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U.S. Senate candidate Mick Rich, the Republican facing off against Democrat Martin Heinrich and Libertarian Aubrey Dunn in November, says the federal government should get out of classrooms to free up teacher creativity and communities should increase student access to apprenticeships.

Speaking from the Gilbert L. Sena Charter High School near Eubank and Lomas in Albuquerque, Rich released his “plan to strengthen New Mexico schools.”

In addition to giving more teachers power to plan their curriculum, Rich’s plan also includes supporting charter schools and trade education.

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He said Thursday that he’d work to make higher education more affordable by supporting federal plans to consolidate school loans and would like to see school loans forgiven after 15 years.

“Bureaucrats, politicians, and special interests have been putting themselves first and our students second for far too long,” said Rich, whose daughter attended Sena. “My plan focuses on empowering parents, teachers, and schools to better prepare students for success.”

Most state education policy decisions are made by the governor, who appoints the secretary of the Public Education Department, and the Legislature. Those decisions include teacher pay levels, high-school graduation requirements and how educators are evaluated. Local superintendents and school boards set policies on a district level.

The federal government has a more limited impact on day-to-day school operations, though it has approved laws like the Every Student Succeeds Act that set testing guidelines and minimum academic requirements.

Rich founded Mick Rich contractors in 1988 and is a member of the state Labor and Industrial Commission. His firm’s projects have included building and renovating schools and churches around New Mexico, including the San Felipe de Neri Parish in Albuquerque’s Old Town.

Rich, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, faces incumbent Sen. Heinrich and Dunn, the state’s land commissioner, in the Nov. 6 general election.

Journal staff reporter Dan Boyd contributed to this report.