Santa Fe Music Teacher Questions PED Calendar Change Proposal

12.1.23 – The state Public Education Department wants to expand school calendars, increasing the number of instructional days required for students statewide. This proposal comes months after the Legislature passed House Bill 130, which increased education funding, in large part to accommodate an increase in required instruction hours — bumping those up to 1,140. Those hours included professional development time for teachers. This new rule would change the measuring stick to days — increasing the mandate from 176 to 180 and requiring every one of those 1,140 hours be spent in the classroom with students.  

Earlier this month, music teacher Kevin Darrow joined a number of Santa Fe public school teachers who spoke out against PED’s proposed change. In a solo interview with Senior Producer Lou DiVizio, Darrow says adding more time in the classroom is not the right answer to solve our state’s education problems. 

Correspondent: Lou DiVizio 

Guest: Kevin Darrow, music teacher, Wood Gormley Elementary School 

For More Information: 

Teachers, lawmakers object to PED’s proposed calendar rule change – Santa Fe New Mexican