Our Purpose:
The purpose of the College and Career Pathways Alliance is to develop and advance a statewide vision for college and career readiness and a long-term strategic plan to holistically transform high schools to become engaging places that prepare students to feel successful, secure in who they are, and ready for whatever path they choose. Ultimately, our aim is for this work to increase the health and prosperity of young people and their communities.
The plan will build upon the local wisdom of our state’s local and tribal communities, as well as the learnings, insights, and innovations from practitioners and community members working at the intersection of K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development. It will recognize the value of engaging communities to develop graduate profiles to guide the experience of all high school students and to create schools that integrate:
- high quality, culturally-responsive instruction;
- core academics with challenging technical education through college and career pathways;
- youth leadership and voice;
- purposeful dual credit opportunities that are equitably accessible to students;
- high-quality work-based and experiential learning opportunities;
- robust, personalized supports and counseling and;
- meaningful capstone projects.
Our Mission:
The College and Career Pathways Alliance, in partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED), supports long-term, systemic high school transformation through community engagement, public will building, alignment of efforts across institutions and sectors, and advocacy for policy change.
Year-One Outcomes (by June 30, 2023):
Focus on Learning
- Members of the College and Career Pathways Alliance establish meeting norms and identify shared values that will underpin their work together.
- Members understand the Innovation Zones Initiative, from which the Alliance was created, as well as the purpose, mission, and outcomes of the Alliance.
- Members build trusting relationships with each other and, through these relationships, broaden and deepen their understanding of the diverse cultures, languages, and histories that are woven into the fabric of New Mexico.
- Members gain a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing Martinez/Yazzie student groups (Native American students, students with disabilities, English learners, and economically disadvantaged students), as well as other marginalized student populations in New Mexico.
- Members get to know members of the High School Transformation Coalition and understand how the two groups are distinct, yet mutually supportive.
- Members are grounded in state and national research that relates to the Alliance’s purpose and understand how these approaches can improve outcomes for New Mexico’s diverse student populations.
- Members gain a deeper understanding about best and promising practices for high school transformation and innovation to advance college and career pathways that have the potential to be scaled statewide, as well as barriers that prevent such practices from being realized or fully implemented in New Mexico.
Year-Two Outcomes (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024):
Focus on Planning and Action
- The Alliance develops a 2-3 year strategic plan, which includes a vision, goals, and prioritized strategies to scale college and career pathways in New Mexico.
- The Alliance develops a 1-year work plan, aligned to the strategic plan, that defines key milestones, short-term objectives, and actions that it will achieve prior to June 30, 2024.
- The Alliance develops and submits recommendations to NMPED as part of its formal rulemaking process concerning implementation of the state’s new graduation requirements, including guidance for the development of local graduate profiles (assuming HB126 is passed and signed into law).
- The Alliance develops budget recommendations to support key college and career initiatives and advocates for funding during the 2024 legislative session.
- The Alliance engages the P-20 Alignment team systematically throughout the year to identify alignment opportunities that require legislative or administrative action.
- The Alliance conducts regional community conversations to support the development of a comprehensive policy agenda for the 2025 legislative session.
- The Alliance launches a statewide media campaign to activate communities,schools, students and families to support high school transformation across New Mexico.
Our Members:
- Charis Boone, Student, Eastern New Mexico University
- Lisa Garcia Brassell, Executive Director, Lake City Youth & Family Center
- Melissa DeLaurentis, Education Administrator, Public Education Department
- Daniel Delgado, Lead Science Teacher/Capstone Leader/Administrator, Cuba Independent Schools
- Anya Dozier Enos, Education Development Director, Santa Fe Indian School
- Tracy Hartzler, President, Central New Mexico Community College
- Janice Julal, Assistant High School Principal, Mission Achievement & Success Charter School
- Carla Kugler, President & CEO, Associated Builders and Contractors New Mexico
- Sonya Lara, Senior Director of Community Impact, United Way of North Central New Mexico
- Gary Lujan, Governor, Taos Pueblo
- Merranda Marin, Professor/ Interim Department Head, Family and Consumer Sciences, New Mexico State University
- Jim Montoya, Chief Operating Officer, Wildflower International Ltd.
- Andy Nez, Council Delegate, Navajo Nation
- Michael Ogas, President, Career Specialist, NMACTE/LCPS
- Bonavita Quinto-MacCallum, District Student and Family Engagement Coordinator, Peñasco Independent School District
- Tomas Trujillo, Assistant Business Manager, IBEW LU 611
- Sinai Uvillado, Student, Robert F. Kennedy Charter School
- Alex Walker, Talent Acquisition Project Coordinator, University of New Mexico Hospital
- Gwen Perea Warniment, Executive Director, Legislative Education Study Committee
- Monika Whitmore, Director, Office of Laguna Learning
- Sean Ziegler, Operations Manager, SDV Construction, Inc.
