SENATE MEMORIAL 60

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

Bill B. O'Neill

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO EXPLORE FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE CREATION OF DESIGN EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR AT-RISK YOUTH.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's seventy percent high school graduation rate ranks near the bottom when compared to other states; and

     WHEREAS, most of the assessments of students' proficiency in schools are made through verbal testing; and

     WHEREAS, at-risk youth may be challenged intellectually if offered teaching modalities outside of the traditional classroom; and

     WHEREAS, a different approach is the design studio model, which is a way of learning that mimics the training of architects and industrial designers, using a workshop, laboratory or studio format; and

     WHEREAS, a similar model for learning in the sciences might be the laboratory where scientific experimentation occurs; and

     WHEREAS, design studio teaching involves a process that values the new and unknown, not the "what was" or the "what is", but the "what can be"; and

     WHEREAS, students learn through creative problem solving through the design of buildings, furniture, machines, toys or bridges or landscape design; and

     WHEREAS, all learning experiences reinforce core curriculum standards; and

     WHEREAS, the architecture and children curriculum is a tool for teachers to encourage children's confidence to develop and communicate ideas visually; and

     WHEREAS, the architecture and children project uses the study of the built environment as a window to study the world and the ideas, laws and principles that govern it, the physics of structures, design in nature and the similarities between body systems and building systems; and

     WHEREAS, students learn to create new ideas through architectural drawings and model building, storytelling, science, technology, engineering, art, architecture and math; and

     WHEREAS, the architecture and children project has been offered successfully as a summer program at Albuquerque academy for many years; and

     WHEREAS, Eubank elementary school is the site of the first public school pilot design education program in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, it would be beneficial if design education programs were options for at-risk youth as well;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to explore funding options for the creation of design education programs for at-risk youth; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department present its findings to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee before December 1, 2015; and

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

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