0001| HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 24
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0002| 43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
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0003| INTRODUCED BY
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0004| JAMES ROGER MADALENA
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0005|
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0006|
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0007|
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0008| FOR THE INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
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0009|
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0010| A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011| ENCOURAGING AN INCREASE IN THE STAFF OF THE INDIAN EDUCATION
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0012| DIVISION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO IMPROVE
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0013| THE STATUS OF INDIAN STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
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0014|
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0015| WHEREAS, in 1975 the Indian education division was created
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0016| within the state department of public education to provide
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0017| direct assistance to tribes and school districts so that the
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0018| education needs of Indian students enrolled in public schools
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0019| in New Mexico would be addressed; and
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0020| WHEREAS, New Mexico is home to twenty-two indigenous
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0021| Indian tribes, including the Navajo, Jicarilla Apache,
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0022| Mescalero Apache and nineteen Pueblo tribes, comprising ten and
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0023| four-tenths percent of the student population; and
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0024| WHEREAS, there are thirty-three thousand eight hundred
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0025| thirty American Indian students in the New Mexico public school
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0001| system; and
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0002| WHEREAS, Indian students have unique educational needs
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0003| stemming from a richness and difference in language, culture
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0004| and history and these needs must be addressed by our
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0005| educational system; and
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0006| WHEREAS, at the White House conference on Indian education
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0007| in 1991, one continuing need identified was for improved
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0008| training and selection of teachers for public schools serving
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0009| predominantly Indian populations, as well as the development of
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0010| curriculum that considers the cultural differences of Indian
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0011| students; and
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0012| WHEREAS, according to the Iowa tests of basic skills given
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0013| in 1994-95, in comparison to other ethnic groups tested,
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0014| including Anglos, Hispanics and Blacks, American Indian
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0015| students scored the lowest in all three subtests given; and
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0016| WHEREAS, according to the policy statement on Indian
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0017| education approved by the state board of education in 1986, the
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0018| state's mission is to provide equal opportunities for all
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0019| students, including American Indians; and
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0020| WHEREAS, the policy statement issued by the state board of
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0021| education encourages systemic reform that emphasizes local
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0022| control and government-to-government relationships with the
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0023| tribes as well as a shared responsibility with tribal entities
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0024| and Indian parents toward the goal of quality education; and
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0025| WHEREAS, all concerned with the education of Indian
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0001| students, including parents, school districts, local school
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0002| boards, the superintendent of public instruction, the state
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0003| department of public education and the tribes, must find ways
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0004| to address the high dropout rate, high absenteeism rate and low
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0005| achievement test scores of Indian students; and
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0006| WHEREAS, to improve the status of Indian students in
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0007| public schools, parental involvement is needed as well as the
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0008| involvement of Indian communities in textbook and material
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0009| assessment to ensure the quality and appropriateness of texts
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0010| used in public schools; and
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0011| WHEREAS, with the small staff of the Indian education
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0012| division, it is difficult if not impossible to address the
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0013| serious needs of Indian students in the state; and
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0014| WHEREAS, the Indian education center for excellence,
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0015| established in 1990 as a special project under the division to
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0016| research and identify effective educational practices
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0017| reflecting tribal perspectives, was terminated June 30, 1996;
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0018| and
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0019| WHEREAS, the mission of the Indian education division can
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0020| only be accomplished through planning, development,
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0021| implementation and evaluation of programs currently designed
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0022| for Indian students; and
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0023| WHEREAS, the division also serves as a liaison between
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0024| tribes, the state department of public education, the local
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0025| education agencies, federal programs and other agencies that
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0001| directly affect services for Indian students; and
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0002| WHEREAS, the state needs a well-staffed office that is
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0003| totally dedicated to improving Indian education and helping
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0004| Indian students to be competitive within the public school
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0005| system;
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0006| NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0007| STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the staff of the Indian education
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0008| division be increased so that the status of Indian students in
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0009| public schools will improve; and
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0010| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0011| sent to the superintendent of public instruction, the director
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0012| of the Indian education division, the director of the
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0013| legislative finance committee and director of the legislative
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0014| education study committee staff.
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0015|
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0016|
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0017| FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
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0018| FIRST SESSION, 1997
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0019|
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0020|
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0021| March 15, 1997
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0022|
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0023| Mr. President:
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0024|
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0025| Your EDUCATION COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred
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0001|
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0002| HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 24
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0003|
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0004| has had it under consideration and reports same with
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0005| recommendation that it DO PASS.
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0006|
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0007| Respectfully submitted,
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0008|
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0009|
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0010|
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0011|
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0012| __________________________________
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0013| Cynthia Nava, Chairman
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0014|
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0015|
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0016|
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0017| Adopted_______________________ Not
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0018| Adopted_______________________
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0019| (Chief Clerk) (Chief Clerk)
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0020|
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0021|
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0022|
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0023| Date ________________________
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0024|
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0025|
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0001| The roll call vote was 6 For 0 Against
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0002| Yes: 6
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0003| No: 0
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0004| Excused: Boitano, Duran, Gorham, Rawson
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0005| Absent: None
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0006|
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0007|
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0008| HJ024ED1
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