Public Education in New Mexico

APPENDIX 5: State Department of Education Public School Reform Act of 1986, Legislative Changes Summary—Effective Dates

228 Appendix 5 State Department of Education Public School Reform Act of 1986, Legislative Changes Summary—Effective Dates 1986–1987 • Sets requirements for high school graduation beginning with 1986–87 9th graders (adds units, courses, competency tests). • Criteria for participation in gifted program defined; gifted programs to be studied. • Sets academic criteria for participation in extracurricular activities. • Parents must receive notification of failing student. • Parents and staff to participate in textbook selection, development of discipline, and other policies. • Increased academic requirements for teacher certification (beginning with freshman class of 1986–87). • Increases requirements for student teaching and requires 14 weeks student teaching (some early, some late in training), in order to be certified. • Repeals tenure rights. • Establishes arbitration procedures: reemployment and discharge situations. • Teachers not held liable for reports of student discipline or drug violations. • Pledge of Allegiance required daily. • $2200 salary increase, including employee benefits. • Administrators must serve a one-year apprenticeship. • Administrators must participate in training every 2 years. • Freezes salaries for one year for administrators earning over $40,000. • Small schools can use previous year ADM for funding. • Districts must file 1985–86 and 1986–87 salary schedule with Office of Education. • SDE must approve administrator training. • SDE must develop administrator competencies. 1987–1988 • Sets maximum class size at 20 students for kindergarten and grade one (aide available with 15 at grade one), or, with approval of the state superintendent, kindergarten maximum of 26 with aide at 21; grade 1 maximum of 26 with aide at 24. • Students must master competencies, or participate in remediation or an alternative program. (Delayed until 1989–90.) • Sets minimum length of school day and minimum required instructional days. • Establishes mandatory kindergarten. (Delayed until 1988–89.) • Parents can be fined for truant student. • Teachers are released from noninstructional duties (noon, cafeteria, ground and bus duty) (counselors excepted). Limited to noon recess—counselors included. • Sets minimum instructional time for academic subjects, other topics of study limited. • More alternative and remedial programs may be required. (Delayed until 1989–90.) • Requires more student testing in reading and writing. • Districts must develop school discipline policy. • SDE must provide magistrate judges training on compulsory attendance laws. (Repealed.) • SDE must provide essential competencies for students. • Student absences for extracurricular activities limited to maximum of 10 times per semester. • Students must have grade point average of 2.0 for grading period preceding participation. 1988–1989 • Sets maximum class size at 24 students for grade 3, or, with the approval of the state superintendent, a maximum of 29 with aide at 23. • Sets maximum class load per day of 160 students for grades 7 through 12. • Sets maximum class load per day of 135 students for English courses in grades 7 and 8, with a maximum of 27 students per class. • Sets maximum class load per day of 150 students for Appendix 5 229 English courses in grades 9 through 12, with a maximum of 30 students per class. • Student absences for extracurricular activities limited to maximum of 7 times per semester. (Changed to maximum of 10 per semester. 1989–1990 • Sets maximum class size at 24 students for grade 3, or, with approval of the state superintendent, a maximum of 29 with aide at 25; kindergarten and first grade, a maximum of 20 with aide at 15. • Student absences for extracurricular activities limited to maximum of 5 times per semester. (Changed to maximum of 7 per semester.) 1990–1991 • Sets maximum class size at 25 students for grades 4 through 6, or, with approval of state superintendent, maximum of 29 with aide at 25. • Student absences for extracurricular activities limited to maximum of 5 times per semester. SDE = State Department of Education ADM = Average daily membership Appendix 5 230 ...