SJM 2 — COMMIT TO ELIMINATION OF ACHIEVEMENT GAP

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 2 54TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSIO, 2019 INTRODUCED BY Michael Padilla and Christine Trujillo 6 8 10 A JOINT MEMORIAL EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A STRENGTHENED COMMITMENT TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN NEW MEXICO.

145 WHEREAS, according to the national education association, despite decades of overall progress in narrowing achievement gaps, disparities in educational outcomes related to racial and e t 17 ethnic backgrounds persist;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, minority students constitute seventy-five percent = = 19 a l of all students, totaling more than two hundred fifty thousand i a e r 20 students in the state;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, New Mexico is a rising minority-majority state d r e 22 whose minority numbers will continue to increase for c e s k 23 generations to come;

and e a n b 24 WHEREAS, according to the public education department, u [ Latino students make up sixty-one percent of all students in .211204.1 the state, totaling more than two hundred twenty thousand students;

Casey foundation, New Mexico is identified as the worst state in SJM 2 Page 1 which to raise a child;

and WHEREAS, the cultural and linguistic diversity of the e e 17 state and equal opportunity for all New Mexicans should be e e n d 18 fostered;

and = = l ] 19 WHEREAS, the first judicial district court ruled in the a l r i 20 consolidated cases of Yazzie v.

State of New Mexico and t e a t Martinez v.

State of New Mexico that the legislative and m m 21 e d r e 22 executive branches of government must make changes to address c e r c 23 the achievement gap and provide for a "sufficient education" e a n b 24 for all students, which includes funding and programming;

and u [ WHEREAS, as held in the Yazzie/Martinez decision, the .211204.1 - 2 - funding provided has not been sufficient for all districts to provide the programs and services required by the constitution of New Mexico;

and WHEREAS, in the Yazzie/Martinez decision, the court observed that it is the duty of the public education department to provide a constitutionally adequate education system that ensures that New Mexico schools have the resources necessary to give at-risk students the opportunity SJM 2 Page 2 to obtain a uniform and sufficient education that prepares them for college and careers;

and e e 17 WHEREAS, sufficient financial resources must be applied to e e n d 18 combat the achievement gap that minority students face;

= = l ] 19 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE a l r i 20 STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislature's strengthened t e a t commitment to providing sufficient education for all students m m 21 e d r e 22 regardless of race be expressed;

and c e r c 23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all agencies of the state, e a n b 24 school districts and local governments be encouraged to work u [ together to commit to the elimination of the achievement gap .211204.1 - 3 - between minority and non-minority students;

-SJM 42 -Page 83 1025 12 14 16 e e 17 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 [ .211204.1