SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 6

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING A STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING AN OFFICE OF SCHOOL READINESS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN FROM BIRTH THROUGH AGE FOUR.

     WHEREAS, the 2005 legislature enacted the Pre-Kindergarten Act as a pilot program to provide state-supported pre-kindergarten for four-year-old children throughout New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico pre-k, the program implemented pursuant to the Pre-Kindergarten Act, is only the most recent in a number of state-supported early care and education programs for preschool children, including family, infant, toddler; child care; child development; special education services for developmentally delayed three- and four-year-old children; even start; GRADS; and kindergarten plus; in addition to federally supported programs such as head start and early head start; and

WHEREAS, the publicly funded programs currently offered for preschool children are under the auspices of the children, youth and families department, the department of health, the public education department or the federal head start program; and

WHEREAS, the legislature has maintained an interest in the effective alignment of programs for preschool and other young children since the late 1990s; and

WHEREAS, the 2005 legislature also enacted the Children's Cabinet Act to institutionalize the executive's children's cabinet to study and make recommendations for the design of a coordinated system to maximize outcomes among children and youth under age twenty-one; and

WHEREAS, the children's cabinet is charged under the Children's Cabinet Act to address five aspects of children and youth, one of which is preparedness for and success in school; and

WHEREAS, the needs of children from birth to age four require special attention in addition to that provided through the broad scope of duties assigned to the children's cabinet;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the children's cabinet, the children, youth and families department, the department of health and the public education department, in collaboration with the child development board and other appropriate agencies, be requested to examine the feasibility of creating an office of school readiness that would coordinate the range of publicly funded programs and services for children from birth through age four currently offered by multiple agencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the children's cabinet, the children, youth and families department, the department of health and the public education department report their findings and recommendations to the legislative education study committee by November 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the children's cabinet, the secretary of children, youth and families, the secretary of health, the secretary of public education and the director of the legislative education study committee for appropriate distribution.

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