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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Sanchez, B.

 

DATE TYPED:

2/20/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Require Health Credit for Graduation

 

SB

488

 

 

ANALYST:

L. Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Conflicts with: SB 74, Repeal Marching Band Credit

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

State Department of Education (SDE)

Department of Health (DOH)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 488 amends the Public School Code, Section 22-2-8.4 NMSA 1978 to add one-half credit in health to the list of graduation requirements, makes the changes effective beginning with school year 2003-2004; substitutes the term “education for “fitness” in the physical fitness requirement; and adds marching band to the list of activities that, with local school board approval, may be used for physical fitness (education) credit.

 

     Significant Issues

 

This bill reduces the number of electives to 8.5 from 9 and adds a requirement for a one-half credit health education course that some school districts may already be offering.  The DOH and the SDE both cite the importance of physical activity to good health and to developing healthy, life-long skills and practices.  With regard to the inclusion of marching band as an alternative to a physical education course, the DOH analysis cites a study conducted pursuant to SJM 17 and HJM 40 that were passed during the 2002 Legislative Session.  One recommendation from this study was: “Do not allow alternative credits for the physical education graduation requirement.”  The SDE analysis appears to support this recommendation.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The fiscal implications of this bill are indeterminate.  It is not known whether additional staff will be needed or whether school districts can accommodate the new requirement with existing staff. 

 

Changing the terms “physical fitness” to “physical education”, according to SDE, will require that instructors be certified\endorsed in physical education.  It is not known whether this will have any impact on school districts’ staffing needs.

 

AMENDMENTS

 

The DOH suggests deleting language on page 3, line 1, in Section 1.8, “with the approval of the local school board, participation in marching band or on an athletic sport during the school day may count toward fulfillment of the physical education required unit”

 

LRB/njw