HM 30

1A MEMORIAL
2  REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY
3  PUBLIC EDUCATION GOVERNANCE.
4
5WHEREAS, New Mexico's education system is complex and
6  shaped by diverse communities, unique strengths and
7  longstanding commitments to educational improvement, and
8  continued refinement of governance structures presents an
9  opportunity to strengthen coherence, continuity and shared
10 statewide vision for student success; and
11      WHEREAS, the Martinez-Yazzie v. State of New Mexico
12 education sufficiency ruling found the state had failed to
13 meet its constitutional obligation for at-risk students and
14 called for a comprehensive statewide plan, clear
15 implementation, monitoring and accountability structures; and
16      WHEREAS, the legislative education study committee
17 analysis of strategic plans developed by entities across New
18 Mexico shows substantial overlap in goals but limited
19 systemic coherence, resulting in an uneven approach to
20 improvement and unclear roles and responsibilities across the
21 education ecosystem; and
22      WHEREAS, long-term educational planning can be
23 strengthened by structures that support continuity across
24 administrations, reduce the impact of short-term policy
25 shifts and promote stable, collaborative approaches to  HM 30
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1  statewide educational goals; and
2WHEREAS, high-performing education systems globally and
3  in the United States share common governance features,
4  including inclusive cross-sector planning groups,
5  legislatively authorized long-term commissions and structures
6  to create a coherent vision linking education to economic and
7  civic prosperity; and
8WHEREAS, national and international research indicates
9  that jurisdictions rapidly improving the jurisdictions'
10 education systems often have governance structures that set a
11 jurisdiction-wide vision; link education to economic goals;
12 learn systematically from national and global exemplars;
13 sustain progress across political transitions; and
14 intentionally include educators, youth and communities in
15 decision-making; and
16      WHEREAS, states such as Maryland, Michigan, Montana,
17 Nevada and Pennsylvania have created formal commissions to
18 design statewide visions, align agencies, develop multi-year
19 implementation strategies and embed evaluation through
20 independent oversight bodies, illustrating actionable models
21 for New Mexico as it considers its own structures; and
22      WHEREAS, New Mexico's own context, including the
23 Martinez-Yazzie v. State of New Mexico ruling, diverse
24 student population, rural-urban variation, tribal sovereignty
25 and significant investments in education initiatives,  HM 30
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1  requires a governance approach that both responds to
2  immediate needs and anticipates future challenges; and
3WHEREAS, long-term planning efforts indicate that New
4  Mexico may benefit from a structure that coordinates
5  statewide vision, supports effective implementation, monitors
6  progress and sustains improvement across leadership
7  transitions; and
8WHEREAS, a formal, legislatively authorized working
9  group could evaluate options for such a structure, assess
10 roles and responsibilities across agencies and levels of
11 governance and make recommendations that clarify authority,
12 strengthen system capacity, improve coherence and help ensure
13 that all New Mexico students receive equitable, high-quality
14 educational opportunities;
15      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
16 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the
17 legislative education study committee be requested to study
18 public education governance; and
19      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the importance of an
20 effective public school governance system be acknowledged and
21 that the legislative education study committee be requested
22 to convene a working group focused on education governance
23 and long-term educational planning during the 2026 interim
24 and make recommendations on the purpose, feasibility,
25 structure, time line and composition of a potential education   HM 30
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1  commission, including a review of options for establishing a
2  statewide education commission; a review of New Mexico
3  statutes governing education systems; strategies to
4  strengthen system capacity and coherence; how long-term
5  planning can support the state's response to the
6  Martinez-Yazzie v. State of New Mexico case; a review of
7  existing strategic plans addressing education in New Mexico;
8  and the fiscal, staffing and statutory considerations
9  necessary to implement any recommended governance structure;
10 and
11BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education
12 study committee be requested to work with the legislative
13 finance committee; the public education department; the early
14 childhood education and care department; the higher education
15 department; the Indian affairs department; the children's
16 cabinet; community, research and nonprofit organizations with
17 expertise in education, systems design or long-term planning;
18 public school educators; Indian nations, tribes and pueblos;
19 and other individuals as requested by the legislative
20 education study committee; and
21BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education
22 study committee develop a process for additional members of
23 the working group to be determined, including appointment by
24 the executive branch and legislative branch; and
25BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group be  HM 30
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1  authorized to organize subgroups to study distinct aspects of
2  education governance and planning; and
3BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education
4  study committee be requested to publish a report of its
5  research and recommendations by November 30, 2026; and
6BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
7  transmitted to the director of the legislative education study
8  committee, the director of the legislative finance committee,
9  the secretary of public education and the governor.  HM 30
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