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Taos board asks for Yazzie‑Martinez update, discusses financial literacy graduation requirement and teacher housing committee
Summary
Board members requested a district update on programs tied to Yazzie‑Martinez obligations (Native American, low‑income, ESL, special education), discussed a proposed financial literacy graduation requirement adopted by other New Mexico districts, and asked the superintendent to begin work on teacher housing options and a committee nomination.
Members of the Taos Municipal Schools Board of Education used the end-of-agenda "future topics" item to request multiple district updates and to flag three issues for future work: an update tied to the Yazzie‑Martinez obligations, consideration of a financial literacy graduation requirement, and work on teacher housing and a related committee.
A board member described the Yazzie‑Martinez item as encompassing Native American students, English‑learner services (ESL), special education and supports for low‑income families and asked for a district update on current programs and monitoring progress. "What are we doing for the low income families? What are we doing for the native students? What are we doing for the ESL learners?" the board member asked.
Separately, a board member noted that about 30 New Mexico school districts — including Albuquerque — have adopted a financial literacy class as a graduation requirement and asked the board to discuss whether Taos should pursue similar action. "Albuquerque just did it, and 30 other districts have done that," the member said. The board also noted an outstanding assignment to nominate a seven‑person committee tied to a community foundation grant; board members did not finalize nominees during the meeting.
Board members also raised teacher housing as an item for committee work. One board member said the superintendent will set a date for a committee to begin meeting to study teacher housing options; another asked that the matter be placed on the committee agenda because the speaker will not serve on the committee.
Several members discussed the board calendar: the board currently has a mid‑March meeting that falls during spring break and members proposed moving that meeting to March 7 or March 8. A board member also said the length of regular meetings was a concern: "I just can't do 6 hours anymore ... I'm exhausted," a board member said, and asked the board to explore alternatives such as multiple meetings or shorter agendas.
The board confirmed an upcoming school vendor board meeting scheduled for Feb. 19, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the boardroom.
