STUDY PUBLIC SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS

HM058

HOUSE MEMORIAL 58

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

INTRODUCED BY

Raymundo Lara

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE AND THE
LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF PUBLIC
SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS, WHETHER THE BARRIERS CONTRIBUTE
TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY
OTHER STATES TO ADDRESS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.

WHEREAS, addressing chronic absenteeism is a significant
challenge for public schools; and

WHEREAS, since the public health emergency declared in
2020, the percentage of students who are chronically absent has
remained high, and during the 2023-2024 school year, more than
one hundred twenty-four thousand students missed at least
eighteen school days; and

WHEREAS, research indicates that transportation barriers,
including limited bus routes, insufficient transportation
funding, distance thresholds in public school transportation
policy and family scheduling challenges, substantially
contribute to student absenteeism, particularly in rural areas
and charter schools; and

WHEREAS, students deemed to live within a close distance
from the students' public schools also face transportation
barriers because state law only requires bus services for
students living beyond a certain distance from a public school,
leaving many families without reliable transportation options;
and

WHEREAS, administrators and teachers report that a lack of
training in state attendance policies and limited resources to
address transportation barriers affect the ability of public
schools to address chronic absenteeism; and

WHEREAS, other states have improved student attendance
rates by implementing innovative strategies, including school
bus route optimization, partnerships to provide student
transportation and technology-assisted transportation planning;
and

WHEREAS, the legislative education study committee and the
legislative finance committee are able to act on behalf of the
legislature to evaluate evidence-based innovative strategies
implemented by other states to determine if those strategies
can reduce or eliminate transportation barriers for New Mexico
students and address chronic absenteeism;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative
education study committee and the legislative finance committee
be requested to conduct a study during the 2026 legislative
interim to:

A. examine whether transportation barriers for New
Mexico students contribute to chronic absenteeism and whether
transportation barriers particularly contribute to chronic
absenteeism of students in rural areas, students attending
charter schools and students deemed to live within a close
distance from a public school;

B. identify innovative strategies implemented by
other states that have reduced or eliminated transportation
barriers and addressed chronic absenteeism; and

C. review the effectiveness of existing state
funding for transportation and review whether that funding is
administered equitably; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative education
study committee and the legislative finance committee report
the findings of the study and recommendations for legislative
or executive action on or before December 31, 2026; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the governor, the secretary of public education,
the chair of the legislative education study committee and the
chair of the legislative finance committee.