44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT PREPARES TEACHERS TO TEACH DEMOCRACY; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

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

Section 1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM--TEACHING DEMOCRACY.--

A. The state department of public education shall develop and conduct a professional development program for teachers on the subject of democracy and the roles of citizens and government in society.

B. The department shall collaborate with nonpartisan civic and political education organizations and the division of continuing education at the university of New Mexico in the development of the program curricula and preparation of lesson plans for all grades.

C. The professional development program shall include accountability measures to ensure that participants are adequately prepared to teach democracy and the role of government in society.

D. Public school teachers who have a contract with a school district to teach democracy, government, social studies, history or similar courses may be reimbursed the cost of tuition if they successfully complete the professional development program, including meeting the accountability requirements of the program.

Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the state department of public education for expenditure in fiscal year 2000 to carry out the provisions of Section 1 of this act. Money from this appropriation may be expended to pay the costs of developing the program and provide tuition reimbursement as provided in Section 1 of this act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.