New Mexico Abstract or Conceptual Framework for State Systemic Change

New Mexico’s State Improvement Grant, Circle of Commitment, addresses four main focus areas:

• Build SEA Capacity for system alignment thus improving student access, participation and progress in general education and the provision of FAPE;
  
• Strengthen the statewide system of personnel development and address under-representation of targeted groups in the professional education workforce;
  
• Improve student outcomes; and
  
• Improve family and student participation and leadership in systemic reform.
  

Focus areas were determined with input from a variety of stakeholder groups and individuals. This grant is congruent with the goals of the New Mexico IDEA Advisory Panel, the New Mexico Special Education State Improvement Plan, our Focused Monitoring Initiative, as well as supporting the broader goals of the New Mexico State Department of Education.

Through this grant we will support and encourage partnerships among the New Mexico State Department of Education, the five universities which provide teacher education programs (University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, Eastern New Mexico University, Highlands New Mexico University, and Western New Mexico University), ten regional cooperatives, local school districts and Parents Reaching Out (PTI).

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New Mexico Basic Information

Project Title	New Mexico’s State Improvement Plan for Special Education
Primary Contact Person	Cathe North
Address	New Mexico State Department of Education Office of Special Education 300 Don Gaspar Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone	505-827-4146
Fax	505-827-6791
Email	cnorth@sde.state.nm.us
Web site	One is anticipated being available by Summer of 2002. The NMSDE web site is http://www.sde.nm.us
Date SIG Application was Written or Submitted	February 2001
Begin and End Dates for Funding	August 2001-July 31, 2006
Funded Amount:	$880,000/yr.
Who Wrote the Application:	SEA staff

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New Mexico Improvement Strategies

1. What products are planned for development?

• Model IEP and Technical Assistance Manual
  
• Model Private School Services Plan and Technical Assistance Guide
  
• Model Functional Behavioral Assessment, Behavior Intervention Plan
  
• Technical Assistance Guide on Strategies for Modifying the General Education Curriculum
  
• State Guidelines and Policy Initiatives re: improved complaint management system and educational services for adjudicated youth
  
• Annual reports of the RCC/RECs and IHEs activities and outcomes, Transition Coordinating Council, and Positive Behavior Management Group

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2. What interstate connections are planned?

Continue involvement with the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center, particularly the SIG/CSPD work group. Continue involvement in NASDE functions, leadership academies etc.

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3. What strategies are planned for service delivery?

• Develop and disseminate written technical assistance
  
• Train-the Trainer Institutes
  
• Leadership Academy for Principals
  
• Collaboration with IHEs, Regional Cooperatives, PTI, Part C lead agency
  
• Quarterly Statewide Special Education Directors’ Meeting
  
• NMSDE website

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4. What partnerships are intended?

• State IDEA Advisory Panel
  
• Department of Health (Part C)
  
• Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
  
• State Interagency Coordinating Council
  
• Parents Reaching Out
  
• Regional Cooperatives
  
• School Districts
  
• Five Institutes of Higher Education
  
• Juvenile Justice System
  
• Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
  
• State Transition Coordinating Council
  
• Statewide System of Personnel Development Mega-council
  
• Intradepartmental partnerships with general education offices within NMSDE

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5. What type of contracts or subgrants are intended to partners, LEAs, IHE, PTIs, and others (including lead agency under Part C)?

• Parents Reaching Out for ongoing parent training and expansion of the Parents as Faculty initiative in conjunction with the IHEs.
  
• Department of Health
  
• Competitive and/or targeted grants
  
• University of Oregon for design of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports training and implementation assistance.
  
• Carol Kochhar, for evaluation of SIG process and outcomes
  
• IHEs
  
• Training stipends for practitioners, parents and community for attendance at train the trainer and other educational opportunities

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6. How will resources be pooled with other resources?

• Positions integral to this grant are being supported financially by NMSDE.
  
• Collaborations with other sources such as the IHEs, PTI and Regional Cooperatives to develop and implement effective capacity building activities

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7. How specific SIG products, activities, initiatives and strategies are pertinent to Part C (birth to 3, infants, toddlers and their families)services and activities in your state?

The Department of Health is the lead agency for Part C. As part of our transition objective addressing the provision of FAPE we will be providing joint professional development opportunities for both Part B and Part C practitioners.

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