Senate joint memorial urges state universities to expand bilingual educator pipelines

Senate Joint Memorial 3, sponsored by Senators Cindy Nava and Angel Charlie, asks the Higher Education Department to work with New Mexico Highlands University, the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and Western New Mexico University to develop joint bilingual education degree programs, expand bilingual faculty and increase scholarships for bilingual educators.

The memorial, described by the sponsors as a step to address New Mexico’s bilingual educator shortage and support preservation of indigenous and Spanish-language instruction, requests that students who earn the state seal of bilingualism and biliteracy receive college credit for language proficiency and urges the Higher Education Department to address bilingual and multicultural education obligations under state law and court rulings including Yazzie Martinez v. New Mexico.

Expert testimony from Elizabeth Valenzuela, an assistant professor at New Mexico Highlands University with two decades of classroom experience, and remarks from Loretta Trujillo of Transform Education New Mexico supported the memorial and emphasized a need to rebuild higher-education faculty capacity after earlier generations of bilingual faculty retired.

Committee members praised the proposal. Senator Stewart called the memorial "exciting" and highlighted provisions to add faculty lines and give credit for the bilingualism seal; Senator Jaramillo noted the cultural importance of protecting indigenous and Hispanic languages. The committee voted to give the memorial a due pass and move it forward to the next stage for consideration by the appropriate committee or the floor.

Sponsors and witnesses said the memorial is a nonbinding, strongly worded request (a memorial) intended to spur investment and coordination to create sustainable bilingual educator pipelines at state institutions.