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A MEMORIAL

RECOMMENDING A STUDY OF COSTS OF A THREE-TIERED SALARY

STRUCTURE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDERS.

WHEREAS, instructional support providers, including

nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social

workers and counselors, are essential to children's learning

in New Mexico schools; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico schools must recruit and retain

qualified instructional support staff to cope more adequately

with the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of

2001; and

WHEREAS, most of the instructional support providers,

including physical therapists, occupational therapists,

audiologists, diagnosticians, psychologists, social workers

and speech and language pathologists, are included in the

state public school funding formula; and

WHEREAS, nurses and counselors are not included in the

public school funding formula; and

WHEREAS, instructional support providers generate

revenue through the public school funding formula and

medicaid billing; and

WHEREAS, teachers and other staff are on a three-tiered

salary structure;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE

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STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of finance and

administration, the legislative education study committee and

the public education department be requested to study the

cost of creating a three-tiered salary structure for all

instructional support providers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that during that cost-study

process, those departments seek input from the various

instructional support provider associations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the cost-study working

committee be composed of appointees of each of the

departments and report to the legislative education study

committee and the legislative finance committee by October

2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the legislative education study committee and

the legislative finance committee and the secretaries of

public education and finance and administration.