SENATE BILL 522

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Mimi Stewart

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; CREATING A COMMISSION ON EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE COMMISSION TO DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN TO TRANSFORM PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] COMMISSION ON EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION--MEMBERS--DUTIES--INTERIM AND FINAL REPORTS.--

          A. The "commission on equity and excellence in education" is created as an executive-legislative task force to address issues of educational equity in New Mexico public schools.

          B. The chairs and vice chairs of the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee and one senator and one representative who are members of the minority party that are appointed by their respective leadership shall be appointed to the commission.

          C. The secretaries of public education, higher education, children, youth and families and workforce solutions or their designees shall serve on the commission.

          D. In addition to the members listed in Subsections B and C of this section, an additional twenty-one members who are culturally and geographically diverse and who represent teachers and school principals, school board members, local superintendents, charter schools, school business officials, the business community, post-secondary educational institutions and teacher preparation programs, tribal leaders and parents of public school students shall be appointed as follows:

                (1) the governor shall appoint nine members;

                (2) the president pro tempore of the senate shall appoint six members; and

                (3) the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint six members.

          E. To the extent practicable, appointments shall be made to ensure regional representation and ethnic, economic and gender diversity on the commission.

          F. The lieutenant governor shall serve as the chair of the commission.

          G. All appointments to the commission shall be made within thirty days of the effective date of this 2019 act, and the commission shall hold its first meeting by September 1, 2019.

          H. The public education department, legislative education study committee and legislative finance committee shall provide staff for the commission.

          I. Public members of the commission are entitled to per diem and mileage at the same rate as public employees pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance if funds are appropriated to the commission.

          J. The commission is charged with developing a long-term vision and action steps for the legislature, executive, school districts, public schools and colleges of education to consider to ensure New Mexico's public education students are prepared to meet the challenges of a changing national and global economy, prepared for post-secondary education and the workforce and prepared to be successful, civic-minded citizens in the twenty-first century.

          K. The commission shall review the decision and order, the findings of fact and conclusions of law and the final judgment issued by the first judicial district court in the Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico lawsuit; study high-performing education systems nationally and internationally to learn best practices; and study how the public education department and the public school system are using annual appropriations to close the achievement gap and improve student learning for all students.

          L. The commission shall make findings and recommendations that:

                (1) ensure equitable access to high-quality curriculum, instruction and instructional resources to prepare all students for college, career and civic engagement, including ensuring students have access to curriculum, instruction and instructional resources that are relevant to the cultures, languages, history and experiences of multiethnic students;

                (2) ensure a diverse, culturally competent educator workforce that is well prepared, stable and culturally and linguistically representative of public school students in the state;

                (3) provide for whole child supports, including access to high-quality early childhood programs, wraparound services and supportive community partnerships, integrated social and emotional learning and improved parent and family engagement, for all children; and

                (4) ensure a coordinated and effective governance structure across the multiple state agencies that impact students and their families, school boards and charter school governing councils, public schools, the public education commission, the business sector and post-secondary educational institutions.

          M. On or before September 1, 2020 and September 1 of each succeeding year, the commission shall provide a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee.

          N. On or before June 30, 2023, the commission shall provide its final report to the governor and the legislature and shall present its findings and recommendations to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee."

     SECTION 2. DELAYED REPEAL.--Section 1 of this act is repealed effective June 30, 2023.

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