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





SPONSOR: Howes DATE TYPED: 01/28/00 HB
SHORT TITLE: Gallup English Language Skills Pilot Project SB 254
ANALYST: Baca


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY00 FY01 FY00 FY01
$200.0* Recurring GF



*The appropriation may be expended during three fiscal years: 2000, 2001 and 2003



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



LFC files and SDE



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



Senate Bill 254 directs that SDE establish a three-year pilot project in the McKinley County school district to provide training for teachers to enable them to support English language skills development for students who not proficient in English. The bill appropriates $200.0 from the general fund to SDE for this project and requires that a report be submitted to the appropriate legislative committees by September 1, 2001, and to the Legislature, the State Board of Education and the Governor by December 1, 2002.



The report is to include the evaluation of the project and recommendations for continuation or expansion of the project.



Significant Issues



In 1993, the Gallup-McKinley school district was cited for non-compliance by the Office of Civil Rights due to the lack of teachers who lacked the necessary training to provide alternative language services to limited English proficient students (LEP). According to SDE, "the district has submitted a staff development plan that was accepted by the OCR for this area of non-compliance that included preparing sufficient numbers of teachers endorsed in Bilingual Education and English as a second language (ESL)." Funding for this pilot project is intended to provide some of training required in the plan.



The SDE also reports that the district has identified 4,913 LEP students in the district and 745 are in a state-funded bilingual program. Professional development activities are being conducted to increase the number of teachers who are trained and certified to deal with LEP students.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The $200.0 general fund appropriation may e expended during fiscal years 2000,2001 and 2002. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2002 shall revert tot he general fund.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



SDE can implement the pilot project with existing staff from the Bilingual Multicultural Education Unit.



LB/njw