SENATE BILL 996

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Mark Boitano

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CREATING A CAREER PATHWAYS PILOT PROJECT TO IMPROVE STUDENT PERFORMANCE; PROVIDING FOR REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] CAREER PATHWAYS PILOT PROJECT--CREATED--GOALS--ELIGIBILITY--APPLICATION--REPORTING AND EVALUATION--FUND CREATED.--

          A. The "career pathways pilot project" is created as a seven-year pilot project to determine whether the career pathways education model improves:

                (1) attendance rates;

                (2) student retention;

                (3) grade point average;

                (4) standardized test performance;

                (5) graduation rates;

                (6) transition to post-secondary education and college graduation rates for participants;

                (7) the school's academic ranking for adequate yearly progress; and

                (8) the state's skilled work force.

          B. The statewide pilot project shall be administered by the department and shall provide funding for up to five high schools that have career pathways programs on the effective date of this act and seven high schools that demonstrate interest in having career pathways programs.

          C. The department shall determine application requirements and procedures and criteria for evaluating applications. An applicant shall demonstrate that its career pathways program:

                (1) meets or exceeds department academic content and performance standards;

                (2) provides for concurrent enrollment with a public post-secondary educational institution;

                (3) includes a standards-based integrated curriculum in grades ten through twelve and articulation of the curriculum between the high school and public post-secondary educational institutions;

                (4) includes a community-based learning component;

                (5) provides for professional development for participating teachers; and

                (6) meets other requirements specified by the department.

          D. The department shall establish reporting and evaluation requirements for participating schools, including student and program assessments. The department shall provide interim and final reports to the legislature and the governor on the efficacy of the pilot project and its usefulness as an education model for all high schools.

          E. In addition to legislative appropriations, the department shall seek other public and private grants and donations. Appropriations for the pilot project, grants, donations and income from investment of the fund shall be deposited in the "career pathways pilot project fund" created in the state treasury. The fund shall be administered by the department and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to carry out the purposes of the pilot project. Money from grants and donations shall be expended in accordance with the terms of the grant or donation. Unless otherwise specified by the terms of the grant or donation, money in the fund at the end of the pilot project shall revert to the general fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be by warrants of the secretary of finance and administration drawn pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary or the secretary's authorized representative.

          F. All work products produced at schools funded by this program related to the development, implementation and delivery of career pathways programs shall be shared with the department. Work products include rubrics, curriculum plans, professional development materials, written standards and assessment tools. The department shall use these materials to assemble a library of resources and practices that are portable and repeatable to be used by schools entering into the program after the first year."

     Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the career pathways pilot project fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2006 and subsequent fiscal years to pay the first-year costs of the career pathways pilot project. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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