HOUSE MEMORIAL 46

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Nathan P. Small and Rick Little

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY FUNDING FOR THE DUAL CREDIT PROGRAM AND TO RECOMMEND A SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF THE DUAL CREDIT PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, the public education department and the higher education department collaborate and coordinate on and drive college and career readiness; and

     WHEREAS, every New Mexico high school student has the opportunity to enroll in college courses through the dual credit program established by state law; and

     WHEREAS, the dual credit program provides access to academic and career and technical education courses that deliver simultaneous credit toward high school graduation and a post-secondary degree or certificate; and

     WHEREAS, dual credit is shown to increase high school graduation rates and accelerate attainment of post-secondary credentials; and

     WHEREAS, dual credit courses are tied to many of New Mexico's middle-skills jobs and may help fill current workforce gaps; and

     WHEREAS, dual credit courses may provide return on investment of state dollars to benefit New Mexico families and the state; and

     WHEREAS, college courses are offered for dual credit based upon agreements between high schools and accredited public colleges; and

     WHEREAS, administrative rules require that dual credit agreements require public colleges to waive tuition for students, local education agencies to purchase instructional materials and students and parents to cover course fees and transportation expenses; and 

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's higher education system bears a heavy cost burden within the current funding structure of the dual credit program; and

     WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to form a task force to study the actual costs to deliver dual credit course instruction and the current funding structure and propose solutions to adequately compensate higher education for course instruction; and

     WHEREAS, the creation of a task force led by the higher education department and the public education department, to include representatives of the workforce solutions department, the New Mexico school superintendents' association, the council of university presidents, the New Mexico association of community colleges, New Mexico independent community colleges and other interested parties, would facilitate a discussion on adequate and sustainable funding of the dual credit program;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the higher education department and the public education department be requested to convene a task force to study funding for the dual credit program and to recommend a sustainable strategy to promote the growth and expansion of the dual credit program; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department and the higher education department be requested to invite representatives of the workforce solutions department, the New Mexico school superintendents' association, the council of university presidents, the New Mexico association of community colleges, New Mexico independent community colleges and other interested parties to participate in the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings and conclusions to the legislative finance committee and the legislative education study committee by October 1, 2018; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of higher education, the secretary of public education, the secretary of workforce solutions, the president of the New Mexico school superintendents' association, the executive director of the council of university presidents, the executive director of the New Mexico association of community colleges, the executive director of New Mexico independent community colleges, the chair of the legislative finance committee and the chair of the legislative education study committee.

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