PUBLIC EDUCATION GOVERNANCE STUDY

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