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A JOINT MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING SUPPORT OF NEW MEXICO PROJECT 2012 AS AN INNOVATIVE

AND CRITICAL PLAN TO IMPROVE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION

IN NEW MEXICO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHEREAS, education is the key to the twenty-first

century, both in terms of economic prosperity and personal

achievement; and

WHEREAS, today's "new economy" is knowledge-based,

entrepreneurial and globally competitive to an extent that was

almost unimaginable even a decade ago, yet New Mexico students

lag significantly in most measures of elementary and secondary

academic success, thus imperiling both their individual

prospects and those of the state; and

WHEREAS, a competitive, technically capable work force

is essential to New Mexico's economic future, and a reasonable

level of mathematics and science awareness among its

population is an ever more important part of good civic

decision-making; and

WHEREAS, in recent years the state has made significant

strides in improving teacher pay, increasing professional

development opportunities and elevating teacher qualification

and certification standards, and the state's mathematics and

science curricular standards are now among the best in the

nation; and

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WHEREAS, the legislature funded a mathematics and

science bureau in the public education department, which the

secretary of public education created in July 2006, and the

Mathematics and Science Education Act was passed by the

legislature and signed by the governor in 2007; and

WHEREAS, in 2006-2007, the New Mexico mathematics and

science advisory council developed a strategic action plan for

advancing mathematics and science education that will increase

student interest, participation and achievement in mathematics

and science; raise public awareness and support for the

importance of mathematics and science in New Mexico's economic

health and security; and establish effective collaborations

with internal and external partners; and

WHEREAS, from that strategic action plan arose "New

Mexico project 2012", which is a comprehensive six-part

proposal that uses one of the most important resources the

state has, its nationally and internationally recognized

scientists, mathematicians and engineers; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico project 2012 proposes to use

subject-matter experts from the state's national laboratories

and the private sector as New Mexico project 2012 volunteers

to give lectures or other classroom assistance in their areas

of expertise and to mentor public school teachers in

mathematics and science in order to improve the knowledge,

competence and confidence of public school students and

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teachers in mathematics and science; and

WHEREAS, the goal of New Mexico project 2012 is simple

yet dramatic: in five years, New Mexico's public elementary

and secondary school students will be among the nation's

leaders in mathematics and science academic achievement; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the New Mexico project 2012 is

to:

A. improve mathematics and science content study

in the pre-service education of elementary and secondary

teachers to prepare them well to teach a modern mathematics or

science curriculum;

B. expand professional development and in-service

opportunities for mathematics and science teachers so they may

stay abreast of rapidly changing ideas about mathematics and

science teaching and new mathematics and science content;

C. draw on the extensive mathematics and science

expertise of New Mexico's very large community of

mathematicians, scientists and engineers to provide

specialized content knowledge; to give students needed

tutoring, mentoring and career advice; and to help in

providing professional development activities for teachers;

D. provide quality distance learning opportunities

for New Mexico's rural communities via the innovative digital

education and learning in New Mexico system, known as "IDEAL-

NM", and related projects, television programming and

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broadband internet access;

E. assist in the evaluation of current strategies

used in the public schools and classrooms for teaching and

learning mathematics and science; and integrate those subjects

with other essential skills such as inquiry-based learning

aptitude and writing and literacy acquisition; and

F. build a statewide "education community" that

includes students, parents, teachers, school administrators

and boards, state and local governments and the business

community, all united toward this exciting goal; and

WHEREAS, the legislature, the governor, the

congressional delegation and the New Mexico business community

have all made clear their commitment to revolutionary

improvements in education generally and in mathematics and

science education in particular;

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

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it express its support of New Mexico

project 2012 and that it encourage all the other important

participants, from the governor and the secretary of public

education to school districts, teachers, students, parents and

business and community leaders, to show their commitment to

New Mexico's current and future generations of young people by

supporting and aiding the implementation of New Mexico project

2012; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education

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department, the legislative education study committee, the

coalition of school administrators, statewide teacher

organizations and other interested groups unite to undertake a

creative and effective public relations effort to enable young

people and the state to realize a rewarding future; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the governor, the public education department,

the legislative education study committee and the coalition of

school administrators for appropriate distribution.