Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance
committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports
if they are used for other purposes.
Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).
Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and
attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.
F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Nava
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
1/29/2007
HB
SHORT TITLE Science Education and Teacher Outreach Program SB 29
ANALYST Schuss
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
$300.0
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates HB111
Relates to SB24 and HB109
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Public Education Department (PED)
Higher education Department (HED)
NMSU Biology Department (NMSU)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 29 appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund to the board of regents of New
Mexico State University to pay for a science education enhancement and kindergarten through
grade twelve teacher outreach program.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $300,000 contained in this bill is recurring expense to the General Fund.
Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the
General Fund.
This proposal was submitted to the New Mexico Higher Education Department by New Mexico
pg_0002
Senate Bill 29 – Page
2
State University and was not included in the departments funding recommendations for FY07.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
According to NMSU, this bill would provide matching money for a grant from the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute intended to improve science education at NMSU and throughout the
State of New Mexico. The program includes an undergraduate research scholar’s program and
biology laboratory that will travel to rural high schools. This appropriation would 1) fund a two
day refresher course for teachers in the fields of biology, geology, astronomy, physics and
chemistry; 2) fund two week courses for teachers working on a Masters of Arts degree in
teaching science; 3) provide salaries for peer leaders who assist in teaching introductory biology
classes at NMSU; and 4) partially support the salary for the administrator of the program.
NMSU adds that the grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute will further improve the
readiness of entering students and the quality of the undergraduate science program at NMSU by
establishing several programs that enhance teacher training in the sciences, by revamping the
undergraduate curriculum in the biological sciences at NMSU, and by establishing an
undergraduate research scholars program. However, the 1.5 million dollar grant from the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute will not adequately fund all of these programs; state support is
necessary for full implementation of the teacher training programs.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
The PED notes that the activities that would be funded by this legislation are in alignment with
recommendations in Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Executive Summary to “Strengthen the
skills of 250,000 teachers through training and education programs…" (Action A-2) and
“Enlarge the pipeline of students who are prepared to enter college and graduate with a degree in
science, engineering, or mathematics…" (Action A-3) [National Academy of Sciences, 2006].
There is a need to improve students’ achievement in science and preparation for higher
education. The percentage of New Mexico students scoring at or above the Proficiency level in
science on the 2006 Standards-Based Assessment decreased from a high of 77.3% in 3rd grade to
a low of 22.8% in 8th grade and rebounded slightly to 34.8% in 9
th
grade. The state ranks 43
rd
out of 50 states in the academic readiness of its high school graduates for higher education and
has a reported graduation rate of 56.7%.
More than 100 teachers will enter the MAT in Science program according to NMSU. Another
20 teachers a year will take a refresher course. High schools in every region of the state will be
visited by the traveling molecular biology laboratory. As a result of these programs, we expect
to see measurable improvements in scientific literacy among students trained in the educational
system of New Mexico.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
The HED states that the MAT in science is a new degree program on the NMSU campus as are
the immersion courses for teachers. These programs will be located in the teacher training
programs of the College of Education. All new Masters programs are subject to HED review.
pg_0003
Senate Bill 29 – Page
3
DUPLICATION, RELATIONSHIP
Duplicates HB111. Relates to SB24 and HB109 which appropriate $500,000 to NMSU to pay for
the coordination and expansion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics educational
outreach programs.
WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL
NMSU would absorb the additional costs of the programs not covered by the Howard Hughes
grant.
BS/nt