AFT President Randi Weingarten: Explain. Educate. Engage. Empower.
This is how we cultivate change at the roundhouse and in Congress!
Pursuing a Visionary World-Class Public Education System
Our vision for the future of public education in New Mexico extends beyond our classrooms, schoolyards and places of learning; it permeates our communities. This vision, based on the collective wisdom of educators, not only encourages students to become creators and innovators, but also is pragmatic in its approach. It acknowledges shared responsibility and the fact that our state’s social and economic challenges are inextricably linked with our desire to create a robust public education system that serves the needs of all students, from early education through higher education.
Student Teachers Federation
Are you a student teacher needing liability insurance coverage?
The American Federation of Teachers New Mexico (AFT NM) can help make sure you are covered.
Please note, any student teachers looking to be covered by liability insurance through AFT NM, should process their application and payment through the links below. In light of the public health crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the safest way applicants can apply and pay for coverage. We are no longer accepting applications and payments in the AFT New Mexico office located at 530 Jefferson St NE Albuquerque, NM 87108.
By clicking each link below, your application and payment will be processed successfully. A proof of purchase or payment receipt will be sent to you from PayPal to the email you designated when processing the payment. We will be working to send you additional documentation confirming that both your application and payment has been received. For additional questions, please email us at aftnmaction@gmail.com.
AFT NM 2020 Fall School Reentry Plan
A Year Like No Other
While there are a lot of different feelings and opinions about the upcoming school year, without question the 2020 academic year will be like no other we have experienced in our careers, or even our lifetimes.
We know the beginning of the academic year will not be without transitional challenges, especially since local districts and higher education institutions have wide discretion in the approaches they are able to take to educate students during the fall semester. Some districts and higher education institutions have already chosen to continue remote learning through the fall term, and some are waiting for further guidance from our Governor to plan their next steps towards increased hybrid, in-person instruction.
Our union, at a national, state, and local level, has been fighting to ensure local decisions are being made which not only balance your needs, but also the needs of the students and families we serve. We remain steadfast that all local educational decisions must prioritize the health and safety of the educational community. This prioritization is underscored by recent reports that almost three dozen separate educational sites across New Mexico have had confirmed cases of COVID-19 – even before many educational sites opened their doors to students.
Stand With New Mexico Educators for Safe School & Higher Education Re-Opening
The COVID-19 pandemic has been like nothing we have ever experienced, however, from the beginning of the school and higher education closures in March, dedicated public educators have been going above and beyond in service to our students, our communities, and our families.
Schools aren’t just where students take tests and get homework, they’re where they interact, learn life lessons, and develop the social and emotional skills that take them into adulthood.
They’re also where millions of kids get meals, after-school care, and other important support – all provided by the dedicated educators who share our communities.
New Mexico educators did their best during this Spring’s remote learning, truly “building the plane while flying it,” but still, our students experienced a huge loss of learning, and New Mexico’s lack of digital infrastructure exposed our existing inequities in education.
New Mexico educators want to reopen to at least a hybrid model. Most have been impacted by the coronavirus personally, and they teachers can tell you stories of how their students have been affected.
We strongly endorse reopening if basic safety ‘must haves’ are met:
o Physical distancing of 6 feet,
o Increased Hand washing,
o Face coverings and PPE,
o Improved Ventilation,
o Ongoing Labor/Management collaboration.
All this cannot be done on the cheap – these are the investments we mean when we talk about spending more money on education and in our communities, and less money on policing and militarization. This is the stuff that will actually be make or break for our kids.
o Our national analysis costs out an additional $116.5 billion for instructional staff, distance learning, before- and after-school care, transportation, personal protective equipment, cleaning and health supplies, health staffing, custodial and cleaning staff, meeting children’s social and emotional needs and additional academic support for students.
o The average school will need to see an extra $1.2 million, or $2,300 per student, to open its doors.
o This is separate and apart from the $175 billion that all school districts need to retain their educators at a time when state and local revenues are cratering.
o We need federal money for this QUICKLY so that high-need districts can do their infrastructure improvements now, if we have any chance of safely reopening in the fall.
Disclaimer
By signing this petition, you are allowing AFT New Mexico to contact you regarding this or future public education campaigns.
With COVID-19 cases rising, hospitals are cutting workers. That’s not right.
New Mexico expects a peak in COVID-19 cases in May.[1] So New Mexicans are sacrificing, to slow the virus down and flatten the curve. You know who’s not sacrificing? Hospital executives. Across our state, they’re reducing hours and laying off hospital workers by the hundreds, just when we need them most.
Additional Resources for Educators During the On-Going COVID-19 Pandemic
Dear AFT NM Members:
It seems much longer than a week since we learned Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced her decision to suspend the remainder of the academic year and move to a remote learning format.
Through this unprecedented period, we have been in constant contact with the Governor’s staff, NM PED, NM HED, and other appropriate agencies to ensure you are being supported as you continue to deliver educational services to our students, their families, and our communities.