“Her failure to work well with the community of front-line educators, led to the diminishing of opportunities for student success. “The teacher evaluation system she imposed, based on excessive standardized student tests, was a difficult decision which brought hardships and caused many teachers to leave the state and the profession,” Patterson said in a statement Thursday morning. National Education Association-New Mexico President Betty Patterson welcomed the news that Skandera would be leaving her position.

Martinez has repeatedly reiterated her support for the PARCC te st.

In recent years, the state has reduced the time spent on testing, including this week. The unions, along with many Democrats in the state Legislature, criticized the amount of time of standardized testing taken each school year. It’s those same Common Core standards that were some of the biggest bones of contention between Skandera and teachers unions, which have been frequent critics of Skandera during her time as head of the department. Later reports indicated her support of Common Core standards meant some Republicans would not back her nomination. Skandera was reportedly in line for a position with the Donald Trump administration. Most appointments, even for cabinet-level officials, sail through on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, but the Senate confirmed Skandera on a 22-19 vote. Skandera herself didn’t get confirmation hearings from the state Senate for her first few years in office and wasn’t confirmed until 2015, years after her initial appointment in 2011. Martinez also said Deputy Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski will act as acting cabinet secretary once Skandera steps down. I’m so grateful for all Hanna has done for New Mexico’s kids, and I wish her all the best.” “Now, more New Mexico students are graduating from high school than ever before, more are at grade level in reading and math, and more New Mexico kids are college ready. “Since day one of my administration, she’s been relentlessly committed to helping us fight the status quo – like teachers unions and other entrenched special interests – to reform education and give our students, teachers, parents and schools more of what they need to succeed,” Martinez said.

Martinez praised Skandera in a statement Thursday, saying “New Mexico’s students and schools are better off today” after Skandera’s time as head of PED. “This is not the end of something – it’s a baton pass of things that are already moving,” she told the newspaper. The public education head did not say what would be the next step in her career. In that time, Skandera has been a controversial figure, with teachers unions and Democrats voicing sharp criticisms of her priorities. Skandera has been the only head of the Public Education Department under Susana Martinez. Skandera told the newspaper that she will leave her post on June 20, after more than six years on the job. That’s the report from the Albuquerque Journal Thursday morning, which spoke to Skandera. New Mexico’s Secretary of Education will step down from her position later this month.

Abq journal parcc