Whether New Mexico schools still lie along the bottom of national rankings or have become merely mediocre, they need work. So it's encouraging to see at least one education-reform bill with high hopes of passage, and a couple of others slogging through the Roundhouse with chances of becoming law sooner or later, preferably later ...

House Bill 21, initiated by Democrat Mary Helen García of Las Cruces and Republican Nora Espinoza of Roswell, takes on the long-standing challenge of "social promotion" — notably by holding back, and getting help for, third-graders unable to read at third-grade level.

Among the arguments for this bill is that, if kids can't read by the fourth grade, they stand a good chance of failing their other subjects, since they have to be able to read to understand what history, geography, science and math are about. Better they repeat third grade, for which kindergarten, first and second grades should have been preparing them, than wade into the deeper and muddier waters of later elementary education.

To the extent that new Gov. Susana Martínez's call for sweeping education reform prodded our long-lax legislators into supporting such a sensible idea, we salute her and her education-secretary-designate Hanna Skandera for facing our representatives and senators with the need for at least some action.

The House passed it by a 62-5 count. With 11 days left in the legislative session, it still faces Senate committee hearings. With all 42 senators' seats up for election next year, there must be 22 of 'em willing to approve this measure.

The time squeeze could take its toll on a couple of other reform proposals by the governor: Senate Bill 502 would require school districts and charter schools to set up teacher- and principal-evaluation systems, as well as a performance-based compensation system, that would meet Public Education Department standards.

Those evaluations would be based heavily on students' academic progress, especially reading and math. Besides test results, teachers would be graded on once-a-year classroom observations according to some kind of research-based protocol, and, perhaps, student and parent surveys.

This bill is looking like a good idea that's not quite ready for prime time: Who would be looking in on the classrooms — and what are their qualifications? And would student and parent surveys pin blame for lack of progress on teachers while students and parents get off the hook for their responsibilities?

We've long argued that good teachers should be highly rewarded and that bad ones should be shown the door, but until someone comes up with a fair way of determining good, bad, excellent and awful, given all the challenges today's teachers face, we remain wary of hidden agendas and other politics tramping into the classroom.

High on the executive wish list is Senate Bill 427, by which schools would get letter grades for their students' proficiency and progress. Parents presumably would be able to shift their kids from flunking schools to those winning an A or a B. It's a nice idea, and could generate a sense of competition among schools — but it could also empty the F schools, and turn school districts chaotic.

Some of the allegedly worse schools in Santa Fe already are getting help turning their records around. We think that's a better approach — give 'em more help, not insults.

There may be other ways of distinguishing schools that are doing well from those needing improvement; any suggestions, legislators?

The House, pretty clearly, has been awakened to the need for school reform — and HB 21 is a short step in that direction. The Senate should show similar support. Then the education committees of both houses should, between sessions, give serious looks at the two Senate bills — and rather than reject them, find ways their aims can be accomplished.