BEA Curriculum

Curriculum Coordinator Duties

Public Education Department has launched the first two modules of a free webinar series on the Canvas platform that meets the training requirements of the Black Education Act. The complete series of six modules will satisfy future training requirements and possibly allow educators to earn a micro-credential. Meeting the Moment: Addressing Racism through Recognition & Response is designed to develop a greater awareness of racism and provide practical information for school/district personnel, governing boards, equity councils and other relevant stakeholders to identify and engage when witnessing acts of racism. This material offers tools to combat discrimination and racism in the public school system, including creating and sustaining equitable and culturally responsive learning environments.

• Identifies and implements best practices strengthening educational outcomes for Black students in all local education authorities.
• Addresses the Black student achievement gap in a holistic and systemic manner that includes clearly articulated measures to improve public education for Black students that results in substantially improved graduation rates, college or career readiness and higher education completion rates at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Identifies, creates, develops, and implements trainings and resources that support all local education authorities in combating discrimination and racism.
• Sustains equitable and culturally responsive learning environments in the public school system.
• Identifies, develops, and recommends curricula and instructional materials that include the history and culture of Black people in New Mexico, America, and the world.
• Develops and implements mechanisms for parents, community organizations, business organizations, public schools, public post-secondary educational institutions, state policymakers, and local policymakers to work together to improve educational opportunities for Black students.

Black Students Succeed When

• Their history is represented in the classroom.
• Their teachers show they care by valuing the Black culture, therefore viewing Black differences as funds of knowledge and not deficits.
• Policies within the school are anti-racist by not supporting stereotypes that exist and hurt the Black community.
  • Example: Wearing a head covering is banned in most school dress codes. Head coverings are somehow viewed as “gangster” or “ghetto,” but many African Americans need to wear head coverings as they switch between hair styles. African American hair is thicker, and therefore takes longer to do. Sometimes parents will use a head wrap when they do not have time to complete a hairstyle. The policy in most school codes is racist and should be removed. By removing the policy, African Americans will feel their culture is valued and understood by educational leaders. Ultimately, steps like this will begin to cultivate more trust between the African American community and the New Mexico education system.

Curriculum Resources