New Mexico's top public education official says far too many schools in the state are underperforming. The Public Education Department's budget proposal is due next week, but Secretary Arsenio Romero and other officials have declined to release any details before Thursday's deadline. Romero says that in principle the state budget will hold districts and schools responsible for student achievement. The spending plan will follow the recent release of results from spring standardized testing. The results show just 38% of tested students were proficient in reading. Statewide math proficiency stands at 24%, marking no growth from the previous year.
