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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:	2/25/03		HB
SHORT TITLE:		Dropout Prevention in Certain Counties				SB	404
					ANALYST:		L. Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
	$1,000.0			Recurring	GF

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Identical to HB 671, Dropout Prevention Programs

Relates to: HB 672, Rio Grande HS Cluster Dropout Prevention

SB 582, Rio Grande HS Cluster Dropout Prevention (Identical to HB 672)

HB 246, CYFD Truancy Prevention Program

SB 606, At-Risk Youth Drug Demand Reduction Program

SB 758, OCA Dropout Prevention and Education Program

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

State Department of Education (SDE)

President, Rio Grande Educational Collaborative

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 404 appropriates $1,000.0 from the general fund to the State Department of Public Education to contract with a private nonprofit organization to establish dropout prevention programs at Valley, Los Lunas, Rio Grande, West Mesa and Bernalillo high schools in Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia counties.

The bill contains an emergency clause.

Significant Issues

This bill addresses the need to establish and sustain a multi-county, high school dropout prevention program. The bill’s intent is consistent with multi-year efforts across the state to reduce the number of students leaving high school without earning a high school diploma.

The SDE’s DROPOUT STUDY, 2000-2001, published in November 2002, reports dropout rates for the high schools included in this bill as follows:

Rio Grande High School 14.8%

Valley High School 5.1%

West Mesa High School 3.6%

Los Lunas High School 2.1%

Bernalillo High School 4.9%

The SDE’s reported dropout rates are at variance with those in the SDE analysis and the analysis provided by the Rio Grande Education Collaborative (RGEC). The SDE analysis states the annual dropout rate for school year 2000-2001for RGHS was 17.1%, Valley High School (VHS) 7.3%, and West Mesa High School (WMHS) 5.3%. Dropout rates for Los Lunas High School (LLHS) and Bernalillo High School (BHS) are not shown on the SDE analysis.

The information reported by the RGEC is also different from that in the SDE’s DROPOUT STUDY REPORT. The dropout rate cited by the RGEC shows a 2000-2001 school year dropout rate of 17.2%. and cites a “plunge” in dropout rates to 6.8% in 2001-2002. The SDE has not yet published dropout rates for 2001-2002.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $1,000.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The SDE would have to prepare guidelines and a request for proposals to implement the provisions of this bill.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. Why is the data cited by the analysis different?
2. What nonprofit organizations exist that could submit a proposal to develop these dropout prevention programs?
3. Is it the sponsor’s intent that one organization be contracted for the program or several?

LRB/njw