SENATE MEMORIAL

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Leo Jaramillo

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING JANUARY 31, 2022 "NEW MEXICO NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS RECOGNITION DAY" IN THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico national board certified teacher network was established in 2001 to promote national board certification for New Mexico teachers and to promote accomplished teaching throughout New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico national board certified teacher network advocates for leadership opportunities for national board certified teachers and educates teachers about the national board's body of knowledge; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico national board certified teacher network also supports candidates through the national board certification process, celebrates achievement, offers opportunities to all constituent groups and supports and recognizes all national board certified teachers in all school districts in the state and in the legislature; and

     WHEREAS, national board certified teachers are nationally recognized as being among the best teachers in the profession, with more than sixty-nine percent remaining in the classroom after twenty years of teaching; and

     WHEREAS, national board certification is a rigorous process that can take three to five years to achieve and requires that applicants demonstrate competency across three performance-based domains and pass a written test of content and pedagogical knowledge; and

     WHEREAS, a comprehensive study conducted by the national research council found that students of national board certified teachers make greater gains on achievement tests over time than students of non-certified teachers, and New Mexico students of national board certified teachers have shown fifteen to eighteen months' growth in one school year; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has one thousand three hundred eighty national board certified teachers who have been certified since 1995 across numerous public school districts, bureau of Indian education schools and charter schools, with many national board certified teachers and national board candidates serving in Title I schools; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks twenty-first in the nation for national board certification, eleventh for percentage of board certification, seventh for new national board certified teachers and sixteenth for national board certified teachers who have renewed their certifications, with six and two-tenths percent of all New Mexico teachers having achieved board certification; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque public school district, Santa Fe public school district, Las Cruces public school district, Rio Rancho public school district and Los Alamos public school district are the New Mexico school districts with the highest numbers of national board certified teachers;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that January 31, 2022 be declared "New Mexico National Board Certified Teachers Recognition Day" in the senate to acknowledge the achievements of all national board certified teachers and their contributions to the learning and growth of New Mexico students; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor and the secretary of public education.

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