0001|                       HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 13
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          SHERYL M. WILLIAMS
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|            FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO EXAMINE THE
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0012|     FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AS
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0013|     STATED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR NEW MEXICO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
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0014|     
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0015|          WHEREAS, professional development means high quality,
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0016|     ongoing training with intensive follow-up and support that is
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0017|     designed to improve student achievement; and
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0018|          WHEREAS, professional development should include
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0019|     teachers, administrators, staff members, board members,
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0020|     parents and community members; and
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0021|          WHEREAS, since time and resources are critical for
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0022|     professional development, school districts must examine how to
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0023|     help educators improve subject-matter knowledge, enhance
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0024|     professional skills, implement innovative instructional
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0025|     approaches and discuss concepts and techniques among
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0001|     themselves; and
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0002|          WHEREAS, the goal for professional development in the
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0003|     strategic plan for New Mexico public schools is that
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0004|     professional development for teachers, administrators and
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0005|     other staff members will be implemented within a unified
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0006|     systemic framework that will institutionalize a high-quality
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0007|     dynamic program to support and enhance improved teacher,
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0008|     administrator and staff capability; and
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0009|          WHEREAS, professional development will lead to student
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0010|     achievement by preparing educators to accommodate changing
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0011|     environments, knowledge and learning strategies in the
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0012|     classroom of the future;
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0013|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0014|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico state board of
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0015|     education be requested to examine the feasibility of creating
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0016|     a professional development council whose tasks will be to
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0017|     develop guidelines to implement the professional development
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0018|     goals and objectives in the strategic plan for New Mexico
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0019|     public schools and guidelines to provide a framework that
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0020|     includes guidelines for school districts to formulate long-
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0021|     range professional development plans that meet the needs of
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0022|     their schools and communities as defined in each school
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0023|     district's educational plans for student success and that
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0024|     improve student achievement; and
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0025|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the professional development
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0001|     council include representatives from school districts,
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0002|     colleges of education, educational organizations, the state
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0003|     department of public education and community members; and
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0004|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state department of
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0005|     public education provide recommendations on the feasibility of
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0006|     creating a professional development council to the legislative
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0007|     education study committee no later than October 1, 1998; and
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0008|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0009|     sent to the superintendent of public instruction and the
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0010|     director of the legislative education study committee for
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0011|     appropriate distribution.
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0012|                              
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