ALBUQUERQUE — Susana Martinez, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, said Wednesday that she wants to revolutionize New Mexico's schools and rethink how student test results are used.

Martinez used a Wednesday news conference both to outline her proposals for the state's school system and to denounce the education record of the current administration, including her opponent, Democrat Lt. Gov. Diane Denish.

"This administration came in saying they wanted to be held accountable, they wanted to change our education system," Martinez said. "The lieutenant governor herself said she should be judged on her accomplishments in education. By any and every measurable standard, she deserves a failing grade."

Denish, in an interview, said Martinez is "new on the scene," "doesn't really understand education" and "needs to quit attacking teachers, quit attacking schools and propose something real."

The sniping shows education is at least for a moment the 2010 campaign's topic de jour, with Martinez wanting to shake things up and Denish defending what she's done.

Among other things, Martinez proposes:

  *Putting 65 percent of education spending into the classroom. Currently, 61 percent goes into classrooms, she said. The difference is $74 million, which could be used for textbooks, teachers and remedial help for struggling kids.
  *Ending so-called social promotion. She said kids who can't read in third grade wouldn't be sent on to fourth grade under her administration.

   *Merit-based pay increases for teachers. Martinez said financial incentives should be linked to student achievement. Although she hasn't talked to the teachers' union about the plan, she pledged to work with the organization on the idea.

   *Giving schools an A-to-F grade instead of using bureaucratic terms. Martinez said she wants to use "a term that everyone understands" when evaluating schools.

  *Tax credits for individuals and corporations that give scholarships to poor students.

Martinez found herself having to explain what she supports with regard to the topic of "school choice." In at least one public appearance, she has referred to the idea as a tax credit or a voucher.

Democrats have cast her position as public money for private school vouchers, but Martinez spelled out that her plan wouldn't take any public money from public schools.

"What we would provide are scholarships and tax credits that come from individuals and businesses who provide these scholarships," she said. "And these children who cannot afford to make choices for themselves and go from a public school that is failing them into a private school, can then apply for those scholarships."

With regard to better use of student test information, Martinez said she'd like to see a third-grader's reading skills tested three times a year, to more accurately track student progress and so a school can receive help quickly. She said current testing processes take too long to address problems and help struggling students.

"No Child Left Behind sometimes proposes up to five years of schools not being proficient before they actually start implementing serious funding for after-school and tutoring programs and making sure there are serious curriculum changes to have those children achieve," Martinez said.

The latest testing information, referred to as Adequate Yearly Progress, showed 644 New Mexico schools, or almost 78 percent, didn't reach improved student performance goals. Three of 30 Santa Fe schools met the goals.

Denish, who plans to roll out an education plan later this month, generally disagrees with the points of Martinez's proposal.

In particular, on school choice, she said, a program to give tax credits to businesses that help poor students attend private schools already exists. She can support such privately funded programs, but not public money for private schools.

A statement by her campaign said Denish, if elected, would concentrate on pre-kindergarten programs, add real-world experience to a student's senior high school year, beef up math, science and career-oriented learning and conduct more school audits.

Denish emphasized that she's dedicated much of her time to getting to know and improving the education system.

"It's been my topic," Denish said in an interview. "I've been talking about education my whole time. She's been talking about vouchers."

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog at www.greenchilechatter.com.



DEBATE ON EDUCATION

• New Mexico's two gubernatorial candidates will debate live at 6 p.m. Aug. 19 at Eldorado High School in Albuquerque. Tickets to the event are by invitation only, but the debate will be aired live on KANW, 89.1 FM and streamed at www.aps.edu.