HOUSE MEMORIAL 58

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Raymundo Lara

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE AND THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS, WHETHER THE BARRIERS CONTRIBUTE TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY OTHER STATES TO ADDRESS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.

     WHEREAS, addressing chronic absenteeism is a significant challenge for public schools; and

     WHEREAS, since the public health emergency declared in 2020, the percentage of students who are chronically absent has remained high, and during the 2023-2024 school year, more than one hundred twenty-four thousand students missed at least eighteen school days; and

     WHEREAS, research indicates that transportation barriers, including limited bus routes, insufficient transportation funding, distance thresholds in public school transportation policy and family scheduling challenges, substantially contribute to student absenteeism, particularly in rural areas and charter schools; and

     WHEREAS, students deemed to live within a close distance from the students' public schools also face transportation barriers because state law only requires bus services for students living beyond a certain distance from a public school, leaving many families without reliable transportation options; and

     WHEREAS, administrators and teachers report that a lack of training in state attendance policies and limited resources to address transportation barriers affect the ability of public schools to address chronic absenteeism; and

     WHEREAS, other states have improved student attendance rates by implementing innovative strategies, including school bus route optimization, partnerships to provide student transportation and technology-assisted transportation planning; and

     WHEREAS, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee are able to act on behalf of the legislature to evaluate evidence-based innovative strategies implemented by other states to determine if those strategies can reduce or eliminate transportation barriers for New Mexico students and address chronic absenteeism;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee be requested to conduct a study during the 2026 legislative interim to:

          A. examine whether transportation barriers for New Mexico students contribute to chronic absenteeism and whether transportation barriers particularly contribute to chronic absenteeism of students in rural areas, students attending charter schools and students deemed to live within a close distance from a public school;

          B. identify innovative strategies implemented by other states that have reduced or eliminated transportation barriers and addressed chronic absenteeism; and

          C. review the effectiveness of existing state funding for transportation and review whether that funding is administered equitably; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee report the findings of the study and recommendations for legislative or executive action on or before December 31, 2026; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the secretary of public education, the chair of the legislative education study committee and the chair of the legislative finance committee.