On the agenda for the New Mexico House of Representatives today is final consideration of a controversial student retention bill. House Bill 41, sponsored by Albuquerque Representative Monica Youngblood, calls for holding back third-graders who are not reading proficiently and giving them intensive remediation. The legislation is backed by Republican Governor Susana Martinez, whose plan to end social promotion faces opposition from Senate Democrats, who hold that chamber’s majority. One of the Senate opponents is Silver City’s Howie Morales. Morales contends the retention bill originated from the State of Florida and not from Governor Martinez. And he says the proposal was based on discrimination. Morales adds that third grade was chosen solely because it comes the year before the year—4th grade—when students are subject to the testing that determines where they’re at academically—the exam known as “NAPE,” or the National Assessment of Educational Progress.  *****021015-Morales-1 :23***** Morales, who’s a career educator, maintains that intervention will beat retention. *****021015-Morales-2 :39***** The Senate’s most vocal opponent has been Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, who says student retention should be based on teachers’ assessments and not test scores. Opponents also say retaining students damages them psychologically.

Listen to interview here: http://ksfr.org/post/feb-10-first-news-controversial-student-retention-bill-debate-state-house-listen