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





SPONSOR: Miera DATE TYPED: 3/7/01 HB 552
SHORT TITLE: Fund Professional Development Academy SB
ANALYST: Wilson


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
$ 300.0 Recurring General Fund



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)





SOURCES OF INFORMATION



State Department of Public Education (SDE)



SUMMARY



     Synopsis Of Bill



HB 522 appropriates $300,000 to the SDE to fund a professional development academy for teachers. The academy is designed to improve student literacy by designing a professional development program for reading, math and science teachers that will provide participants with work-related experiences for use in classroom instruction.



     Significant Issues



HB 552 addresses both improvement of student literacy and ongoing professional development for teachers, which are integral parts of the State Board of Education's Strategic Plan.

The State Board of Education's Literacy Policy states that educators must be provided with professional development opportunities which focus on specific, structured and practical research-based strategies. In order to be effective, professional development should be conducted over time rather than as a one-shot occurrence.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



HB 552 appropriates $300,000 from the general fund to the SDE to fund a professional development academy in fiscal year 2002. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2002 shall revert to the general fund.



Expenditure of this appropriation is contingent upon obtaining an equal or greater amount of matching funds from sources other than state funds.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



The SDE indicates that current staff can handle this project; however, should a significant number of such tasks be approved beyond the amount normally approved by the Legislature, the SDE might require additional staffing.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



The SDE notes that according to results of the 1998 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), New Mexico students scored at the proficient level as follows: 4th grade reading: 22 percent, 4th grade math: 13 percent; 8th grade reading: 24 percent, 8th grade math: 14 percent; and 8th grade science: 19 percent.



On the New Mexico Achievement Assessment (2000), the percent of students at or above proficient was as follows: 4th grade language arts and reading 57 percent; 8th grade language arts/reading 37 percent; 4th grade math 35 percent; 8th grade math 24 percent; 4th grade science 28 percent; 8th grade science 39 percent.



RS/njw