[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6114926,"mediaKeyId","2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414","parentId",2740846,"title","HR presents hiring criteria overview; trustees ask about job-description consistency and screening","audioSeconds",324,"startMs",4113645,"endMs",4438185,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414&start=4113&end=4438","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414/thumbnail_4113645.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6114926/New-Mexico/HR-presents-hiring-criteria-overview-trustees-ask-about-job-description-consistency-and-screening","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114926-de0bfe2da8928a74fc68cfa6b0b10ed0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141528&Signature=PTmLr7Tw9j3mGOzQBOFS6XFKjyAmHYcnTZb71fMgke-0WRLWQm4LGs~F~2C7QmyDOXJZKTb0blxcjMwfbiZHLMiVBtZMwjF1pZbyk-yNk2lqZ5CGlFdKhqvtt7pk2NmLkyD65ExFkjygai5yX3utfceMxnRS~XFflPTr-EFQTvvs2gbL5wPHOAQsar~ELGqKUo2qb~98JLa2rr9VlulSus4QcLfl9r8OM6WgzWLagOAHYZnzOrBQD9dSgfQY3z2hAWZl9KNF39HAKnpcjyX~oCfCZcRPqZFqkvCldtiX-5XzWZmzrpWtqmh~kxMIkw~aI9xQaMhW64QOhcQ1gyaHSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Gadsden Independent Schools","date","2025-03-22T13:44:04Z","article","ANTHONY, N.M. — The board received part one of a three-part Human Resources report Wednesday that outlined hiring criteria, licensure verification and background‑check requirements for certified and hourly staff.

Miss Perciaga, presenting for HR, summarized state requirements and district practice. She said licensure standards are set by the New Mexico Public Education Department and noted the district’s process for supporting applicants working toward certification. \"Typically, the Department of Education will give them 2 years to complete their licensure to get that teaching certificate. We do here at Gadsden sign off on 1 additional year. So, really, it's a total of 3 years that they have to get that teaching license,\" Perciaga said.

Nut graf: The presentation covered differences between certification requirements for elementary and secondary teachers (secondary positions require subject-matter credits), paraprofessional qualifications (high school diploma or paraprofessional exam, or 48 specified college credits), verification for ancillary professionals (nurses, social workers, therapists) and trade certifications (journeyman licenses, HVAC credentials). HR staff also described fingerprint-based background checks and the role of job descriptions in setting local preferences beyond state minimums.

Board questions: Trustee Plurisk asked how the district determines when a preferred qualification (for example, four years of assistant-principal experience) becomes a required one and how the district avoids perceptions of inconsistent yardsticks. Perciaga said job descriptions are reviewed by the district leadership team; directors proposing changes bring recommendations to central office and the leadership team vets and approves updates. She also noted many job descriptions use the word \"preferred,\" which allows some flexibility in hiring if the applicant pool does not meet stricter experience requirements.

Ending: HR said subsequent reports will cover vetting and interview scoring at the next board meeting and onboarding processes in April. Trustees asked HR to consider standardizing job description language and screening protocols to ensure consistent, transparent hiring practices across the district.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 20th, 2025 School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Human resources reviewed licensure and certification requirements for teachers, paraprofessionals and trade positions, fingerprinting and background checks, and the role of job descriptions in setting local hiring preferences.","taxTitle","GADSDEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, School Districts, New Mexico","taxId",13254,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114931,"Board approves agenda changes, MSBA policy advisories and disposal of one acre after closed session",3735,1339430,5074846,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414&start=1339&end=5074","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414/thumbnail_1339430.jpg","/articles/6114931/New-Mexico/Board-approves-agenda-changes-MSBA-policy-advisories-and-disposal-of-one-acre-after-closed-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114931-b6a7a4011e88f3f9981ca4f5aa65a28b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141528&Signature=HyVa7ipFvfI-AoWmn~TDRQPP~C5UnzHw0qmt-eX8QC6NC5boYOCghPtLt4d1uhrkypS1lSxNcOZA103kU~oa-kEM9qXs6jnPAs2DNWwTAuJtcR1IoqQ5QA~A2I39ZXOTpMoElERKJunGmHA4BR0W55~lLz9nYQce7DGnkLEKhRf~gtpS-oOrbBf3Ihw~Xr36~fhrY8x7ijR5EiLym4~O9xz~EryKVXqOD0-r3bQrYnJdmNRlyUHdfbsNWiWj3a-NdextwSHhqqLd615AQdaRpztQ7TA0ZtoifXKxBDP6T2dGQTtP1AU1pLNOAPXwRFmPdYpCHodXvh59TYA1kubeGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","ANTHONY, N.M. — At its meeting Wednesday, the Gadsden ISD Board of Trustees approved routine agenda business, adopted policy advisories on a second reading and authorized the disposal of approximately one acre of district land following a closed session.

