The New Mexico Partnership for Mathematics and Science Education is an organization of individuals and institutions that are committed to improving the quality and the quantity of education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and other related fields in the state of New Mexico. It is affiliated with the National Association of State Science and Mathematics Coalitions (NASSMC).  

The NMPMSE will:    

• increase the interest in and study of Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and other related fields;    
• increase public awareness and support for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering education;    
• address public issues that affect Science, Mathematics, and Engineering education;    
• increase funding for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering education.  

The primary objectives of NMPMSE include, but are not limited to:    

• information dissemination;    
• collaboration among K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, and other organizations involved in Science, Mathematics and Engineering;    
• promotion of networking among those involved in Science, Mathematics and Engineering education; and    
• enhancement of opportunities for women and undererpresented groups.

NMPMSE hosts open meetings five times a year; that communication has led to important collaboration. The Partnership monitors and discusses proposed legislation. It is promoting state-level collaboration of business, education, and policy leaders as an element of participation in the Linking Leaders program of the National Alliance of State Science & Mathematics Coalitions.

2006 Highlights

• Senate Bill 551 'Math and Science Education Act' introduced by Senator Cynthia Nava, which at $6M would fund all recommendations of the Town Hall report. SB 551 dies in the final hours of the session, but Senate Bill 415 funds $250,000 to establish a Math and Science Bureau of the Public Education Dept. (PED).    
• New Mexico Secretary of Education Dr. Veronica C. Garcia testified today to a US Senate   Committee on Education concerning Protecting America's Competitive Edge (PACE) Act that proposes to help prepare, train, and improve math and science teachers. Quoting from her testimony 'New Mexico held a statewide Math and Science Town Hall last fall inviting representatives from Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories in addition to academic and business leaders,' said Secretary Garcia.   'This Town Hall provided suggestions that led to recent legislation.   Two of the most prominent were to create a Math and Science Bureau within the Public Education Department as well as making a significant investment for teacher professional development at math and science summer institutes.'
• NMPSE meeting, Albuquerque 
• Legislative Education Study Committee meeting, Espanola, NM   - review Town Hall recommendations - recommend funding levels and components of Math and Science Act in 2007 Legislature .   
• Dr. Rick Scott becomes new Public Education Dept. Bureau Chief for Math and Science.
• Math and Science Advisory Council formed with the following membership representation (plus alternates): 4 members from k-12; 3 members from higher education; 4 members from business; 1 member from NMPMSE
• NMPMSE meeting, Santa Fe   
• Math and Science Education Act Legislation introduced in both the House and the Senate will place in Statute the Math and Science Bureau, the Math and Science Advisory Council, and establish the Math and Science Proficiency fund. 2007 Legislative Session ends 17 March 2007.

NASSMC State Summits Implementation Program (NSSIP): The NASSMC State Summits Implementation Program (NSSIP) provides assistance to state based organizations with planning, developing, administering, implementing, following-up and sustaining state mathematics and science education summits. NSSIP grants have been awarded to seven states in April 2005 through funding provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Additional support is provided through a separate grant from the U.S. Department of Education. At least two more solicitations are expected. New Mexico held the Mathematics and Science Education in New Mexico Town Hall/Summit on November 17-19, 2005. Learn more here. Based on recommendations from that Summit, a Math and Science Bureau has been established in the Public Education Department.

NES Partnerships for Sustainability: The NES Partnerships for Sustainability Program was launched in 2003 as a pilot to gauge the effectiveness of state-based coalitions working in active collaboration with the NASA Explorer Schools. As part of this pilot funding was awarded to New Mexico Partnership for Mathematics and Science Education (NMPMSE) in partnership with Vista Middle School and To'Hajiilee Community School, to strengthen the NES program through increased family and community involvement.

New Mexico is one of the states featured in the Linking Leaders Community for Change Book. Click the image to go to the Linking Leaders book main page and learn more about New Mexico's Linking Leaders program activities.

Linking Leaders: As the result of participation in the NASA Linking Leaders Initiative, The New Mexico Partnership for Mathematics and Science Education (NMPMSE) took the lead in planning a very successful Professional Development Summit in October of 2000. Leadership for that activity has now been passed on to the New Mexico Staff Development Council. The NMPMSE also received Eisenhower funding for coordinating four Regional Roundtables on Teacher Preparation in 1999-2000.

NMPMSE has established and maintains communication within the mathematics and science education community in a state that has long distances and significant diversity. NMPMSE also has been effective in influencing legislation and policy practices. NMPMSE is a partnership of several state organizations. Chief among these are the State Public Education Department, New Mexico Council of Teachers of Mathematics, New Mexico Science Teachers Association, New Mexico Mathematics Association for Two-Year Colleges, Los Alamos Nationals Labs, Southwest Educational Development Lab (SEDL) and various funded projects.

The New Mexico coalition is now developing a teacher enhancement program with NASA's Office of Space Science through the Western Region Education and Outreach Broker/Facilitator Program which is managed for NASA by the Space Science Institute. As an element of this program, teachers will collaborate in cataloging and aligning NASA educational materials with New Mexico's standards for mathematics and science. In addition for the Space Grant Consortium and a MASTAP grant, two other NASA education grants have been awarded to New Mexico: an Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) grant and a Science, Engineering, Math & Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) grant.