HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 45

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

James E. Smith

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO CREATE A WORK GROUP TO STUDY CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNANCE AND TO CONSIDER THE EFFICACY OF ELECTING CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARDS AND TO DETERMINE THE CONSTITUENT GROUPS FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS.

     WHEREAS, in its infancy, a charter school is likely governed by board members who helped establish the charter school and who share in the original vision and mission of the school; and

     WHEREAS, as it evolves, a charter school may need to change its curricular direction and even its vision, and may need to have board members with new perspectives; and

     WHEREAS, charter schools are experiments in self-determination and, as such, should have a fair, democratic way of choosing governing board members; and

     WHEREAS, charter school parents and staff should have a say in determining who governs their school in the same way communities select local school boards, namely, through the election process; and

     WHEREAS, charter schools, by their nature, serve undefined geographic areas, which makes a general community-wide election of governing board members problematic;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee be requested to name a work group to study how charter school governing board members are selected, to look at other states for their practices in this matter and to study the efficacy of an election process for selecting members of charter school governing boards; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group determine a definition of the area of constituency for charter schools; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group include representatives of the public education department and charter schools; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group report to the legislative education study committee by November 1, 2011 with its findings and recommendations, including necessary statutory changes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative education study committee, the public education department and the New Mexico coalition for charter schools.

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