SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 12

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

Pat Woods

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM TO STUDY THE FISCAL AND PROGRAMMATIC EFFECTS OF TRANSPORTING STUDENTS BETWEEN AND AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL CHOICE.

     WHEREAS, the Public School Code defines "school district" as "an area of land established as a political subdivision of the state for the administration of public schools and segregated geographically for taxation of public schools"; and

     WHEREAS, local school boards may promulgate rules to establish attendance boundary zones within a school district; and

     WHEREAS, local school boards may also establish rules to provide for enrollment for students living outside the district boundaries and within specific attendance zones; and

     WHEREAS, local school boards are required to establish transportation routes and provide transportation to schools for qualified students; and

     WHEREAS, state statute and public education department rule require the establishment of procedures for the resolution of school district boundary disputes; and

     WHEREAS, current transportation boundary agreements between adjoining school districts address only students living within a specified geographic area in which geographical conditions would otherwise make impractical transporting students to a school within school district boundaries; and

     WHEREAS, public education department rule specifically prohibits transportation boundary agreements between adjoining school districts to accommodate students wishing to attend an out-of-district school as a matter of choice; and

     WHEREAS, testimony provided to a legislative education study committee subcommittee on public school transportation indicated an interest in expanding the use of inter-district transportation agreements as a matter of school choice;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to develop and implement a two-year pilot program to allow two interested school districts to transport students who wish to participate to and from schools of choice outside their respective school districts; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department be requested to work with school districts participating in the pilot program to provide a report to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee before the beginning of the 2017 legislative session to include recommendations for expanding opportunities and establishing rules for boundary agreements based upon school choice between and among school districts in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education and the respective directors of the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee.

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