45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

REQUESTING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO DEVELOP BENCHMARKS ENUMERATING PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PROVIDE FOR MENTORING PROGRAMS TO ASSIST PARENTS IN ACHIEVING THE BENCHMARKS.

WHEREAS, the burden of student success in education does not fall solely on the government's shoulders; and

WHEREAS, parents also share in the responsibility of their child's success and must be held accountable for their full participation in the process of their child's education; and

WHEREAS, parents must commit themselves to ensuring their children's success in education; and

WHEREAS, parents, when collaborating with their child's school, should be aware of what is expected of them and the level of participation required of them to promote academic success for their children; and

WHEREAS, benchmarks enumerating parental responsibilities for their child's educational success are one method for the state to use in order to inform parents about what is expected of them and the level of participation required of them to promote academic success for their children; and

WHEREAS, the inclusion of a parental report card in the benchmarks is one method that the state department of public education may measure the success of parents in achieving the benchmarks; and

WHEREAS, the providing of a parental mentoring program to assist parents in the achievement of the "parental" benchmarks is another method for the state to use in order to assist parents so that they are able to participate in their child's educational success;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state department of public education be requested to develop benchmarks enumerating parental responsibility; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state department of public education be requested to include in the benchmarks how parents will be involved in: their child's school; their child's home; their child's homework at various grade levels; and what normal study time for their child at various grade levels should be; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state department of public education be requested to include in the benchmarks a parental report card to measure the extent parents are responsible in the home for providing a conducive environment for learning, reading and doing homework as well as providing an age-appropriated daily schedule for the creation of positive eating, resting, studying and hygiene habits; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state department of public education be requested to provide for a mentoring program to assist parents in achieving the benchmarks that are developed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the president of the state board of education and the superintendent of public instruction.