NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates appropriation: House Bill 82 and Senate Bill 307

Relates to House Bills 74, 136, 269, 428, House Joint Memorial 5, and Senate Bills 4, 10, 22, 38, 40, 54, 138, 336 and 505

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 34 appropriates $4.0 million from the general fund to the State Department of Education (SDE) to provide intensive summer education programs for grades one through three.

Significant Issues

The focus of the intensive summer programs funded by this bill is on literacy, but may include math and science programs, and shall be taught by certified instructors.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $4.0 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY02 shall revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPACT

Implementation of this bill would require the SDE to develop rules and regulations regarding allocation of funding to local school districts and to develop summer program requirements. Administering, monitoring, and evaluating the effectiveness of these summer programs would be an additional SDE responsibly and would require significant staff time. The SDE anticipates that additional staff may be necessary to implement this new program.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

Duplicate Appropriation in Senate Bill 307 and House Bill 82 - Section 7 of these bills makes STUDENT IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATIONS.--The following amount is appropriated from the general fund to the state department of public education for expenditure in fiscal year 2002:

A. four million sixty-three thousand three hundred dollars ($4,063,300) to pay teachers to teach intensive summer education programs for students in need of assistance.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The following is provided for information only. It is not intended as a commentary on the merits of the program/project:

The Legislative Education Study Committee did not recommend funding this program in their Report to the First Session of the Forty-Fifth Legislature. The Committee did recommend appropriating $1.0 million for reading improvement incentives for programs such as Even Start.

According to the SDE, educators regard the first three years of public schooling as the most important years of a student's academic life. These years provide the academic, social, and behavioral tools and skills necessary for subsequent success in school. The State Board of Education in its Strategic Plan, promotes "early literacy (1.1)" and alternative programs for "students who are not successful in school(4.5)." With the change enacted by the 44th Legislature to Section 22-2-8.6 NMSA 1978, regarding promotion and retention programs, school districts are required to provide students with academic improvement plans if they are not achieving state standards. Enactment of this bill would provide funding to support intensive summer remediation programs for those students in need and enrichment activities in literacy, science and math for all students.

LG/ar