HOUSE BILL 185

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Derrick J. Lente and Angelica Rubio

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION PLAN TO TRANSFORM PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO TO MEET THE NEEDS OF NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION PLAN.--

          A. By no later than June 1, 2023, the public education department shall develop a comprehensive education plan to transform the education system and address the systemic education inequities and deficiencies identified by the court in the consolidated Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico lawsuit and comply with the state's constitutional duty to address the specific needs of the four student groups identified as at-risk, which includes Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities and low- income students.

          B. The comprehensive education plan shall include:

                (1) short- and long-term goals and action steps to fully implement the court's decision and order;

                (2) time frames for the implementation of the action steps;

                (3) staffing issues, including a review of how to increase Native American and bilingual teachers in school districts serving at-risk students;

                (4) accountability measures for the department;

                (5) culturally and linguistically relevant programs and services and access to equitable educational opportunities required by the Hispanic Education Act, the Indian Education Act and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act; and

                (6) projected multi-year funding amounts required to meet the education needs of Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities and low-income students.

           C. The comprehensive education plan and projected funding amounts shall align with the court's findings and remedies in existing plans developed by education and tribal community stakeholders, experts and researchers that respond to the court's findings.

           D. The comprehensive plan shall include a teacher workforce strategic plan developed by the public education department and the higher education department to build and sustain a highly qualified, effective and diverse teacher workforce and include elements of teacher recruitment, preparation and professional development, including:

                (1) embedding a bilingual or teaching English to speakers of other languages endorsement and training in special education and culturally and linguistically responsive instruction into all teacher preparation programs in the state, within the existing number of credit hours, by 2024;

                (2) building capacity, recommending standards and implementing programs for the maximum number of in-service teachers to obtain endorsements in bilingual education, teaching English to speakers of other languages or special education, and receive professional development in the areas of special education, racial equity and culturally and linguistically responsive instruction by 2024; and

                (3) increasing Native American and Hispanic teachers in the workforce, especially in rural school districts and school districts with a predominant student body of color.

          E. The public education department shall present the final comprehensive education plan, along with recommendations for multi-year investments targeted to meet the specific needs of Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities and students from low- income families, to the legislature on or before June 1, 2023.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2023 to develop a comprehensive education plan. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2023 shall revert to the general fund.

- 4 -