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SENATE BILL 461
57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2025
INTRODUCED BY
Shannon D. Pinto
AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CREATING THE LEGISLATIVE EQUITY AND
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION TASK FORCE TO FUNCTION FROM JULY 1,
2025 TO JULY 1, 2029; PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS BY
THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; REQUIRING THE TASK FORCE TO
REVIEW THE MARTINEZ AND YAZZIE CONSOLIDATED LAWSUIT, STUDY
EDUCATION SYSTEMS, EXPENDITURE OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND
MAKE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS; CREATING THE EQUITY AND
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FUND; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN
EDUCATION TASK FORCE.--
A. The legislative interim "equity and excellence
in education task force" is created and shall function from
July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2029. The task force is charged with
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developing a long-term vision and plan with associated goals to
ensure that public school students are prepared for post-
secondary education and the workforce, capable of success in
the national and global economies and able to effectively
participate in civic society.
B. The task force consists of:
(1) six legislative members appointed by the
New Mexico legislative council, including three members from
each chamber of the legislature so as to give the two major
political parties the same proportionate representation on the
task force as prevails in each chamber; provided, however, that
there shall be at least one member from the minority party from
each chamber; and
(2) the following public members appointed by
the New Mexico legislative council:
(a) three teachers who are current or
former "teachers of the year", appointed from a list of
recommendations by the two organizations that represent
teachers in public schools;
(b) two persons with expertise in Indian
education;
(c) two persons with expertise in
bilingual education;
(d) two persons with expertise in
special education;
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(e) three elementary school principals
of Title I schools pursuant to the federal Elementary and
Secondary Education Act appointed from a list of
recommendations by the New Mexico coalition of educational
leaders, one member from an urban school district, one member
from a rural school district and one member from a small town
or suburban school district;
(f) three superintendents of school
districts appointed from a list of recommendations by the New
Mexico superintendents' association, one member from an urban
school district, one member from a rural school district and
one member from a small town or suburban school district;
(g) two representatives of the business
community that are chief executive officers or owners of
businesses in New Mexico, one member appointed from a list of
recommendations by the New Mexico chamber of commerce and one
member appointed from a list recommended by the greater
Albuquerque chamber of commerce; and
(h) two representatives of a department-
approved four-year teacher preparation program at a public
post-secondary educational institution appointed from a list of
recommendations by the New Mexico association of colleges of
teacher education.
C. All members of the task force shall be appointed
by July 1, 2025, and the task force shall hold its first
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meeting by September 1, 2025. The New Mexico legislative
council may appoint advisory members as it deems necessary.
Public members of the task force are entitled to per diem and
mileage at the same rate as public employees pursuant to the
Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other
compensation, perquisite or allowance. The legislative
education study committee and the legislative finance committee
shall provide staff for the task force.
D. The task force shall:
(1) hold at least three meetings during the
legislative interim;
(2) review the Martinez and Yazzie, et al., v.
the State of New Mexico consolidated lawsuit, including the
decision and order, the finding of fact and conclusions of law
and the final judgment issued by the first judicial district
court and any pleadings filed after February 28, 2019;
(3) study high-performing education systems,
locally, regionally and nationally, to learn best practices;
(4) study how the department, school districts
and public schools are using state and federal funding to close
achievement and opportunity gaps and improve educational
outcomes for all students; and
(5) make findings and recommendations to
ensure:
(a) equitable access to high-quality and
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culturally and linguistically relevant curriculum, instruction
and instructional resources;
(b) that the public school workforce is
competent, stable and culturally and linguistically
representative of the students in the state;
(c) the development of culturally and
linguistically relevant whole-child supports, including trauma-
informed teaching practices, wraparound services and community
partnerships and parent and family engagement; and
(d) the effective coordination and
collaboration among state agencies, boards of education of
school districts, charter school governing bodies, public
schools, tribal governments, the business sector and post-
secondary educational institutions.
E. On or before September 1, 2026 and September 1
of each succeeding year, the task force shall provide an
interim report of its findings and recommendations to the
governor and the legislature. On or before July 1, 2029, the
task force shall provide its final report to the governor and
the legislature and if the task force provides legislative
proposals, the legislative education study committee and the
legislative finance committee shall consider those proposals
before the end of the 2029 legislative interim.
F. The "equity and excellence in education fund" is
created as a reverting fund in the state treasury. The fund
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consists of appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. The
fund shall be administered by the public education department,
and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to pay
per diem and mileage expenses of public members of the task
force, expert witnesses and other necessary expenses of the
task force. Expenditures from the fund shall be by warrant of
the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to
vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the
secretary's authorized representative.
SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Two hundred fifty thousand
dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the public education
reform fund to the equity and excellence in education fund for
expenditure in fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out the
purposes of the equity and excellence in education fund. Any
unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of
fiscal year 2029 shall revert to the public education reform
fund.
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