SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 28

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Mark Boitano

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO EVALUATE THE STANDARDS-BASED STUDENT REPORT CARDS BEING IMPLEMENTED BY ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

     WHEREAS, the traditional school grading system of communicating student success or failure in a given subject via a singular letter grade fails to inform parents of a student's strengths, weaknesses, level of effort or degree of engagement with the content of the subject; and

     WHEREAS, a standards-based reporting system, if properly implemented, has the potential to provide students and parents with a clearer assessment of student progress toward established standards; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque public school district has implemented a standards-based assessment system as a pilot project in seven elementary schools and plans to expand the pilot project to middle schools by 2005; and

     WHEREAS, accurately and completely measuring individual student progress and areas in which improvement is indicated is critical to helping students grow into productive and contributing members of the workforce and society; and

     WHEREAS, it is likely that other New Mexico school districts could benefit from the Albuquerque public school district's experiment and experience with standards-based assessment of student achievement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to evaluate the standards-based student report cards being implemented by Albuquerque public schools and report its findings and recommendations periodically to the legislative education study committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education, the superintendent of Albuquerque public schools and the director of the legislative education study committee.

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