Key votes at a glance:
- Modification of the agenda — approved. A motion to accept the agenda passed without recorded opposition.
- Approval of regular board minutes for March 6, 2025 — approved.
- Consent agenda (routine financial and personnel items) — approved.
- Action item 13A: New Mexico School Boards Association (NMSBA) Policy Advisory 2-46, second reading — approved. The advisory concerns return-to-work employee requirements and documentation tied to the State Educational Retirement Board.
- Action item 13B: NMSBA Policy Advisories 2-47 through 2-60, second reading — approved. The set reorganizes and consolidates district policy language addressing prohibited items such as tobacco, drugs and alcohol into a stand-alone policy and updates policy submission procedures to the MSBA policy service.
- Action items 18A & 18B: After the board entered closed session under the Open Meetings Act to discuss the acquisition/disposal of real property, trustees approved terms of a proposed purchase agreement and authorized the superintendent or designee to execute documents necessary to effectuate disposal of approximately one acre in the José Manuel Sánchez Baca grant, pending State Board of Finance approval.

Notes and context: The board used a motion to enter closed session under Section 10-15-1(H)(7) of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act to discuss the proposed disposal. After returning to open session, trustees made two separate approvals tied to the property transaction and delegated authority to the superintendent to finalize documents subject to state approval.

Ending: All recorded actions passed during the meeting; staff will proceed with the property transaction steps and follow up on policy uploads to the MSBA policy service.","Trustees approved routine meeting business including agenda and minutes, accepted two New Mexico School Boards Association policy advisories on second reading, and approved terms to dispose of approximately one acre of district real property during closed session.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114935,"Gadsden ISD survey finds parents and staff prioritize classroom materials, safety and interventions",394,3725120,4119350,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414&start=3725&end=4119","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414/thumbnail_3725120.jpg","/articles/6114935/New-Mexico/Gadsden-ISD-survey-finds-parents-and-staff-prioritize-classroom-materials-safety-and-interventions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114935-5e6765d22702ad926cc76d32d52c179e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141528&Signature=FvFBsZ7ThizPadWDj1ToE4L9eIyLkXwx4b1DuRF~njx1Zf9KZzmkBfF~PWxL--CuZWdOb8euGJdqAG40NqBwndeAjmCOABKGHufbPMOAzEwRMaerja9QPglAWij1JnanOqpUcN33PcnG-FTlXG6eGf1i30YISaFW95-2qCPl32nAdmD4c-j-Pozi1lkHMxV9E2QkNI2v~fw8RNNTSBp6mLAHvhCL2m28Wb8zJ9M6tROla0qyN~-XGlgr237pGJWEI~okrCePGbFGD2~vspjKBSq06lMOKG1guPwX8r3gYB8BbPbADmWWYKO8OFn3kJfNmezLh3oPqSqzWKDjs053Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","ANTHONY, N.M. — Gadsden Independent Schools staff presented the results of a districtwide budget survey Wednesday, reporting 955 responses from parents, teachers, support staff and students and highlighting recurring priorities for the coming budget cycle.

Superintendent Dempsey summarized the results: the survey ran from Feb. 18 to March 14 and received 955 responses. \"We had almost a thousand responses, 955. All schools included pre-k and high school open to all stakeholders,\" Dempsey said.

Why it matters: Early results will feed planning as the district develops next year’s budget. Respondents named classroom resources (books, technology and supplies) as the most-cited need (430 mentions), followed by safety and security measures (394) and facility improvements (369). Teacher salaries and retention were the single most-commonly selected priority (279 mentions). Parents and staff also prioritized student academic supports such as tutoring and intervention programs (133 mentions) and the expansion of vocational and career-readiness programs (424 mentions reported in a separate growth metric question).

Key numbers and concerns presented to trustees: 532 respondents identified as parents, 256 as teachers, about 100 as support staff and 87 as students. On specific questions, roughly three‑quarters of respondents rated the current funding and programs at their schools as middling to good (3–5 on a 5-point scale); between 16% and 28% rated various items 1 or 2. When asked about barriers to student success, 471 respondents flagged socioeconomic challenges, 407 mentioned mental-health challenges and 323 noted language barriers.

