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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Lujan DATE TYPED: 02/27/01 HB 466
SHORT TITLE: Align Public Schools' Curricula SB
ANALYST: Segura


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
$ 9,000.0 Recurring General Fund



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



State Department of Education (SDE)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



House Bill 466 appropriates $9,000.0 to the SDE for the development and implementation of a computerized learning system that aligns public schools' curricula to Terra-Nova tests, New Mexico Content Standards and Benchmarks and current adopted textbooks.



Significant Issues



The learning system includes testing instruments that diagnose skill deficiencies and prepare lesson plans to address those deficiencies. The learning system will provide reading, language arts and math programs in English and Spanish and have the capacity to be translated into other languages.



According to SDE, New Mexico has established Content Standards and Benchmarks in nine curricular areas. The ability to align assessments, standards and textbooks would be an important tool for classroom teachers. It would give them a management system to keep track of grade-level skills taught, skills mastered and skills needed.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



House Bill 466 appropriates $9,000.0 from the general fund and is recurring.





ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



SDE has staff to accommodate the development and implementation of the system.



RS/ar