SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 14

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

William E. Sharer

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO NAME A TASK FORCE TO STUDY A NEW APPROACH TO PUBLIC EDUCATION REFORM THAT FOCUSES ON TRIFURCATED CURRICULA AND DIPLOMAS, THAT FUNDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO MEET THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND THAT TRULY PROVIDES LOCAL CONTROL OVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

     WHEREAS, the legislature and other public education policymakers and advocates have struggled for decades trying to find the magic formula for defining, fostering and funding student success; and

     WHEREAS, no matter what has been tried over the years, the state's graduation rate is still abysmal, failing both students and taxpayers; and

     WHEREAS, given the immersive media world that young people live in these days, traditional ideas of education must give way and ingrained ideas of governance, funding and the state's expectations and role in education must be rethought and reimagined; and

     WHEREAS, there are many students who are not interested in pursuing an academic career in college, and many students would rather receive a general educational development certificate and get on their path in life rather than remain in a high school that does not fit their needs; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico should consider a trifurcated system that provides three levels of high school diploma, to wit:

          A. a basic education diploma, which means the student:

                (1) is at least sixteen years old;

                (2) can read, write and perform basic mathematics at least at the eighth grade level;

                (3) understands civic duties and responsibilities; and

                (4) is ready for the work force, the military or anything else that requires a simple high school diploma;

          B. a trades-ready diploma, which means the student:

                (1) has completed tenth grade;

                (2) can read, write and perform or understand mathematics and science at least at the tenth grade level;

                (3) understands civic duties and responsibilities;

                (4) has taken courses that develop trades-ready skills, such as how to:

                     (a) read requests for proposals and respond appropriately;

                     (b) read a work order;

                     (c) calculate the cost of labor, materials, taxes and other charges or expenses;

                     (d) measure and perform other construction mathematics; and

                     (e) read and understand safety instructions and operating manuals; and

                (5) is ready to attend a technical and vocational institute;

          C. a baccalaureate-ready diploma, which means the student:

                (1) is eligible to attend a public post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico; and

                (2) can begin freshman coursework without remediation; and

     WHEREAS, school districts and charter schools should be funded for results, that is, graduation, and the public school funding formula should recognize the costs of providing each of the trifurcated educational pathways; and

     WHEREAS, taxpayers should not have to pay first for early childhood services, then for public schools and then yet again for remediation in post-secondary educational institutions or, worse, for the intergenerational transmission of poverty, ignorance and poor physical and mental health because adults have failed to reach their full cognitive and social potential; and

     WHEREAS, because the educational and staffing requirements differ for each of the three levels of diploma, school districts should be funded commensurate with the types of diplomas for which they are successfully preparing their students. For example, a trades-ready diploma might equal one hundred percent funding, based on a five-year rolling average; a basic diploma might equal eighty percent of the cost of a trades-ready diploma; and a baccalaureate-ready diploma might be funded at one hundred twenty percent of a trades-ready diploma; and

     WHEREAS, local school boards and school district and charter school employees are more likely to understand the needs of their students and their communities than people in Santa Fe or Washington, D.C., no matter how dedicated and well-meaning they may be, and local school boards should be given full governance and budgeting authority and held accountable to community voters for the success or failure of their policies;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to create a task force composed of legislators, school superintendents, other school personnel, school board members, public post-secondary educational institutions, the business community, parents and taxpayers to study the failures of the current educational system and the efficacy of a trifurcated diploma system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force study the state's funding formula and make recommendations on changing the formula to comport with systemic recommendations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force also study the current governance structure and make recommendations for the devolution of governance responsibility to the local level; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be allowed to name subcommittees of its members to focus on different areas of the Public School Code with an eye to repealing provisions that are incompatible with local control and governance; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department, higher education department, public schools and public post-secondary educational institutions be strongly urged to assist the task force in its work; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative council service, legislative education study committee and legislative finance committee provide staff support to the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings and recommendations to the first session of the fifty-second legislature, including recommendations for constitutional and statutory changes necessary to implement other recommendations of the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico legislative council, the governor, the secretaries of public education and higher education, the council of university presidents and the association of independent community colleges.

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