SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 33

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

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE THE TASK FORCE TO STUDY DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

     WHEREAS, remedial education courses are also known as developmental education; and

     WHEREAS, forty-seven percent of public high school graduates in the state took remedial classes in math, reading or English in New Mexico colleges in 2009; and

     WHEREAS, sixty-seven percent of the students entering college in New Mexico in 2003 who took no remedial courses in their first semester obtained a degree in six years; and

     WHEREAS, only twenty percent of the students who took one remedial course in their first semester, and only one percent of the students who took four remedial courses, obtained a degree, according to the 2010 "Ready for College" report, published by the office of education accountability; and

     WHEREAS, there are many nontraditional and innovative strategies around the country designed to quickly put students into traditional, credit-bearing courses; and

     WHEREAS, the cost to the state of developmental education increased by sixteen percent over the past year; and

     WHEREAS, the legislature is concerned that continued funding of developmental education could mean reductions in the funding for higher education; and

     WHEREAS, as reported by the higher education department in 2010, alternative approaches to college education such as dual credit courses, in which students are able to earn college credit for course work undertaken while they are still in high school, may contribute to a lower demand for developmental education courses; and

     WHEREAS, there is a trend among legislatures and post-secondary systems to consider performance funding as a means of incentivizing improvements in student success; and

     WHEREAS, unlike many states, New Mexico does not have common placement cut-off scores for determining college readiness; therefore, a student can score into college-level courses at one college and, with the same score, be placed in remedial course work at another college; and

     WHEREAS, in March 2009, the higher education department and New Mexico institutions of higher education formed a developmental education task force in an initial effort to study developmental education in New Mexico, and the higher education department is willing to continue the work that was started by this task force;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the higher education department be requested to continue the task force to study developmental education at community colleges; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force recommend ways to improve student performance based on best practices, establish data benchmarks and measurements for developmental education and recommend funding incentives to improve student success; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings and recommendations of the task force be presented to the legislative education study committee by September 1, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of higher education.

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