECAUSE I HAVE READ THAT THERE WAS A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN NEVADA THAT JUST REOPENED BACK IN CLASS IN PERSON LEARNING BECAUSE 18 OF THEIR STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THEIR OWN LIVES.

THESE ARE ELEMENTARY KIDS AND THE HORRIFYING IMPACT WHEN YOU DISRUPT WHAT KIDS ARE USED TO AND WHAT PROVIDES A SUPPORT SYSTEM, THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR TEACHER.

THE SMELL OF THE CLASSROOM, THEY JUST LIKE TO BE THERE AND WHEN ALL THAT'S GONE AND THEY ARE HOME ALONE AND EVERYBODY ELSE THEY SEE IS MASKED, IT IS VERY HARD ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

SO HOW ARE YOU ADDRESSING THAT?

>>KURT: YEAH.

IN MULTIPLE WAYS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A WHOLE SET OF STRATEGIES.

>>LORENE: BEFORE YOU SAY THE STRATEGIES, I SHOULDN'T HAVE ASKED THAT LONG QUESTION, WHEN IT'S TIME FOR ME TO REINTRODUCE YOU, WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH DR. KURT STEINHAUS, THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PLEASE CONTINUE.

>>KURT: SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT... >>LORENE: MENTAL HEALTH.

>>KURT: ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, WHICH WERE EXACERBATED OR INCREASED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

BUT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD CHALLENGES IN OUR SCHOOLS AND SO NOW WE ARE INCREASING OUR WORK.

SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES.

THE VERY FIRST ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE CHILD HAS AT LEAST ONE ADULT IN SCHOOL THAT IS CONNECTING WITH THAT CHILD ON A HUMAN CHECKING IN - "HOW ARE YOU?"

CHECKING IN TO SEE IF THEY'RE GETTING FOOD, IF THEY HAVE NUTRITION AND CLEAN CLOTHES AND A PLACE TO SLEEP, JUST THE BASICS OF LIFE ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THAT CHILD.

AND NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO HAVE ONE ADULT AT SCHOOL CONNECTING WITH THAT CHILD, WE WANT AT LEAST ONE ADULT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL CHECKING WITH THAT CHILD.

SO THAT IS EASY FOR ME TO SAY, IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOT THAT CONNECTION, SO THAT IS STRATEGY NUMBER ONE.

STRATEGY NUMBER TWO IS, AS A SUPERINTENDENT, MAKING STUDENT WELL-BEING AND STAFF WELL-BEING OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL, BECAUSE WE CAN'T LEARN MATH AND ENGLISH IF WE DON'T FEEL WELL EITHER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY.

SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STRATEGY WE ARE TAKING.

ANOTHER ONE THAT I HAVE FOUND VERY SUCCESSFUL IS APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND GETTING FUNDING TO DO TRAINING CALLED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT FOR ANYBODY.

IT IS A ONE-DAY VERY INTENSIVE AND AFTER YOU HAVE TAKEN IT SIX MONTHS LATER, YOU CAN TAKE A REFRESHER COURSE AND I HAVE TAKEN IT AND I FOUND IT REALLY VALUABLE TO GIVE YOU QUESTIONS TO ASK STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND WAYS TO CHECK IN ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

ANOTHER STRATEGY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH PROFESSIONALS IN NEW MEXICO THAT KNOW THIS FOR A LIVING AND IF IT IS A CRISIS, THAT WE HAVE A PLACE TO SUGGEST WHERE NOT ONLY THAT STUDENT, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE STUDENT AND THEIR PARENTS OR THE WHOLE FAMILY MIGHT WANT TO GO AND GET COUNSELING.

AND YOU KNOW EVEN THIS MORNING ON THE NEWS I HEARD THAT MEDICAID HAS A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM TO SUPPORT GETTING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

SO I AM GOING TO LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT'S PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO NEW MEXICANS.