Board reaction: Trustees asked staff to bring the open-ended responses to the district’s Equity Council for help prioritizing and to return with an analysis that could inform budget decisions. Board Member Flores emphasized the importance of directing funds toward reading interventions and supports that help older students who struggle with literacy.

Ending: District staff said they will refine open‑ended responses in collaboration with the Equity Council and return with prioritized recommendations to inform the budget process.","District’s online budget survey drew 955 responses; top priorities cited were classroom resources, safety and security, facility repairs, smaller class sizes and teacher pay/retention.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114941,"District presentation shows mixed results on national and state assessments; NAEP places New Mexico behind most states",431,1622890,2054654,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414&start=1622&end=2054","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414/thumbnail_1622890.jpg","/articles/6114941/New-Mexico/District-presentation-shows-mixed-results-on-national-and-state-assessments-NAEP-places-New-Mexico-behind-most-states","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114941-c289be876e37b6774f19b03821437118/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141528&Signature=DduIN1TVHfE8Lec60PdDw9W3unKIfjqcxm~~rBgIhEFWVKa9h1zUkL9V5O1hMe9SGRfmRU-OKc6tPwar7AvD3mNlKbHiLvLka~As-M8yc-emA-BugoRcvcrvGA~Oy5yn9boWhKEYO-C7drM33kQzLnZHCMeLw23TBPCBZulSz7EbOYFE7wPnXufFlxK3gzxaE-lHJXqDsfA6Ye-WGnBiizX3qqaOdZ~eBznG9v7QAg-FegnGQHyBR2N6rVHEmq-0aNVpsj9cuvGk8yKABbudj-4y6k0KYHJFM-Vc3UfpPbd-gZ~SXDdkEBCqDGu7IOJqjIseulgPkfUa-4x2~OsmMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","ANTHONY, N.M. — District academic staff presented an overview of school and statewide proficiency measures Wednesday and urged the board to focus on growth and comparable instruments rather than cross-state raw-score comparisons.

Mrs. Dela Rosa told trustees that national and state assessments measure different things and warned against direct comparisons between New Mexico and neighboring states because of differing standards and assessments. \"When you look at those results, you will see whether it's in grade 4 mathematics, or grade 4 reading, or grade 8 math, or grade 8 reading, New Mexico is only is behind every state except Alaska,\" she said, summarizing NAEP state-level findings in 2024.

Nut graf: The presentation walked trustees through three widely used measures — the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the SAT (used statewide in New Mexico for high-school testing), and the NM Vistas (growth and proficiency reporting used by the state) — and recommended that the district emphasize student growth percentiles as the most appropriate single comparative metric.

Key points: Dela Rosa noted that NAEP samples a nationally representative subset of students in grades 4 and 8 and that New Mexico’s 2024 NAEP results showed improvement in fourth grade math even as many other states declined. She cautioned that the SAT is not administered uniformly across all states and that nationwide SAT comparisons mix voluntary test‑takers and statewide cohorts. For statewide comparisons, the presenter recommended using NM Vistas growth measures because they group students by prior-year performance and track gains against similar peers. District results on growth placed the district around the median (50th percentile) for math and reading growth, she said.

Board questions and follow-up: Trustees asked for district-level breakdowns and for staff to share the sources and links used in the presentation. Board Member Flores requested that staff be available to present the material to outside organizations that request it. Academic staff said the slide deck and source links would be available to trustees and to the public.

Ending: Trustees received the information as an informational item and raised follow-up questions about community presentations and how the data should inform curriculum and intervention prioritization.","Academic staff reviewed multiple measures of student proficiency, including NAEP, SAT and NM Vistas growth measures; the presentation highlighted improvement in some areas but noted comparability limits across assessments and the state’s low NAEP ranking.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114946,"Gadsden ISD trustees review new graduation policy draft that deletes competency testing and adds local credits",1348,2222660,3571285,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414&start=2222&end=3571","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2740846-1b62a972ce26c14c7a0a22251dab6414/thumbnail_2222660.jpg","/articles/6114946/New-Mexico/Gadsden-ISD-trustees-review-new-graduation-policy-draft-that-deletes-competency-testing-and-adds-local-credits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114946-f105c0a6f3ea0b1a01da586cd86d00ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141528&Signature=UHexRmO-SCNuzQUUqPSS7N483WgYcEHFpGPIl-11QB-xDvGL4IGL7yAfrFkXU0uUvpoHk0VMA7VJ3FvK83qU5hi7QH7jfYGGVxcA4KzZtF3bm0fvP7Vpy~1Vi94wVIRrYjBra5cO-h8Y9hK00hb8rwUF8PcF63-blQ8TD-SiqUt16N56Dycpao~U8Dw99W~kpvk9myN-1CWUddFipd14yGPtDW6H3GcedSeCqkmbDCyagHcnktPz7~U2~NuxK0C1D9XLEFgrb6yPcwJRx-oZ5T6BXD46Br4garLoCTgZ6CUYXrDj2oE~R3hrVEJ6q4yqdLs7VxYsfYTe10dErWu-uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","GADSDEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS — The Gadsden Independent Schools Board of Trustees heard a first reading Wednesday of a substantially rewritten graduation policy (IKF) that removes state-era competency-test language, adds locally required credits, and narrows which special-education graduation tracks will be available to future students.

