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As part of the Independent Comprehensive Study of New Mexico School Funding, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) commissioned a panel of experts to prepare papers providing a brief review of the existing educational research literature on what factors contribute to student success. These papers draw not only from existing literature, but also from the New Mexico educational context.
In fall 2006, the AIR research team and Dr. Karen DeMoss solicited input from members of the New Mexico community on their views of the goals and priorities for state public schools. This public feedback was synthesized into a report and a Goals Statement, which guided the instructional programs and resource specifications of the Professional Judgment Panel deliberations.
- Goals Statement
- Full Public Engagement Report (this comprehensive report will be posted in the near future)
The AIR research team identified and examined schools that were identified as ‘beating-the-odds.’ In short, these schools were identified as performing better than expected on standardized tests given the demographic composition of the students they serve (i.e., based on student poverty, mobility, and English language proficiency) .
In an attempt to identify common themes from the factors that principals and staff deemed integral to their schools’ success, the AIR research team conducted a series of interviews and focus groups at several school sites. Out of these conversations, several themes emerged and were captured in a practitioner brief.
In April 2007, AIR worked with teams of highly qualified and recognized programmatic experts (also known as Professional Judgment Panels or PJPs) and New Mexico educators to design alternative instructional programs and to specify resources to meet the Goals Statement set forth by the public. From these programs and resources, the AIR research team was able to derive program recommendations and cost estimates. These recommendations and cost estimates were used as the foundation for recommending changes and modifications to the way schools are currently funded in New Mexico.
In June 2007, the AIR research team presented preliminary findings to the Stakeholder Panel. In addition, the AIR research team conducted breakout discussions to gather input and insight on several salient policy issues.
In December, the AIR Research Team submitted the completed final report for this project to the Legislative Council Service. Electronic copies of the Executive Summary, Volume I - The Final Report, and Volume II - The Technical Appendices may be obtained by clicking on the links below.
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