Letter from Deputy Secretary Kara Bobroff Regarding Martinez and Yazzie Lawsuit (PDF)
Summary
AI-generated summaryIn an October 22, 2019 letter, Deputy Secretary Kara Bobroff described the state’s response to the Martinez and Yazzie lawsuits. The letter reports that the court found New Mexico had not met its duty to educate at-risk students and that several education acts were not being fully implemented.
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The Court’s decision and order in the Martinez and Yazzie consolidated lawsuit held that New Mexico has not met its duty to provide an education to the state’s “at-risk” studentsOpen page 1
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The Court further found the Indian Education Act (IEA), the Hispanic Education Act (HEA), and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act (BMEA), which were enacted to help many of these students succeed, were not being fully implemented.Open page 1
Bobroff said the Public Education Department (NMPED) would work with districts and charter schools on equity councils, readiness assessments, culturally and linguistically responsive frameworks, and 90-day plans. The letter also describes departmental monitoring and possible additional action if progress remained insufficient.
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districts and charter schools must initially concentrate on the development of the following:Open page 2
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If, after this focused support, the district or charter school continues to inadequately address deficiencies, NMPED may take further actionOpen page 4
Key points
Bobroff wrote that the state had decided to accept the court’s ruling rather than appeal and to address the court’s concerns.
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the state has decided the best path forward for our students is to accept the Court’s ruling, rather than appeal, and work to address the Court’s concerns.
Open page 2The letter said equity council members were to be named by December 9, 2019, and that final culturally and linguistically responsive frameworks were due June 30, 2020.
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The members of the equity councils must be named by December 9, 2019.
Open page 3The letter said NMDASH would support root-cause analysis for at-risk students, with full implementation in all schools planned for the 2020–2021 school year.
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NMDASH, the state’s online school planning tool, will include a functionality for addressing the needs of at-risk students
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with full implementation in all schools planned for the 2020-2021 school year.
Open page 3Bobroff said NMPED would monitor progress, offer support, and use a progressive action plan when a district or charter school made insufficient progress; she described further action as possible in the most severe circumstances.
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If a district or charter school is making insufficient progress in implementing its framework and addressing the learning needs of all students, NMPED will initiate a progressive action plan to assist.
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Questions to follow
- What guidance and training did NMPED later provide for the equity councils, readiness assessments, and culturally and linguistically responsive frameworks?
- How did districts and charter schools use community input when developing their frameworks and plans?
- What progress measures did NMPED use in the New Mexico Spotlight system?
Generated Oct 21, 2026 · Citations refer to the saved original.
Original source: New Mexico Public Education Department
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Commentary
AI-generated analysisThe letter sets out deadlines and responsibilities while also saying that further guidance would come later. This could mean that some implementation details were still being developed when the letter was issued; the letter does not specify what all of that guidance would contain.
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