The draft policy, presented by Mr. Wagenmeier, lays out two tracks of primary importance going forward: a standard diploma pathway and an \"ability\" program of study for students with significant cognitive disabilities. It removes references to the administrative code section that formerly required passing a state competency test and instead requires, for students entering ninth grade in 2025–26 and later, that students attempt the federally required ESSA Title I assessments in language arts, math and science. \"Students must attempt, and I want to emphasize attempt, not pass, but just attempt the federally required ESSA title 1 assessments that measure proficiency in language arts, math, and science,\" Wagenmeier told the board.

Why it matters: The state Public Education Department deleted the NMAC provision that tied graduation to passing a competency test; the district's draft policy updates local graduation requirements to reflect that change while adding locally required credits intended to promote college and career readiness. The rewrite also attempts to reduce confusion for parents and counselors by consolidating graduation rules in one policy and by specifying how local credits and course substitutions will be treated.

Board members pressed academic staff for details about students who transfer into the district midyear or from out-of-state. Board Member Lita and others asked whether the district could be put in an awkward position when students move into the district in the senior year, and how such transfers would interact with state scholarship eligibility. Wagenmeier and Superintendent Dempsey said administrative procedures and regulations will be developed to handle waivers, credit acceptance and transcript evaluations rather than embedding complex transfer rules in policy. \"If a student moves from one district to another, the receiving district shall accept those earned credits toward that student's graduation,\" Wagenmeier said, reading statutory language the draft follows. He added that procedures for out-of-state and international transcripts will be brought back for further board discussion.

Special education: The draft keeps three named programs of study (standard, modified, ability) but reflects recent statutory changes that limit availability of the modified program. Under the proposed policy, the modified program of study \"shall only be available to students with disabilities that began the ninth grade before 25–26.\" Wagenmeier explained the state’s rationale: because the administrative requirement to pass a competency test has been removed, the need for a modified option that adjusts passing thresholds is reduced for future cohorts.

Assessment and waivers: The draft requires an attempt at state-required assessments but creates a process for students to request a waiver or submit a substitute assessment if they cannot reasonably attempt the state test. Board members asked how waivers would be processed and whether timelines for waivers and alternate testing windows would be published so testing coordinators and families can plan. Wagenmeier said those operational details will be provided in a regulation accompanying the policy.

Parent notification and progress reporting: Trustees raised concerns about consistency in notifying parents when a student is at risk of not graduating and about whether current progress-reporting procedures are adequate. Wagenmeier and staff said some of those notification processes are covered in other district policies and agreed to return with recommended procedures and any needed policy changes.

Next steps: The board treated the draft as a first reading and asked staff to return with proposed implementation regulations (waiver forms and timelines, transfer evaluation procedures and transcript‑translation steps for international students) before taking action.

Ending: The board will continue the discussion at a future meeting; staff said they will circulate draft regulations and examples of transcript-evaluation procedures before the next presentation.","District staff presented a rewrite of policy IKF to reflect recent state rule changes that remove a testing-based demonstration of competency, add locally required credits and clarify special-education graduation options; board members asked for procedures on transfers, waivers and parent notification.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

HR presents hiring criteria overview; trustees ask about job-description consistency and screening

Board approves agenda changes, MSBA policy advisories and disposal of one acre after closed session

Gadsden ISD survey finds parents and staff prioritize classroom materials, safety and interventions

District presentation shows mixed results on national and state assessments; NAEP places New Mexico behind most states

Gadsden ISD trustees review new graduation policy draft that deletes competency testing and adds local credits