HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE MEMORIAL 75

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE INDIAN EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY ACCESS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE RAMAH AREA OF NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, the Ramah area of New Mexico encompasses the southeast corner of McKinley county and portions of Cibola county and is contained within two public school districts, the Gallup-McKinley county school district and the Grants-Cibola county school district; and

     WHEREAS, the Cibola-McKinley county line, established as the official boundary of the Gallup-McKinley county school district attendance area, is less than two miles east of Ramah;

and

     WHEREAS, the nearest public schools for students in the Ramah area are located in McKinley county, but the majority of students live in Cibola county; and

     WHEREAS, seventy percent of the students who attend Ramah area schools live outside of the Gallup-McKinley county school district attendance area, and the majority of them come from Cibola county and must travel a distance of from two to twenty miles; and

     WHEREAS, the Pine Hill school is located only twenty miles southeast of Ramah, but is located within the attendance area of the Grants-Cibola county school district, where the nearest school is situated approximately sixty miles to the northeast; and

     WHEREAS, students residing outside the Gallup-McKinley county school district boundaries who desire to enroll in Ramah area schools must present a signed transfer request prior to their acceptance stating that additional staff or services are not required by their attendance or that their attendance is required due to class populations exceeding class size limits established by state law; and

     WHEREAS, the Indian education division of the public education department has access to funds for the completion of a study on the public education situation in the area;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the Indian education division of the public education department be requested to convene a task force no later than July 1, 2009 to study access to public education in the Ramah area; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of three representatives appointed by the Indian education division of the public education department, two representatives appointed by the governing body of Ramah village, two representatives appointed by the Gallup-McKinley county school board, two representatives appointed by the Grants-Cibola county school board and two representatives appointed by the Ramah Navajo school board, incorporated; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings to the appropriate interim legislative committees and to the governor no later than December 1, 2009; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the assistant secretary for Indian education, the governing body of Ramah village, the Gallup-McKinley county

school board, the Grants-Cibola county school board and the Ramah Navajo school board, incorporated.

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