STUDY FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES

HM044

HOUSE MEMORIAL 44

57
th legislature
- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -
second session
, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

E. Diane Torres-Velásquez and Pamelya Herndon

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY
THE CURRENT STATE OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES, MODELS AND
POLICIES IN NEW MEXICO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO RECOMMEND
STRATEGIES FOR SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT.

WHEREAS, decades of research demonstrate that effective
family engagement in schools is a critical predictor of student
success, comparable in influence to teacher quality, school
leadership and rigorous curriculum; and

WHEREAS, the principle of "universal family engagement" is
embraced by the public education department in its family
engagement policies and practices; and

WHEREAS, parents from many New Mexico communities may
experience systemic barriers to family engagement, and these
barriers may impede access to the social capital and
understanding of the education system necessary to take
effective action on behalf of their children; and

WHEREAS, the public education department's website
indicates the vision for family engagement is "To build a
future where authentic partnerships among families, schools,
and communities drive equity, connection, and academic success
for every student across New Mexico"; and

WHEREAS, family engagement is an ongoing process of
schools partnering with all families rather than just a select
few and has been shown to improve school culture, reduce
teacher burnout and close equity gaps for students from
historically marginalized communities; and

WHEREAS, among the priorities of the Hispanic Education
Act are the improvement of educational systems that affect the
success of Hispanic students, the encouragement and fostering
of parental involvement and the provision of mechanisms for
parents to work with other stakeholders to improve educational
opportunities for Hispanic students; and

WHEREAS, professional development in family engagement has
not been prioritized in New Mexico despite research showing
that students with engaged families are significantly more
likely to attend school regularly, earn higher grades, enroll
in advanced courses, demonstrate better social skills and
graduate on time; and

WHEREAS, despite its importance, many educators report a
lack of formal training in family engagement strategies, with
national surveys indicating that, while more than seventy
percent of parents believe teacher training in this area is
vital, less than twenty percent of teachers report receiving
the training; and

WHEREAS, current family engagement practices across New
Mexico vary significantly by district and school, often relying
on the efforts of individual educators rather than a systemic,
supported framework; and

WHEREAS, the legislative education study committee is
charged with the continuous study of all matters relating to
public schools in New Mexico and the recommendation of
legislation to improve the quality of education;

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 conduct a
comprehensive study of family engagement practices across the
state during the 2026 interim; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study:

A. include an assessment of current family
engagement frameworks and evidence-based practices used by New
Mexico school districts and charter schools;

B. identify systemic barriers that prevent families
from meaningfully engaging with their schools;

C. include a review of evidence-based "universal
family engagement" models and community school frameworks;

D. include an analysis of current professional
development opportunities for teachers and administrators
regarding family engagement; and

E. include recommendations for legislative,
regulatory or budgetary actions to support systemic family
engagement, including potential funding mechanisms for
dedicated family liaison positions in schools or districts and
teacher and administrator training programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education
study committee be requested to present its findings and
recommendations to the New Mexico legislative council by August
31, 2026 and to publish the findings and recommendations on the
legislative education study committee's website no later than
September 30, 2026; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the:

A. legislative education study committee;

B. director of the legislative finance committee;

C. governor;

D. secretary of public education;

E. directors of all bilingual multicultural
education programs of the language and culture division of the
public education department;

F. all Pueblo council of governors;

G. bilingual multicultural education advisory
council;

H. Black education advisory council;

I. deputy secretary of special education of the
public education department;

J. business committee of the Fort Sill Apache
Tribe;

K. Hispanic education advisory council;

L. Indian education advisory council;

M. legislative council of the Jicarilla Apache
Nation;

N. tribal council of the Mescalero Apache Tribe;

O. Navajo Nation council;

P. New Mexico coalition of educational leaders;

Q. New Mexico school boards association;

R. New Mexico school superintendents association;

S. president of the Albuquerque teachers
federation;

T. president of the American federation of
teachers; and

U. president of the New Mexico parent teacher
association.

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