0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 41
    |
0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
    |
0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
    |
0004|                            LINDA M. LOPEZ
    |
0005|     
    |
0006|                                   
    |
0007|     
    |
0008|                                   
    |
0009|     
    |
0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
    |
0011|     REQUESTING THAT THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION WORK IN
    |
0012|     COLLABORATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS TO EXAMINE
    |
0013|     THE CURRICULA FOR TEACHER PREPARATION IN THE AREAS OF SCIENCE,
    |
0014|     MATHEMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY.
    |
0015|     
    |
0016|          WHEREAS, New Mexico has a high concentration of advanced
    |
0017|     technology research and development companies and national
    |
0018|     laboratories which require a very skilled work force; and
    |
0019|          WHEREAS, the global work force of the twenty-first
    |
0020|     century will require a more technically skilled worker with a
    |
0021|     good foundation in science, mathematics, technology and
    |
0022|     English; and
    |
0023|          WHEREAS, national test scores in science and mathematics
    |
0024|     of New Mexico elementary, middle and high school students
    |
0025|     consistently exhibit an inadequate capability to compete in
    |
<center>- 1 -</center>

0001|     the national and global market; and
    |
0002|          WHEREAS, the development of advanced technology and
    |
0003|     scientific skills requires early science and mathematics
    |
0004|     training; and
    |
0005|          WHEREAS, kindergarten through eighth grade student
    |
0006|     outcomes in science and mathematics are directly related to
    |
0007|     the content knowledge and pedagogical skills presented in
    |
0008|     teacher preparation; and
    |
0009|          WHEREAS, the New Mexico commission on higher education
    |
0010|     oversees undergraduate and graduate studies in the
    |
0011|     universities of the state;
    |
0012|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
    |
0013|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the commission on higher education,
    |
0014|     in collaboration with the appropriate organizations such as
    |
0015|     industry, national laboratories and state universities,
    |
0016|     examine the New Mexico curricula for teacher preparation in
    |
0017|     the areas of science, mathematics and technology content
    |
0018|     knowledge and pedagogy; and
    |
0019|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that based on the results of the
    |
0020|     examination, the commission on higher education recommend the
    |
0021|     appropriate curricula for kindergarten through eighth grade
    |
0022|     teacher preparation in the areas of science, mathematics, and
    |
0023|     technology and the pedagogy for instruction; and      
    |
0024|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher
    |
0025|     education work with the legislative education study committee,
    |
<center>- 2 -</center>

0001|     report findings and propose appropriate recommendations by
    |
0002|     November 1998 to the next legislative session; and
    |
0003|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
    |
0004|     transmitted to the commission on higher education and the
    |
0005|     legislative education study committee.
    |
0006|                              
    |