HOUSE MEMORIAL 31

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Dennis J. Roch

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING FEBRUARY 2, 2017 "REGIONAL EDUCATION COOPERATIVES DAY" IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

     WHEREAS, in 1984, the New Mexico state board of education established regional center cooperatives; and

     WHEREAS, in 1993, the state legislature created regional education cooperatives as state agencies administratively attached to the public education department; and

     WHEREAS, there are nine regional education cooperatives geographically located throughout New Mexico to serve sixty-three of the state's eighty-nine school districts; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number two, northwest, covers the districts of Chama, Cuba, Dulce, Mesa Vista, Penasco and Questa; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number three, high plains, covers the districts of Cimarron, Clayton, Des Moines, Maxwell, Mosquero, Raton, Roy and Springer; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number four, northeast, covers the districts of Las Vegas city, Las Vegas west, Mora, Pecos, Santa Rosa and Wagon Mound; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number five, central, covers the districts of Estancia, Magdalena, Mountainair, Quemado, Vaughn and Jemez valley and state-

supported schools in the department of justice, the corrections department and the department of health; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number six covers the districts of Dora, Elida, Floyd, Fort Sumner, Grady, House, Logan, Melrose, San Jon and Texico; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number seven covers the districts of Eunice, Hobbs, Jal and Tatum; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number eight, Pecos valley, covers the districts of Dexter, Hagerman, Lake Arthur and Loving; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number nine covers the districts of Capitan, Carrizozo, Cloudcroft, Corona, Hondo, Ruidoso and Tularosa; and

     WHEREAS, regional education cooperative number ten, southwest, covers the districts of Animas, Deming, Hatch valley, Lordsburg, Reserve, Truth or Consequences and Cobre; and

     WHEREAS, the nine regional education cooperatives provide, in a cooperative manner, special-education-related service staff so that individual school districts can meet the needs of their students under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and

     WHEREAS, without the regional education cooperatives' collaborative approach, many school districts would be unable to find, hire and sustain the appropriate staff to meet the needs of their students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and

     WHEREAS, the nine regional education cooperatives provide their member districts with assistance in complying with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act performance indicators as set out in federal and state law; and

     WHEREAS, in fiscal year 2015, the appropriated funding to each regional education cooperative was just under one hundred five thousand dollars ($105,000) for the entire fiscal year, and the regional education cooperatives did not receive any direct state equalization formula funding; and

     WHEREAS, the regional education cooperatives actively seek grants and other entrepreneurial activities to maintain services; and

     WHEREAS, the regional education cooperatives are an integral, valuable and important part of the overall public education system in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the regional education cooperatives are administratively attached to the public education department and, through this attachment, are able to enter into intergovernmental agreements to facilitate the work and initiatives of the public education department throughout the state; and

     WHEREAS, the regional education cooperatives, through their geographical locations, provide tremendous vehicles for disseminating and sustaining educational initiatives;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the nine regional education cooperatives be recognized for their contribution to the overall well-being of public education in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that February 2, 2017 be declared "Regional Education Cooperatives Day" in the house of representatives; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the directors of the nine regional education cooperatives.

- 4 -