>>LORENE: AND OUR LEGISLATURE BACK WHEN REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG WAS HERE, SHE REALLY PUSHED TO MAKE SURE THAT MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH THERE IS A PARITY BETWEEN THEM AND SO YOU COULDN'T JUST WRITE OFF, OH YOU'RE DEPRESSED BUT WE'LL TREAT YOUR HANG NAIL.

YOU KNOW THAT THEY WERE REALLY ON A BALANCE AND THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE EQUAL INTENSITY OF TREATMENT.

ONE OF THE OTHER LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC WAS THE INCREASE IN HOME SCHOOLING.

SO BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THESE ARE ROUGH FIGURES, THERE WERE ABOUT 8,800 STUDENTS HOME SCHOOLING, IT HAS DOUBLED NOW TO ABOUT 16,000 STUDENTS HOME SCHOOLING.

A LOT OF PARENTS DO IT FOR HEALTH REASONS OR THEY JUST GOT USED TO HAVING THE KID AT HOME AND WELL WHAT THE HECK, THIS IS WORKING.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THAT?

>>KURT: FIRST, IN THIS JOB AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, I FEEL LIKE MY JOB IS FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN NEW MEXICO WHETHER THEY ARE IN PRIVATE SCHOOL, HOME SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOL AND SO THE WORK I AM DOING IS TO CONNECT WITH ALL THOSE CHILDREN.

THE SECOND ONE I HAVE NOTICED IS IF WE OPEN UP OUR MINDS ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK WITH HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE MAYBE HOME SCHOOL WORKS REALLY WELL EXCEPT THEY WANT TO BE IN CHOIR.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>KURT: CAN THEY COME TO PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR CHOIR.

>>LORENE: OR FOOTBALL.

>>KURT: YEAH.

AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES AND THAT IS A WAY TO HELP MAKE THAT BALANCE, YOU KNOW YOU TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND HAVING A BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE IS IMPORTANT AND IT IS THE SAME THING WITH HOME SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL.

IF WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT GETS ME UP IN THE MORNING AND THAT'S WHAT I TOLD OUR GOVERNOR WHEN SHE ASKED ME TO BE SECRETARY.

I SAID, "IF I CAN MAKE DECISIONS THAT IS WHAT IS BEST FOR CHILDREN, THEN COUNT ME IN, I WILL DO THE JOB."

>>LORENE: YOU BET, YOU BET.

SO DURING THE PANDEMIC, SOMEONE CAME UP WITH THE EXTENDED LEARNING TIME PROGRAMS TO HELP KIDS CATCH UP FOR WHAT THEY LOST OUT, BUT MANY SCHOOLS ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THEM.

THEY ARE KIND OF LONE RANGERING IT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS, ARE THEY USEFUL?

>>KURT: THEY ARE USEFUL AND THEY DIDN'T WORK VERY WELL FOR A LOT OF SCHOOLS, THEY DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR IT.

SO I HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND THEIR STAFF AND WE WILL BE COMING INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH A BRAND NEW SET OF IDEAS TO TAKE WHAT WORKED AND KEEP THAT GOING AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK, LET THAT GO AND DEVELOP NEW IDEAS BASED ON WHAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE TELLING US WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH EXTENDED LEARNING.

>>LORENE: WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, AND NOW NEW MEXICO VOTERS AND NEW MEXICO LAWMAKERS ARE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF EDUCATION.

THIS IS A STATE THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON PUTTING THE EFFORT INTO EDUCATION SO WE WILL SEE.

ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ONE IS THE YAZZIE MARTINEZ SITUATION, IF YOU COULD SAY IN A SENTENCE WHAT THAT DID AND HOW IS IT COMING?

>>KURT: YEAH.

THE YAZZIE MARTINEZ RULING FROM JUDGE SINGLETON GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT EQUITY ACROSS NEW MEXICO AND IN PARTICULAR, IT ASKED US TO LOOK AT STUDENTS WITH IEPS GETTING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, ENGLISH LEARNERS, STUDENTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS.

SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR STUDENT GROUPS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON AND NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO INCREASE THEIR ACHIEVEMENT, BUT WE WANT TO CLOSE THE GAPS SO THAT EVERY STUDENT IS ACHIEVING AT HIGH LEVELS AND REACHING THEIR POTENTIAL.

SO I SEE THE MARTINEZ YAZZIE RULING AS SOMETHING THAT WAS NEEDED AND IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO AN EVEN BETTER JOB WITH EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: DO WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING STUDENTS BACK UP TO THEIR GRADE LEVEL, CAN WE ALLOW THAT THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME AND THEY CALL FOR EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND JUST LET EVERYBODY DOING THE BEST, SOME OF YOUR IDEAS I THINK ARE JUST BRILLIANT AND YET THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY, OH, BUT LOOK A LOT OF THE STANDARDIZED TESTS WERE WAIVED BUT THE ONES THAT TOOK IT THE KIDS ARE ONLY AT 31 PERCENT OF GRADE LEVEL.

BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT IS GOING ON, I THINK WE CAN JUST TAKE A BREATH AND JUST NOT PUSH, PUSH, PUSH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>>KURT: I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.

WE HAVE TAKEN A BREATH AND NOW WE ARE BACK ON TRACK AND MY GOAL IS TO MAKE NEW MEXICO THE FASTEST GROWING STATE IN THE COUNTRY SO THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AT A FASTER RATE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND SO THAT WILL, I HOPE, HELP US TURN THINGS AROUND AND GET US MOVING BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAXPAYERS OF NEW MEXICO, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT PAY FOR EDUCATION AND WE HAVE GOT TO DELIVER ON WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR.

>>LORENE: SO YOU HAD MENTIONED HOW USEFUL IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND VOLUNTEER IF YOU ARE IN FLY-FISHING, NUCLEAR SCIENTIST OR SOMETHING, WHAT CAN YOU SHARE WITH THESE KIDS.

SO I AM WONDERING IF THERE ARE OTHERS WAYS THAT PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT EDUCATION IS AND THE WAYS THAT REGULAR NEW MEXICO CITIZENS CAN HELP STUDENTS AND HELP THE SCHOOLS.

>>KURT: YES THERE ARE AND I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING.

SO ONE OF THE WAYS THEY CAN HELP IS WITH AN EQUITY LENS AND IF THEY ARE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER FOR KIDS WHO ARE MORE IN NEED OF JUST SOMEBODY TO CONNECT WITH AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THE BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS PROGRAM.

>>LORENE: THAT'S JUST WHAT WAS IN MY MIND.

>>KURT: AND THAT IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE STEPPING UP AND VOLUNTEERING TO HELP CHILDREN.

AND WHEN SOMEBODY VOLUNTEERS TO BE A BIG SISTER OR BIG BROTHER, THEY'RE NOT ONLY HELPING THEM WITH SCHOOL, BUT THEY ARE HELPING THEM WITH LIFE AND WHATEVER THEIR NEEDS ARE.

SO THAT'S ONE AREA OF HELP.

I HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HELPING WITH HIGH QUALITY TUTORING WHICH I THINK IS GREAT.

ANOTHER AREA AND YOU JUST MENTIONED IT, WHATEVER YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SHARE THAT.

CHECK WITH THE TEACHERS, CHECK WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND SEE IF THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR EXPERTISE AND WHAT THE SCHOOL IS NEEDED.

ANOTHER THING THAT IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE, PARTICULARLY IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, ARE CALLED CAREER DAYS.

AND THAT SOMETIMES HAPPENS IN THE AFTERNOON, SOMETIMES IN THE EVENING WHERE A CHILD AND THEIR PARENTS CAN COME TO THE SCHOOL AND GO FROM HALLWAY TO HALLWAY, CLASSROOM TO CLASSROOM AND EACH CLASSROOM IS A DIFFERENT CAREER AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY MEET SOMEBODY WHO IS AN ELECTRICIAN AND SEE, WOW, YOU MAKE HOW MUCH MONEY AS AN ELECTRICIAN?

