HOUSE MEMORIAL 72

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Ray Begaye

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING A STUDY OF THE DEFINITIONS OF "RURAL SCHOOL" AND "RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT" BY THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE.

     WHEREAS, the definitions of "rural school" and "rural school district" for purposes of federal funding involve a complex equation that includes schools and school districts with populations up to two thousand five hundred students, in some instances; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department definition of rural school district simplifies the standard to be used for purposes of federal funding to mean that a school district has one thousand or fewer students; and

     WHEREAS, some New Mexico rural schools and rural school districts otherwise entitled to federal funding may be unable to qualify as rural schools or rural school districts for purposes of receiving public education department assistance in seeking such funds; and

     WHEREAS, the rural education division of the public education department should assist rural schools and rural school districts to maximize the amount of federal funds they can receive;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee study the definitions of "rural school" and "rural school district" for purposes of clarifying which schools and school districts are entitled to assistance from the rural education division of the public education department; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study compare the number of students required for eligibility for federal rural schools funding with the number of students required for eligibility for public education department assistance; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study encompass New Mexico schools with student populations between nine hundred ninety nine and two thousand five hundred one students; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study examine the usefulness of definitions that include population density as a factor in eligibility for public education department assistance and federal funding; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study take into account schools and school districts on New Mexico's sparsely populated tribal lands and suggest whether such schools that have more than one thousand students but whose responsibilities extend to a wide-reaching geographic area deserve the assistance of the rural education division of the public education department; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education study committee staff report its recommendations to the legislative education study committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education study committee's recommendations on adoption of appropriate definitions be forwarded to the interim Indian affairs committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the recommendations of the legislative education study committee be used as a basis for appropriate legislation to be introduced in the second session of the forty-seventh legislature of New Mexico.

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