A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE CONSIDER THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AND OVERSEE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LICENSURE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ENDORSEMENT OF SCHOOL-BASED BILINGUAL PRACTITIONERS IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND IN AUDIOLOGY.

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico takes pride in the diversity of its people, languages and cultures and promotes bilingualism in its constitution; and

WHEREAS, the legislature recognizes the unique educational needs of bilingual students with communication disorders, such as stuttering, impaired articulation and delayed language proficiency, who receive speech and language pathology services or audiology services in their native languages to support their educational performance; and

WHEREAS, the use of promising new techniques by bilingual practitioners in the assessment and treatment of linguistically and culturally diverse students with communication disorders ensures quality service delivery by providing the knowledge to prevent inappropriate placement of students in special education and by supporting intervention performed in the students' native languages, thus promoting optimal learning and educational success; and

WHEREAS, in order to provide students with specialized services, qualified bilingual practitioners must be effectively recruited, trained and retained in school districts across the state, and their qualifications must be recognized by the school districts to ensure that bilingual practitioners' salaries are commensurate with those afforded to other bilingually endorsed professionals;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee oversee the development and implementation of licensure qualifications for the endorsement of school-based bilingual practitioners in speech and language pathology and in audiology; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education study committee oversee the collaboration between the state department of public education, the speech language pathology, audiology and hearing aid dispensing practices board and the New Mexico speech-language and hearing association to establish criteria and competencies for the endorsement of bilingual practitioners in speech and language pathology and in audiology and their language proficiency and specialized training in bilingual assessment and intervention; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the collaborators produce a cost-analysis of establishing a bilingual endorsement that includes the cost of implementing educational programs to train individuals wishing to pursue the endorsement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the collaborators present their findings and recommendations to the legislative education study committee and the state board of education by October 1, 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative education study committee, the president of the state board of education, the superintendent of public instruction, the speech language pathology, audiology and hearing aid dispensing practices board and the New Mexico speech-language and hearing association.