IT IS AN HONORABLE JOB AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TRADES JOBS IN NEW MEXICO THAT WE ARE INCREASING OUR CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

SO THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY OR IF YOU ARE A NUCLEAR PHYSICIST, YOU CAN COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THAT, TOO.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

BUT THERE IS A MAGIC WHEN SOMEONE LOVES WHAT THEY DO AND WHEN THEY TELL PEOPLE ABOUT.

IT IS A TRANSMISSION OF ENERGY, IT IS A TRANSMISSION OF INSPIRATION.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE, WHAT WAS OFFERED THEM, WOMEN, EVEN 30 TO 40 YEARS AGO, YOU COULD BE A SECRETARY, YOU COULD BE A TEACHER, A NURSE THERE WERE LIMITATIONS, NOW, THANK GOODNESS, THEY ARE NOT AS LIMITED, THERE IS STILL A GLASS CEILING IN SOME OF THESE PROFESSIONS, BUT PEOPLE CAN DO, WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, ARE FREE NOW TO GO INTO SO MANY OTHER PROFESSIONS AND MORE TO COME.

SO I THINK WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS INSPIRING, I AM SO GRATEFUL, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS AND SO AND I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE KIDS AND I AM NOT WORRIED NOW.

I THINK YOU KNOW YOU ARE DOING SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.

SO PARENTS CAN VOLUNTEER, EXPERTS CAN COME IN AND SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE, CAREER DAY IS GREAT AND I THINK BEFRIENDING KIDS WE KNOW IN SCHOOL, ASKING THEM HOW IS SCHOOL BUT LIKE NOT JUST THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY TO KIDS ALL THE TIME, BUT YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW IS SCHOOL, WHAT IS HAPPENING?

AND HOW DO WE BREAK THROUGH THAT THING BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT'S JUST A THROWAWAY QUESTION, THEY DON'T EVEN HEAR THE ANSWER.

SO HOW DO WE ASK HOW IS SCHOOL AND FIND OUT HOW IS SCHOOL?

>>KURT: I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO IT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST FUN THINGS FOR ME IS JUST PLAIN SHOW UP, A SCHOOL PLAY, AN ATHLETIC EVENT, A DEBATE COMPETITION, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT CHILDREN ARE DOING.

IF THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SHOW UP AND CHEER, AND BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK OF MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH IN ALL OF THIS AND ONE OF THE VERY BEST THINGS THAT GETS ME FIRED UP IS TO SHOW UP TO A HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME AND CHEER AND YELL AS LOUD AS I CAN.

THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL NEW MEXICANS TO HELP SUPPORT EDUCATION AND JUST TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING IS SHOW UP TO THOSE ACTIVITIES AND BE PRESENT.

IT HONORS THE KIDS WHEN THEY SEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE AND IT HONORS EVEN MORE THE TEACHERS WHEN THEY SEE THAT THERE IS REALLY AN INTEREST IN WHAT I AM DOING WITH THESE CHILDREN.

>>LORENE: THAT IS LOVELY.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS DR. KURT STEINHAUS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU ARE CABINET SECRETARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I HAVE ENJOYED FINDING OUT WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN EDUCATION, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>KURT: THANKS LORENE.

>>LORENE: WILL YOU COME BACK BECAUSE NOW I NEED TO KNOW HOW THESE INITIATIVES THAT YOU HAVE COME UP WITH ESPECIALLY THE LIST OF WHAT DON'T WE HAVE TO DO.

I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT BUT THAT WILL BE ANOTHER TIME.

>>KURT: I WOULD LOVE TO.

>>LORENE: OKAY, THANK YOU, KURT.

>>KURT: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM