Stewart Bill to Help Educators Better Teach Reading Unanimously Passes Education Committee

SB 74 Creates Voluntary Professional Development, Targets Young At-Risk Students

The Senate Education Committee on Monday unanimously passed Sen. Mimi Stewart’s bill to create a voluntary professional development program to help teachers better work with students learning to read.

“When a child learns to read, the world opens up to them,” Stewart said. “Having taught reading myself for years, though, I know that students and educators face many hurdles. By creating this unique literacy education learning opportunity for teachers, we will help teachers master the most up-to-date techniques so that more of our kids can succeed.”

SB 74 directs the Department of Education to develop an early reading initiative for the state. The bill also appropriates $3 million for the department to create a voluntary professional development program to help New Mexico teachers improve their literacy education skills. The legislation says that the initiative must be scientifically based and must incorporate ongoing assessment. The professional development component must also support teachers working with English-language-learners and will priorities teachers in elementary schools with a high-number of at risk students.

“By supporting teachers with a smart, scientifically based approach to literacy education we will be helping them to teach and helping our students to learn,” Stewart said, “and by prioritizing teachers working with at-risk populations, this program reflects our state’s commitment to helping all students.”