New Mexico Rising

The 2025 New Mexico Legislative session has adjourned. Join Amanda for a conversation with Matt Pahl, Executive Director of Public Charter Schools of New Mexico and Dominica Chavez, NewMexicoKidsCAN’s own Advocacy Manager. Together the three discuss this year’s legislative session and how education was addressed, or not addressed for that matter. Tune in to hear the highs, the lows, and everything in between! 

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Michael Franco and Kristin Algier from TNTP join Amanda to talk about their latest report, The Opportunity Makers. ​​In schools across the country, far too many students fall behind academically, and most who fall behind stay behind. If we don’t accelerate learning at scale, millions of students may never catch up. But that doesn’t have to be the case. The Opportunity Makers tells the stories of trajectory-changing schools, where s...

Amy Miller, founder of the May Center for Learning joins Amanda to talk about New Mexico’s literacy journey, from the passage of Senate Bill 398 in 2019, to the current momentum behind Senate Bill 242. Amy talks about her work with students and families and how that spurred her work on legislation to strengthen New Mexico’s reading instruction. She also shares some tips for parents on what to look for when their child is learning t...

Kelli Bottger, executive director of Louisiana Kids Matter, joins Amanda to brag about Louisiana’s stunning growth in reading. With the recent release of NAEP data, Louisiana has emerged as the state to watch in academic progress. In just six years, Louisiana has climbed from being ranked 50th in 4th grade reading in 2019, to 16th in 2024. Tune into learn how Louisiana changed their story, and how New Mexico can replicate their suc...

Danielle Gonzales, member of the National Assessment Governing Board and APS Board President joins Amanda to discuss the 2024 NAEP data that was released yesterday, January 29th. Known as the Nation’s Report Card, NAEP is the gold standard assessment that has measured U.S. student achievement since 1969. Every two years, fourth and eighth-grade students across America are assessed in reading, math, and science.

Mercy Herrera, founder of Equip Academy of New Mexico, and native New Mexican joins Amanda to talk about her education experiences, what inspired her to create a brand new charter school and her hopes for education in New Mexico. She and Amanda talk about the similarities of their educational experiences and what they think it will take to turn things around in New Mexico.

Hello New Mexico Rising listeners - we are bringing you special cross over episode from a new local podcast called Leaders of Enchantment! We hope you enjoy!

Eder Ortiz, Principal of East San Jose Elementary in Albuquerque Public Schools joins Amanda to reflect on his own educational experience and how it shaped his experience as a teacher and now principal. Principal Ortiz shares more about how ESJE made enormous strides in reading and math proficiency and why he believes that progress IS possible for all New Mexico Students. 

Sonny Sapien, teacher at Albuquerque Collegiate Charter School joins us to chat all about his experience as an educator in New Mexico classrooms. Sonny and Amanda discuss educator preparation programs, recognition in the profession, and the Gilmore Girls. Tune in to hear all about Sonny’s achievements and how he is helping his students unlock their potential! 

Marc Porter Magee joins Amanda to discuss a new report from 50CAN, detailing the results of a recent survey of 20,000 parents from across the country. This survey report, “The State of Educational Opportunity in America,” offers an unprecedented, state-by-state examination of how parents are tackling challenges. The survey goes beyond just a view of the classroom to explore a broader ecosystem of learning opportunities, from sports...

Gloria Ruiz, joins Amanda to chat all about family engagement and offer some tips on how to prepare for parent teacher conferences! Tune in to learn how to make the best of your time with your child’s teacher! 

“Thank goodness for Mississippi.” It’s a phrase we know all too well, as Mississippi historically ranked behind New Mexico. However, the tables have turned and while New Mexico has been ranked 50th in education for eight consecutive years, Mississippi has gone from being the second-worst state in 2013 to 21st in 2022 in reading outcomes. This has come to be known as the “Mississippi Miracle.” Join Amanda as she interviews Erika Ber...

We take a break from our traditional interviews, and welcome Dominica Chavez, NewMexicoKidsCAN Advocacy Manager as a co-host for this week’s episode! Together, Dominica and Amanda talk about a few important news stories in the New Mexico education world including the 180-day instructional rule lawsuit, the Governor’s Summer Reading Program, the starts and stalls for New Mexico’s high impact tutoring efforts, and finally, an update ...

John Binnert, Executive Director of Cottonwood Classical Charter School, joins us for a conversation about what the state can learn from Cottonwood Classical and how students at Cottonwood are outperforming students from across the world! Tune in and learn about what an International Baccalaureate diploma is and what it means for students at Cottonwood Classical. 

Kimberly Finke, APS principal, joins Amanda for a conversation about her experience “transforming” Whittier Elementary School after it was identified as one of the four worst schools in New Mexico. Kim discusses what she’s learned from her experiences in schools within and outside of APS and the systems utilized in strong schools. She also shares her thoughts on whether or not there is hope for New Mexico schools. 

Angela Lopez, Field Director for Public Charter Schools of New Mexico joins Amanda for a conversation about school enrollment season. It’s never too early to consider all the options for your child’s education next school year. Amanda and Angela discuss enrollment timelines for charter schools, magnet schools and even some private schools. Tune in to learn more about how to find the school that is best for your child!