HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 7

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Stephanie Garcia Richard

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING TO AMEND ARTICLE 12 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO BY ADDING A NEW SECTION TO LIMIT CLASS SIZES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR; ALLOWING WAIVERS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. It is proposed to amend Article 12 of the constitution of New Mexico by adding a new section to read:

          "A. The legislature shall make adequate provision to ensure that by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, there are sufficient numbers of classrooms and teachers so that the maximum number of students who are assigned to each teacher in a public school classroom does not exceed the following:

                 (1) for kindergarten through grade three, eighteen students per class;

                (2) for grades four through eight, twenty-two students per class; and

                (3) for grades nine through twelve, twenty-five students per class.

          B. The class size requirements of Subsection A of this section do not apply to music, band, elective or extracurricular classes.

          C. Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the legislature shall provide sufficient funds to reduce the average number of students in each classroom by at least two students per year until the maximum number of students per classroom does not exceed the requirements of this section. Until the 2020-2021 school year, the secretary of public education may waive the individual school class size requirements established in this section only if the school district demonstrates that:

                (1) no portable classrooms are reasonably available;

                (2) there are no available sources of funding to meet the need for additional classrooms; and

                (3) the school district is planning alternatives to increase building capacity for implementation within one year."

     SECTION 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date that may be called for that purpose.

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