HM 45 — REVIEW CIVICS EDUCATION

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 45REQUESTING 54THTHE LEGISLATURE-PUBLIC STATEEDUCATION OFDEPARTMENT NEWTO MEXICOFORM -A FIRSTTASK SESSIO,FORCE 2019TO INTRODUCEDREVIEW BYCIVICS LindaEDUCATION M.IN SCHOOLS AND TO PROPOSE AN IMPROVED CURRICULUM TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIP.

Trujillo7 6WHEREAS, 8national 10polls Ahave MEMORIALrecorded REQUESTINGhistoric THElows PUBLICin EDUCATIONpopular DEPARTMENTtrust TOfor FORMall Athree TASKbranches FORCEof TOthe REVIEWfederal CIVICSgovernment; EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AND TO PROPOSE AN IMPROVED CURRICULUM TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIP.

16and WHEREAS, nationalthere pollsis haveabundant recordedevidence historicof lowsa inlow elevel tof 17understanding popularof trustthe forUnited allStates threeconstitution, branchesthe United States' system of thegovernment federaland government;American history in general;

wand lWHEREAS, nthe d2010 18civics andassessment =of =the 19national aassessment lof WHEREAS,educational thereprogress isof abundantthe evidencenational ofcenter afor loweducation levelstates ofthat ionly atwenty-seven epercent rof 20fourth understandinggraders, oftwenty-two thepercent Unitedof Stateseighth constitution,graders theand Unitedtwenty-four apercent tof mtwelfth mgraders 21achieved States'test systemresults ofat governmentor andabove Americanthe historyproficient level in general;civics;

d r e 22 and c e s k 23 WHEREAS, the 2010 civics assessment of the national e a n b 24 assessment of educational progress of the national center for u [ education states that only twenty-seven percent of fourth .213705.1 graders, twenty-two percent of eighth graders and twenty-four percent of twelfth graders achieved test results at or above the proficient level in civics;

and WHEREAS, the blueprint for the assessment recommends HM 45 Page 1 that the assessment should be organized around three main components:

the e e 17 foundations of the American political system;

government e e n d 18 established by the constitution to embody the purpose, values = = l ] 19 and principles of American democracy;

the relationship of the a l r i 20 United States to other nations and to world affairs;

and the t e a t roles of citizens in American democracy;

and m m 21 e d r e 22 WHEREAS, the intellectual skills component covers those c e r c 23 skills of mind and action that allow individuals to apply civic e a n b 24 knowledge to good effect by identifying, describing, u [ explaining, analyzing, evaluating, taking and defending .213705.1 - 2 - positions;

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and WHEREAS, prior to the 1960s, courses encouraging students e e 17 to explore their roles as citizens and discuss current issues e e n d 18 were common, while today such classes are rare;

and = = l ] 19 WHEREAS, civics education instead is typically rolled into a l r i 20 a course about the United States government with little time t e a t devoted to exploring how students can participate in the m m 21 e d r e 22 democratic process, according to a recent survey from the c e r c 23 national center for learning and civic engagement;

and e a n b 24 WHEREAS, public trust in government is at only eighteen u [ percent, and voter participation has reached its lowest point .213705.1 - 3 - since 1996;

and HM 45 Page 3 WHEREAS, New Mexico social studies standards as part of high school graduation requirements are already guided by New Mexico statutes and administrative codes that call for competence in the subject of social studies, but those standards fall short of the knowledge and confidence required to fulfill the vital functions of citizenry at this challenging time for the state and country;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF e e 17 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that for the health e e n d 18 of democracy and to maintain a vibrant, active community that = = l ] 19 will participate knowledgeably in government for the creation a l r i 20 and maintenance of a society that reflects the values of t e a t equality, liberty and justice for all on which the nation was m m 21 e d r e 22 founded, the public education department be requested to c e r c 23 convene a civics education task force to determine how to e a n b 24 improve civics curriculum in New Mexico schools;

and u [ BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the civics education task .213705.1 - 4 - force be composed of the following members or the designees of those members:

the executive, the HM 45 Page 4 legislative and the judicial;

teachers who have demonstrated innovative methods of teaching civic engagement, such as mock trials and e e 17 mock elections;

e e n d 18 H.

= = l ] 19 and a l r i 20 I.

citizen organization leaders dedicated to t e a t raising civic awareness and participation;

and m m 21 e d r e 22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the civics education task c e r c 23 force seek the input of nationwide experts from institutions e a n b 24 such as the national assessment of educational progress, the u [ center for civic education, the national conference of state .213705.1 - 5 - legislatures, the national center for state courts and other local, state, county and municipal stakeholders;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the civics education task force present a report of its activities and a draft of proposed curriculum for elementary and secondary schools in New Mexico that will address the need for more comprehensive and effective civics education to the appropriate interim HM 45 Page 5 legislative committee by November 1, 2019;

-HM 645 -Page 136 155 e7 e9 1725 e e n d 18 = = l ] 19 a l r i 20 t e a t m m 21 e d r e 22 c e r c 23 e a n b 24 u [ .213705.1