REQUESTING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED OR EXPELLED AT EACH SCHOOL, IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS OFFERING ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES FOR THESE STUDENTS AND DETERMINE THE REASONS WHY SOME SCHOOLS DO NOT OFFER SUCH SERVICES.

WHEREAS, suspension and expulsion are two leading variables that impact student retention in one or more grades, and research indicates that forty to fifty percent of students suspended or expelled for one year are likely to drop out of school; and

WHEREAS, research also indicates that ninety percent of students suspended or expelled more than once are likely to drop out of school as a result of retention and low academic performance; and

WHEREAS, students who are suspended, expelled or who drop out of school export problems or aberrant behavior from the school to the larger community, face futures without basic skills such as functional literacy and are unprepared for full citizenship in our technological culture; and

WHEREAS, recent statistics support the conclusion that more juvenile crimes result from youths who are engaged in idleness or collective gatherings such as gangs or who are unsupervised and gathered together during school hours than from youths actively engaged in educational or other productive activities; and

WHEREAS, an effective method of motivating and encouraging students to remain in school is to provide an alternative educational learning setting for disruptive students;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state department of public education be requested to identify the number of students who have been suspended or expelled at each school, identify the number of schools offering alternative instructional services for these students and determine the reasons why some schools do not offer such services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state department of public education make recommendations to meet the needs of these students and report to the legislative education study committee by November 2001; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the superintendent of public instruction and to the director of the legislative education study committee.