Taos Municipal Schools
301 Camino De La Placitas, Taos, NM 87571
Office: 575-758-5200
Fax: 575-758-5250
Dr. Lillian M. Torrez, Superintendent
Dr. David Chavez, Board President
Jason Silva, Board Vice-President
Zach Cordova, Board Secretary
Mark Flores II, Board Member
James Sanborn, Board Member
February 26, 2015
Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,
Regarding the PARRC tests and why all students should take them:
The PARCC tests are new this year, and it is understandable that as with anything new and
challenging, there are concerns and questions. There are many good reasons all students should
participate in testing and do their best for themselves and their school:
1. The test is part of the NM state graduation testing requirements. If students do not
participate in the PARCC testing, there is the potential it could jeopardize their ability to
obtain a high school diploma.
State rules require that students pass a high school competency exam in order to earn a
diploma. The PARCC and SBA serve this purpose in New Mexico. While there are
“alternative demonstrations of competency” (ADC’s) that can permit students to qualify
for graduation, students must first exhaust their opportunities to pass the SBA and/or
PARCC before ADC’s can be considered. Students who do not take the PARCC are
passing up one of their very limited opportunities to take and earn a passing score on the
test.
2. Taking the test now gives students the opportunity to become familiar with taking an
online test and helps them to do better the next time they take it. This situation is similar
to taking the ACT test. Many students do better the second time they test, which
enhances their scores as they prepare for college and career.
3. We are proud of our schools, teachers, and students as we are putting in the hard work as
we strive for excellence. The federal law requires that 95% of our students at each school
participate in the assessment. Failure for any school to reach the 95% threshold causes
the school’s rating to be dropped one letter grade. This will not help our community to
grow, and parent/student refusals to take the test could jeopardize our reputation in a
negative way in which will not help attract families and businesses to Taos.
4. We know in good conscience our students would not want to distract others who are
trying to focus on the test from doing their best during the test sessions.We would note
that federal and state law require the participation of all students. Parents, students, and
schools do not have the ability to “opt out” of the assessment. We have received
Taos Municipal Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Title IX – Robbie Trujillo, (Taos High School Principal) and Section 504 – Norma Cavazos (Compliance Officer).
Taos Municipal Schools
301 Camino De La Placitas, Taos, NM 87571
Office: 575-758-5200
Fax: 575-758-5250
Dr. Lillian M. Torrez, Superintendent
Dr. David Chavez, Board President
Jason Silva, Board Vice-President
Zach Cordova, Board Secretary
Mark Flores II, Board Member
James Sanborn, Board Member
guidance from the New Mexico Public Education Department with a reminder that “the
law does not offer an exemption or a right of refusal to take the test.”
Regarding rumors of protests:
We have received rumors of potential “walkouts” on the part of students. While we appreciate
that students have the right to express their opinions, there is an appropriate time and place to do
so. That time is not during class time. Also, please be aware that our schools cannot be
responsible for the safety and security of students who choose to leave their school campus.
A decision to participate in a walkout will result in an unexcused absence. We expect that our
students will respect the rights of their fellow students to participate in testing without being
disrupted. Under no circumstances will disruption or disorderly conduct be tolerated and such
behavior will be addressed through disciplinary consequences as indicated in the student Code of
Conduct.
Our campuses have and continue to work on having a positive and respectful climate for
everyone. We are proud of our students and expect that they will conduct themselves in a
manner that respects the choices made by others.
How can we share our opinions responsibly?
Taos Schools understands and respects there are differing opinions about the value of
achievement tests such as PARCC. As a school and district we must follow state and federal
law, and the state’s testing requirements stem from federal law. The federal Congress is
currently considering changes to No Child Left Behind (the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act, or ESEA) that mandates testing for all students. So the timing is right for those
who have an opinion to make their voices heard!
If you have an opinion about mandatory testing or changing the testing requirements, you may
wish to contact your federal representative and senators (Senators Tom Udall and Martin
Heinrich and Representative Ben Ray Lujan) as well as the New Mexico Secretary of Education,
Hanna Skandera at the NM Public Education Department.
Helpful links: http://ped.state.nm.us/ped/Graduation_forms.html
http://ped.state.nm.us/ped/AssessmentEvalDocs/Assessment%20Participation%20FAQ.pdf
Dr. Torrez
Taos Municipal Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Title IX – Robbie Trujillo, (Taos High School Principal) and Section 504 – Norma Cavazos (Compliance Officer).
Taos Municipal Schools
301 Camino De La Placitas, Taos, NM 87571
Office: 575-758-5200
Fax: 575-758-5250
Dr. Lillian M. Torrez, Superintendent
Dr. David Chavez, Board President
Jason Silva, Board Vice-President
Zach Cordova, Board Secretary
Mark Flores II, Board Member
James Sanborn, Board Member
Taos Municipal Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Title IX – Robbie Trujillo, (Taos High School Principal) and Section 504 – Norma Cavazos (Compliance Officer).