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SANTA FE, N.M. — Francis Hahn, an English teacher at Taos High School, learned last week the state planned to award him $5,000 for increasing the number of students who earn college credit through the advanced placement courses he teaches.

But Hahn said he didn’t feel right about accepting credit for the students’ success, so he’s not accepting the money.

“I happen to be the guy who teaches the highest performing students in their final year of high school, but it takes 12 years of good work on the part of all the staff to bring them to the high watermark that they achieve by their final year of work,” Hahn said.

The bonuses are a first-year Public Education Department program that gives $5,000 each to 300 teachers around the state who help increase the number of students in their school who earn college credit through Advanced Placement courses.

AP courses are college-level classes taught in high school. At the end of each semester, students take an AP exam. The exams are scored on a five-point scale and those who score a three or better are eligible for college credits at many colleges. Some colleges require a score of four or better.

Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera said she agreed many teachers deserve credit for students’ successes, but said the bonuses are part of a larger push to increase participation in AP courses.

For example, Skandera said, the state has also funded AP training programs for teachers and has made the courses available online for rural schools that don’t already have trained teachers.

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She said the push is paying off, noting a study by the College Board, an education nonprofit, that earlier this year found New Mexico had the highest rate of Hispanic students participating in AP courses.

Hahn said he believes the bonuses are part of a larger effort to introduce merit pay to the state’s educations system, which he’s “philosophically opposed to.”

Skandera said she didn’t agree the bonuses are the same as merit pay.