Martinez and Yazzie Consolidated Lawsuit Update
No. D-101-CV-2014-00793
October 22, 2019
(pp. 1-2)
We are excited to connect with you at this time regarding our collective work to address the needs of New Mexico’s students, families and communities. We recognize that there is a lot of energy and commitment to the transformation of our education system which begins with shared leadership and focus. The purpose of this letter is to provide information about select changes that will be required as a result of the recent school funding lawsuits, Martinez v. State of New Mexico and Yazzie v. State of New Mexico1. The New Mexico Constitution instructs the State to develop a uniform system of public schools sufficient for the education of New Mexico students.The Court’s decision and order in the Martinez and Yazzie consolidated lawsuit held that New Mexico has not met its duty to provide an education to the state’s “at-risk” students, including those who are economically disadvantaged, Native American, English learners, or students with disabilities. The Court further found the Indian Education Act (IEA), the Hispanic Education Act (HEA), and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act (BMEA),which were enacted to help many of these students succeed, were not being fully implemented. The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED)agrees with the Court that“no education system can be sufficient for the education of all children unless it is founded on the sound principle that every child can learn and succeed[.]2”
Similarly, the New Mexico Legislature found that the key to success is having a multicultural education system3 that:
1.attracts and retains quality and diverse teachers to teach New Mexico’s multicultural student population;
2.holds teachers, students, schools, districts,and the state accountable;
3.integrates the cultural strengths of its diverse student population into the curriculum with high expectations for all students;
4.recognizes that cultural diversity in the state presents special challenges for policymakers, administrators, teachers,and students;
5.provides students with a rigorous and relevant high school curriculum that prepares them to succeed in college and the workplace; and
6.elevates the importance of public education in the state by clarifying the governance structure at different levels.
CRT is especially pertinent since NM Yazzie/Martinez case emphasizes addressing the need for teachers to communicate with students in culturally and linguistically responsive ways; draw on students’ cultures to shape curricula and instruction in their classroom; to encourage respect for student differences; and to collaborate with families in the community.
Free EdWebinar for Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching