Review: New Mexico's education plan best out of 17 proposals

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An independent review found that New Mexico's five-year education plan was rated the best among the 17 states that submitted plans to the federal government as of late June. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos approved the state's plan on Wednesday under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Bellwether Education Partners and the Collaborative for Student Success found New Mexico was the only state to receive the highest marks in the majority of categories — five out of nine. A few of the high marks were in standards and assessments, student success indicators and measures of academic progress. Christopher Ruszkowski, acting secretary for the New Mexico Public Education Department, said the early approval will create "stability and continuity" during the upcoming school year, which begins Monday.