The Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) is proud to announce advancements in student proficiency for the 2023/24 school year. While the state average for reading proficiency remained flat at 38 percent, SFPS achieved a notable growth of approximately 2 percent, reaching 40 percent and surpassing the state average for the first time.
Among the schools demonstrating exceptional 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 remained strong with some growth while the state average decreased by 2 percent. Both SFPS and the state of 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 not only maintained proficiency levels without regression but also 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 has decreased by an impressive 20 percent, from 50 percent in the 2022/23 school year to 30 percent this past academic year. This achievement reflects the priorities set by the SFPS Board of Education and underscores the collective effort of the community 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.”