SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 29

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

John C. Ryan

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL NEW MEXICO SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS AND THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO CREATE A REPORT IDENTIFYING STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO ENCOURAGE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE TO VISIT THE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER NEW MEXICO AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THAT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE.

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico has received state funding, thereby establishing an important partnership in creating this educational resource for the students, teachers and communities throughout New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks near the bottom of this country for elementary, middle and high school science and math achievement; and

     WHEREAS, nationally, New Mexico schools earned a "D plus" grade for chances for student success, placing the state at fifty-first in the nation; and

     WHEREAS, only twenty-seven percent of New Mexico eighth grade students scored "proficient" or above in science in 2009; and

     WHEREAS, it is estimated that less than twenty percent of New Mexico students are college-ready upon graduation; and

     WHEREAS, the second session of the forty-eighth legislature unanimously passed House Joint Memorial 32, which called for "support of New Mexico Project 2012 as an innovative and critical plan to improve mathematics and science education in New Mexico public schools"; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has the third largest per capita ratio of engineers, mathematicians and scientists in the work force of any state; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks second in the nation in federally funded research and development per capita; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has over one thousand high-tech companies; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks sixth in the nation in the number of scientists and engineers who hold doctoral degrees as a percentage of the work force; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks sixth in the nation in science and engineering graduate students; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is the fifth largest state in land area and the thirty-sixth in population, creating a population density of sixteen people per square mile; and

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico is an international, not-for-profit organization that was founded by the families of the astronauts who lost their lives in the Challenger space shuttle mission 51-L and is dedicated to the invigoration of science, technology, engineering and math education through inspiration, exploration and learning; and

     WHEREAS, the mission of the Challenger learning center New Mexico is carried out through an international network of more than fifty centers throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea; and

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico, located on the Unser discovery campus in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, is one such center, and the only one in New Mexico, working closely with the national aeronautics and space administration to engage students in an exciting simulated space mission that includes a realistic mission control and an orbiting space station; and

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico is dedicated to the educational spirit of the space shuttle Challenger mission 51-L, offering students unique, hands-on learning experiences; and

     WHEREAS, all simulation programs offered at the Challenger learning center New Mexico are aligned with national and state science, mathematics, language arts and social studies content standards; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department seeks to improve student performance, close the achievement gap and prepare students to succeed in a diverse and increasingly complex world; and

     WHEREAS, all public school districts in New Mexico are committed to achieving academic excellence and to partnering with families and communities to enhance student learning opportunities; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department and the public school districts in New Mexico are in a position to achieve the goal of excellence in education and pursue their stated missions through partnerships with the Challenger learning center New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico offers educational opportunities for teachers as well as students, including diverse classroom programming and community outreach events that are designed to excite students' natural curiosity and desire to learn; and

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico collaborates with institutions of higher education to provide pre-service and in-service teacher workshops to prepare teachers to implement robust math and science curricula; and

     WHEREAS, the Challenger learning center New Mexico endeavors to provide quality distance-learning opportunities for New Mexico's students via the gateway system and the New Mexico computing applications center and related projects; and

     WHEREAS, by transforming the way in which teachers and students learn, the Challenger learning center New Mexico is helping to create a new generation of scientists, technology professionals, engineers and mathematicians;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee be requested to collaborate with the public education department and the superintendents of all the public school districts in New Mexico to encourage all schools to participate in the Challenger learning center New Mexico's educational programs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that recognition be given to the Challenger learning center New Mexico for its work in transforming the tragic events of January 28, 1986 into an ongoing tribute to the crew of the Challenger space shuttle; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education study committee prepare a report of steps that can be taken to encourage teachers and school districts to participate in the educational programs offered by the Challenger learning center New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report be provided to the secretary of public education and the superintendents of each public school district for implementation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education, the superintendent of each of the eighty-nine public school districts in New Mexico and Julie Muffler, director of the Challenger learning center New Mexico.

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