A JOINT MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER
EDUCATION AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO STUDY CONCURRENT
ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS, DEVELOP AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE.
WHEREAS, "concurrent
enrollment" means the enrollment of secondary level students in academic
and vocational courses at post-secondary educational institutions for which the
students are eligible to receive credit at both the secondary and
post-secondary levels; and
WHEREAS, a written agreement
between the cooperating school district and the post-secondary educational
institution is required for concurrent enrollment; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Laws 1990,
Chapter 25, the tuition and fees of a student shall be transferred from a
school district to the post-secondary educational institution that the student
attends if the student is counted in the membership of the school district and
will receive high school credit for course work taken at the post-secondary
educational institution; and
WHEREAS, for several years, the
state board of education and the commission on higher education have received
feedback regarding the state concurrent enrollment program; and
WHEREAS, in 2002, the
commission on higher education and the state department of public education
developed electronic surveys to gather information on the concurrent enrollment
program; and
WHEREAS, the survey data shows
that there is confusion at all levels about the program and its implementation;
and
WHEREAS, many concurrent
enrollment agreements, as reported in the survey and as analyzed by commission
and department staffs, are out of compliance with state regulations regarding
requirements for funding and are inconsistent in terms of eligibility
requirements, payment methods, curriculum levels and faculty arrangements; and
WHEREAS, in addition to
compliance and consistency issues, there are questions as to what kinds of
courses can be taught under the concurrent enrollment agreements and whether
classes at the post-secondary educational institutions are aligned with the
level of instruction in the school districts; and
WHEREAS, requests have been
made by post-secondary educational institutions, school districts and parents
of students for the state to review, clarify and coordinate concurrent
enrollment programs;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the commission on higher
education and the state department of public education be requested to study
concurrent enrollment programs in collaboration with school districts and other
appropriate organizations to improve the state's concurrent enrollment program;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
commission on higher education and the state department of public education
establish an advisory committee to
gain input from students, parents, public school administrators and
post-secondary educational institution administrators and to create a more
user-friendly approach to supporting students who could benefit from an
accelerated learning experience; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
commission on higher education and the state department of public education
establish a concurrent enrollment program policy that includes a definition of
acceptable course content areas and tuition transfer requirements; methods for
collecting and sharing information between the commission and the department;
program accountability requirements, including enrollment verification and
accreditation visits; a plan to disseminate policy information to school
districts, post-secondary educational institutions and students; and a review of
statutes to determine any changes needed to implement the policy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
findings and conclusions of the study and recommendations for legislation be
presented to the legislative education study committee; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
copies of this memorial be transmitted to the commission on higher education,
the legislative education study committee and the state department of public
education.