Santa Fe Standard

The Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) has reported advancements in student proficiency for the 2023/24 school year. The state average for reading proficiency remained at 38 percent, while SFPS achieved a growth of approximately 2 percent, reaching 40 percent and surpassing the state average for the first time.

Among the schools demonstrating significant progress in reading are:

- Nava Elementary: 22 percent growth

- Nina Otero Community School: 10 percent growth

- Chaparral Elementary: 7 percent growth

- El Dorado Community School: 7 percent growth

In mathematics, SFPS showed some growth while the state average decreased by 2 percent. Both SFPS and New Mexico now stand at 22 percent for math proficiency. Notable improvements were:

- Nava Elementary: 11 percent growth

- El Dorado Community School: 6 percent growth

- Ramirez Thomas Elementary: 6 percent growth

- Sweeney Elementary: 6 percent growth

- Carlos Gilbert Elementary: 5 percent growth

“While we celebrate these achievements, we recognize there is still work to be done,” said Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez. “SFPS is committed to continuing our momentum and striving to outperform the state in the upcoming year.”

This year marks a significant milestone for SFPS as they maintained proficiency levels without regression and bucked the state trend in a challenging environment.

“We are immensely grateful for the dedication of our exceptional teachers and the hard work of our students, which have made these gains possible,” Chavez said. “Our educators deserve accolades for their unwavering commitment to fostering student growth. We also want to recognize the hard work of everyone in our Teaching and Learning department led by Deputy Superintendent Vanessa Romero.”

Additionally, the New Mexico Public Education Department recently highlighted SFPS for achieving the largest decrease in chronic absenteeism among the seven largest districts that received funding in the state. SFPS’ chronic absenteeism rate decreased by an impressive 20 percent, from 50 percent in the previous school year to 30 percent this past academic year. This achievement reflects priorities set by the SFPS Board of Education and underscores collective community efforts to improve attendance.

“We urge everyone to remember: if students are not in school, they are not learning,” Chavez said. “We extend our gratitude to Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Crystal Ybarra, her department, our site attendance teams, administrators, and our attendance coaches for their relentless work in addressing these crucial issues. Together, we will continue to prioritize education and student attendance, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.”