SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 14
49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010
INTRODUCED BY
Mary Jane M. Garcia
FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
A JOINT MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THAT THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONVENE A WORK GROUP TO DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN FOR ACCELERATED LEARNING THAT WOULD OFFER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR STUDY AT THE POST-SECONDARY LEVEL.
WHEREAS, the 2007 legislature enacted a statewide dual credit program to allow public high school students who meet certain criteria to enroll in certain classes at post-secondary educational institutions and to earn credit at the secondary and post-secondary levels simultaneously; and
WHEREAS, one of the purposes of the legislation was to replace the varied and inconsistent practices and arrangements for dual credit that had occurred in the past with a uniform dual credit program throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, the legislation and the agency rules governing the statewide dual credit program went into effect for school year 2008-2009; and
WHEREAS, during the 2009 interim, the legislative education study committee examined the dual credit program and found strong support for the program at secondary and post-secondary institutions alike as well as significant increases in the level of student participation in the program; and
WHEREAS, the examination by the legislative education study committee found that, although there had been notable progress toward statewide uniformity, there were still instances of inconsistency in terms of student eligibility, courses offered, compensation of instructors and other aspects of the formal agreements between secondary and post-secondary institutions; and
WHEREAS, the examination by the legislative education study committee also found instances of confusion about similar terms, such as dual credit, concurrent enrollment and dual enrollment, and confusion about similar programs, such as dual credit, articulated courses, advanced placement courses and middle college high schools; and
WHEREAS, the examination by the legislative education study committee also found instances of competition for resources, instructors and students between the dual credit program and the advanced placement program; and
WHEREAS, an evaluation of the dual credit program by the higher education department and the public education department during the 2009 interim identified certain issues with articulated courses and the geographic areas of responsibility assigned to two-year post-secondary institutions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the higher education department and the public education department be requested to convene a work group to develop a master plan for accelerated learning that would offer high school students multiple options for study at the post-secondary level; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this work group include representatives not only of the higher education department and the public education department, but also of school districts, charter schools, state-supported schools, two-year public post-secondary educational institutions, four-year public post-secondary educational institutions, the middle college high school in Gallup, the New Mexico association of community colleges, the New Mexico independent community colleges, the council of university presidents, the New Mexico coalition for charter schools, the New Mexico coalition of school administrators and other stakeholders as appropriate; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan for accelerated learning address issues in the uniform implementation of the dual credit program identified by the legislative education study committee and by the higher education department and the public education department and that the plan identify ways in which the various programs available to students, among them, dual credit, advanced placement, articulated courses, concurrent enrollment and middle college high school, could complement, rather than compete with, each other in the pre-kindergarten through twenty system by identifying the student population and circumstances that each program can serve most effectively; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group present its findings and recommendations to the legislative education study committee by November 1, 2010; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, before the plan is implemented, it be reviewed by the legislative education study committee; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of higher education, the secretary of public education and the director of the legislative education study committee.
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