HOUSE MEMORIAL 1

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first special session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Sandra D. Jeff

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATURE TO HEAR TESTIMONY ON AND ENCOURAGE COOPERATION AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON OR SERVING THE NAVAJO NATION REGARDING STUDENT ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOLS ACROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES FROM THE STUDENT'S HOME, TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS ACROSS SCHOOL DISTRICT LINES FOR EFFICIENCY AND TO REDUCE TRANSPORTATION TRAVEL DISTANCE FOR STUDENTS AND BUSES AND THE BENEFITS OF MERGING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

     WHEREAS, in New Mexico, public education for Navajo Nation residents is provided predominantly by the public school system; and

     WHEREAS, education is also provided to children of the Navajo Nation by the Navajo Nation department of Diné education and the federal bureau of Indian education; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is a large rural state, and the Navajo Nation, an especially rural area, covers much of northwestern New Mexico in San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Rio Arriba and Bernalillo counties; and

     WHEREAS, the rural nature of the Navajo Nation and northwestern New Mexico and the sparse distribution of the population require that students be transported long distances and for long hours; and

     WHEREAS, the public school districts that serve the Navajo Nation in some cases have placed schools in remote communities away from population centers to reduce the transportation time for students, promoting a better learning environment; and

     WHEREAS, in some cases, buses from the New Mexico public schools, the department of Diné education and the bureau of Indian education all travel in the same area to pick up students attending their schools; and

     WHEREAS, state school districts have the authority to enter into agreements with their contiguous neighbors to cross school boundary lines to provide transportation to students attending schools that are not located in the student's home district; however, this authority is seldom used for the benefit of students living close to a school district boundary; and

     WHEREAS, many states have consolidated school districts to reduce costs of administration and to provide greater coordination of transportation; and

     WHEREAS, the benefits of cooperation among school districts could promote budget savings and improve the quality of education for students;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that an appropriate legislative committee be requested to review the issues surrounding school districts on or serving the Navajo Nation and specifically gather information about inter-school district cooperation, transportation distances and costs and the possibility of merging school districts while determining if there would be resulting economic benefits; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each school district be urged to consult with Navajo Nation communities that are within that school district to determine how better to address the inefficiencies and frustrations of transportation of students in rural communities and to deliver better educational services to the children of those communities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that school districts with common boundaries be encouraged to coordinate transportation to achieve greater efficiencies and to reduce student time spent in buses and to enter into agreements to accomplish these goals; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that New Mexico public school districts, Navajo Nation department of Diné education and bureau of Indian education schools be urged to cooperate to the greatest extent possible to reduce redundancy in transportation and to reduce student time on buses; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative education study committee and its chair, the co-chairs of the Indian affairs committee, the secretary of public education and the director of the Navajo Nation department of Diné education.

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