44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - 2nd special session, 2000

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE SAMBRANO AGREEMENT.

WHEREAS, the United States justice department entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Albuquerque public school district and parents of the Rio Grande high cluster schools in the south valley on October 5, 1987; and

WHEREAS, the memorandum of understanding is known as the Sambrano agreement; and

WHEREAS, the living document has been used as a plan to improve the south valley schools in Bernalillo county by addressing issues of inequitable distribution of general resources, inadequacy of libraries, lack of middle school science facilities, disproportionate achievement scores, curriculum, conditions of physical plants and community involvement; and

WHEREAS, an addendum to the Sambrano agreement was signed by the Albuquerque public school district and the south valley community on August 21, 1996 that specifically addressed disciplinary practices and the "pushout-dropout" rate; and

WHEREAS, the Albuquerque public school district has failed to adhere to the United States justice department's directives in the Sambrano agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee be requested to review the Sambrano agreement and convene and work with a task force to review compliance with the Sambrano agreement and assess the accuracy of the Albuquerque public school district's interpretations of the intent and mandates of the Sambrano agreement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board of education, the superintendent of the Albuquerque public school district, the president of the Albuquerque public school board, the New Mexico attorney general and representatives of the south valley community appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate to resolve existing issues so that adherence to the Sambrano agreement is ensured; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education study committee present the findings and recommendations of its work and those of the task force to the New Mexico legislative council and the New Mexico attorney general by December 15, 2000; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico attorney general, the legislative education study committee members, the superintendent of public instruction, the members of the state board of education, the president of the Albuquerque public school board and the superintendent of the Albuquerque public school district.