SENATE BILL 461

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Shannon D. Pinto

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CREATING THE LEGISLATIVE EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION TASK FORCE TO FUNCTION FROM JULY 1, 2025 TO JULY 1, 2029; PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS BY THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; REQUIRING THE TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE MARTINEZ AND YAZZIE CONSOLIDATED LAWSUIT, STUDY EDUCATION SYSTEMS, EXPENDITURE OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND MAKE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS; CREATING THE EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FUND; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION TASK FORCE.--

          A. The legislative interim "equity and excellence in education task force" is created and shall function from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2029. The task force is charged with developing a long-term vision and plan with associated goals to ensure that public school students are prepared for post-secondary education and the workforce, capable of success in the national and global economies and able to effectively participate in civic society.

          B. The task force consists of:

                (1) six legislative members appointed by the New Mexico legislative council, including three members from each chamber of the legislature so as to give the two major political parties the same proportionate representation on the task force as prevails in each chamber; provided, however, that there shall be at least one member from the minority party from each chamber; and

                (2) the following public members appointed by the New Mexico legislative council:

                     (a) three teachers who are current or former "teachers of the year", appointed from a list of recommendations by the two organizations that represent teachers in public schools;

                     (b) two persons with expertise in Indian education;

                     (c) two persons with expertise in bilingual education;

                     (d) two persons with expertise in special education;

                     (e) three elementary school principals of Title I schools pursuant to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act appointed from a list of recommendations by the New Mexico coalition of educational leaders, one member from an urban school district, one member from a rural school district and one member from a small town or suburban school district;

                     (f) three superintendents of school districts appointed from a list of recommendations by the New Mexico superintendents' association, one member from an urban school district, one member from a rural school district and one member from a small town or suburban school district;

                     (g) two representatives of the business community that are chief executive officers or owners of businesses in New Mexico, one member appointed from a list of recommendations by the New Mexico chamber of commerce and one member appointed from a list recommended by the greater Albuquerque chamber of commerce; and

                     (h) two representatives of a department-approved four-year teacher preparation program at a public post-secondary educational institution appointed from a list of recommendations by the New Mexico association of colleges of teacher education.

          C. All members of the task force shall be appointed by July 1, 2025, and the task force shall hold its first meeting by September 1, 2025. The New Mexico legislative council may appoint advisory members as it deems necessary. Public members of the task force are entitled to per diem and mileage at the same rate as public employees pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance. The legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee shall provide staff for the task force.

          D. The task force shall:

                (1) hold at least three meetings during the legislative interim;

                (2) review the Martinez and Yazzie, et al., v. the State of New Mexico consolidated lawsuit, including the decision and order, the finding of fact and conclusions of law and the final judgment issued by the first judicial district court and any pleadings filed after February 28, 2019;

                (3) study high-performing education systems, locally, regionally and nationally, to learn best practices;

                (4) study how the department, school districts and public schools are using state and federal funding to close achievement and opportunity gaps and improve educational outcomes for all students; and

                (5) make findings and recommendations to ensure:

                     (a) equitable access to high-quality and culturally and linguistically relevant curriculum, instruction and instructional resources;

                     (b) that the public school workforce is competent, stable and culturally and linguistically representative of the students in the state;

                     (c) the development of culturally and linguistically relevant whole-child supports, including trauma-informed teaching practices, wraparound services and community partnerships and parent and family engagement; and

                     (d) the effective coordination and collaboration among state agencies, boards of education of school districts, charter school governing bodies, public schools, tribal governments, the business sector and post-secondary educational institutions.

          E. On or before September 1, 2026 and September 1 of each succeeding year, the task force shall provide an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature. On or before July 1, 2029, the task force shall provide its final report to the governor and the legislature and if the task force provides legislative proposals, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee shall consider those proposals before the end of the 2029 legislative interim.

          F. The "equity and excellence in education fund" is created as a reverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. The fund shall be administered by the public education department, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to pay per diem and mileage expenses of public members of the task force, expert witnesses and other necessary expenses of the task force. Expenditures from the fund shall be by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the secretary's authorized representative.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the public education reform fund to the equity and excellence in education fund for expenditure in fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out the purposes of the equity and excellence in education fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2029 shall revert to the public education reform fund.

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