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SENATE MEMORIAL 67

TH LEGISLATURE

- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -

FIRST SESSION

, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

A MEMORIAL

RECOMMENDING A STUDY OF COSTS OF A THREE-TIERED SALARY

STRUCTURE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDERS.

WHEREAS, instructional support providers, including

nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social

workers and counselors, are essential to children's learning in

New Mexico schools; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico schools must recruit and retain

qualified instructional support staff to cope more adequately

with the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of

2001; and

WHEREAS, most of the instructional support providers,

including physical therapists, occupational therapists,

audiologists, diagnosticians, psychologists, social workers and

speech and language pathologists, are included in the state

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public school funding formula; and

WHEREAS, nurses and counselors are not included in the

public school funding formula; and

WHEREAS, instructional support providers generate revenue

through the public school funding formula and medicaid billing;

and

WHEREAS, teachers and other staff are on a three-tiered

salary structure;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE

OF NEW MEXICO that the department of finance and

administration, the legislative education study committee and

the public education department be requested to study the cost

of creating a three-tiered salary structure for all

instructional support providers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that during that cost-study

process, those departments seek input from the various

instructional support provider associations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the cost-study working

committee be composed of appointees of each of the departments

and report to the legislative education study committee and the

legislative finance committee by October 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the legislative education study committee and

the legislative finance committee and the secretaries of public

education and finance and administration.