ALBUQUERQUE—Steve Pearce, candidate for Governor of New Mexico, announced today that upon taking office his administration will immediately suspend the current teacher evaluation system and bring teachers and stakeholders together to find a replacement for the broken model.
"I have spent the last year listening to teachers, local school officials, legislators, and education advocates throughout New Mexico, and their message is loud and clear: the state's teacher evaluation system is badly broken. Our teachers are being judged on metrics that do not accurately reflect their effectiveness as educators, and their morale has plummeted as a result.
"There are many problems with the current system, including the inaccurate application of student test scores and the penalty for simply taking days off that they are contractually entitled to, and they all need addressing. We all want accountability and quality results, but the current system has crushed the spirit of many talented educators and contributed to our state's teacher shortage. We can and must do better.
"Upon taking office, I will immediately suspend the current teacher evaluation system and bring together education stakeholders from throughout New Mexico – including teachers – to formulate, within the first 6 months, a new evaluation system that treats our teachers fairly while providing our local school districts and communities with an accurate picture of their effectiveness in educating our children.
"By taking this bold step, we can put New Mexico on the path to having a public education system that recruits and retains high quality educators, restores the love of teaching and creates schools where our children truly learn to the best of their abilities. We must let teachers teach."
A former businessman and U.S. Air Force combat veteran pilot, Steve Pearce resides in Hobbs, New Mexico, where has lived nearly his entire life. Pearce, whose mother was a teacher, has long committed to supporting educators and fixing New Mexico schools.
Pearce has been elected to represent the 2nd Congressional District seven times with the backing of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. In each of his campaigns for Congress, Pearce has received widespread support from Hispanic voters.