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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Pinto
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
1/24/08
2/4/08 HB
SHORT TITLE Character Building Dance Program
SB 277a/SPAC
ANALYST Lucero
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY08
FY09
$20.0
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates to SB141 “Las Cruces Youth Dance Programs", SB238 “Grant and Socorro County
Dance Education", HB92 “Santa Fe Dance Education Programs", and SB194 “Santa Fe Dance
Festival".
Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)
Indian Affairs Department (IAD)
Public Education Department (PED)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of SPAC Amendment
Senate Public Affairs Committee Amendment to SB 277 increased the appropriation from ten
thousand ($10,000) to twenty thousand ($20,000).
As amended, SB277 would enable more youth to participate in dance programs, offered by
CYFD in partnership with Shiprock schools, encouraging character-building arts education.
Synopsis of Original Bill
Senate Bill 277 appropriates ten thousand ($10,000) from the general fund to the Children,
Youth and Families Department for expenditure in FY09 to support a best-practice character-
building youth dance program at schools in Shiprock.
pg_0002
Senate Bill 277a/SPAC – Page
2
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of ten thousand ($10,000) contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the
general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of 2009 shall
revert to the general fund.
This bill is not part of the Department’s request and it is not part of the executive
recommendation.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
This amendment raising the appropriation from $10,000 to $20,000 would enable more youth to
participate in dance programs, offered by CYFD in partnership with Shiprock schools,
encouraging character-building arts education. CYFD does not currently manage such a
program.
SB 277 would direct CYFD to provide funding to support a best-practice, character-building
youth dance program at schools located in Shiprock, NM. According to the National Dance
Institute of New Mexico (“NDI-NM"), a character-building dance program is designed to “teach
teamwork, tenacity, discipline, and [that] joyful effort can equal success."
1
Dance programs like
those provided by NDI-NM fill a “vacuum"
2
in schools by providing physical education to
improve health outcomes like obesity, cardiovascular health, and nutrition in children and help
teach students skills that improve their academic performance.
3
Schools serving the greater Shiprock area are within the Central Consolidated School District
(“Central District"). Native American students comprise 89.2% of all students of the Central
District.
4
According to the New Mexico Public Education Department, none of the Shiprock
schools met their “No Child Left Behind" requirements of Adequate Yearly Progress in 2007.
5
And the University of New Mexico cited in their San Juan County health report card the priority
to improve teen health.
6
The character-building dance program proposed by SB 277 could
potentially help these schools improve both their year progress statistics and health outcomes for
children in Shiprock.
Evidence indicates that youth who are involved in recreational activities consistently show lower
rates of substance use and gang involvement (The NSDUH Report, 2007; Research Review:
Gang Violence and Prevention). They demonstrate healthier functioning on such indicators as
academic achievement, psychological adjustment, and improved quality and quantity of
interactions with their parents (Social Policy Report, 2006). Activities such as sports, music, and
drama help build a sense of self-worth and self-respect.
1
National Dance Institute of New Mexico. Webpage. Retrieved 1/22/08,
www.ndi-nm.org/about_us.html
.
2
Journal Santa Fe. “Dance Program ‘Definitely Filling A Vacuum". February 7, 2006. Retrieved 1/22/08, National
Dance Institute of New Mexico, www. ndi-nm.org/news/Journal_Santa_Fe-3-7-06.pdf.
3
Ibid.
4
New Mexico Public Education Department. “New Mexico Public School Districts with Substantial Indian
Enrollment." Retrieved 1/22/08,
http://www.ped.state.nm.us/indian.ed/dl08/LEAs.IndianEnrollment.pdf
5
New Mexico Public Education Department. 2007 District-Schools AYP reports-Certified Data, Central
Consolidated School District. Retrieved 1/22/08,
http://164.64.166.16/ayp2007/ayp07dist.html
.
6
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, NM Partnerships for Better Health. San Juan County Health
Report Card, January 2008. Retrieved 1/22/08,
http://hsc.unm.edu/partners/forbetterhealth/CountyReportCards/sanjuan.shtml
.
pg_0003
Senate Bill 277a/SPAC – Page
3
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
CYFD’s mission focuses on working with local communities to develop prevention and
intervention programs for youth. This program is consistent with CYFD’s mission.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
CYFD does not currently manage such a program and as such administering this bill will require
CYFD to use existing resources to develop, implement, and administer a contract or contracts in
partnership with the local school districts to disburse the funds as intended.
There is no direct implication to the PED performance measures; however, these funds support
students attaining the New Mexico Content Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Standards.
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
Relates to SB141 “Las Cruces Youth Dance Programs", SB238 “Grant and Socorro County
Dance Education", HB92 “Santa Fe Dance Education Programs", and SB194 “Santa Fe Dance
Festival".
Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
TECHNICAL ISSUES
It is unclear if the sponsor of the bill is wishing to prioritize at risk youth in the dance program
by appropriating to CYFD instead of PED. To ease administrative burden, if there is not an
intention to prioritize at risk youth, the appropriation could be made directly to PED.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
Involvement with music and the arts has been repeatedly identified as a resiliency factor for
youth that, in concert with other resiliencies, serves to protect them from risk factors to their
health, safety, and development.
New Mexico’s Physical Education Content Standards with benchmarks call for students to:
Maintain and improve physical fitness, motor skills and knowledge about physical
activity.
Practice and demonstrate physical activity as a vehicle for self-expression.
The National Dropout Prevention Center/Network data specifies that “Many disadvantaged
students in urban and rural environments lack the day-to-day experiences that stimulate their
intellectual development. After-school opportunities have positive effects on academic success,
social behavior and provide opportunities for enrichment for at-risk students. There are a
multitude of youth programs available, but many are inaccessible to inner-city and rural youth.
These youth have fewer programs from which to choose than those in the suburbs. Urban youth
often turn to gangs and the drug trade for protection, friends and job opportunities due to lack of
parental authority. The rural areas tend to lack the level of violence of inner cities, but there are
still problems. A disproportionately large share of the poor is enrolled in rural schools. Rural
areas are characterized by geographic isolation, declining population and inadequate community
facilities which acerbate the problems related to economic hardship and racial and ethnic
tensions"
pg_0004
Senate Bill 277a/SPAC – Page
4
There is an association between sedentary lifestyles and obesity, which can result in sleep apnea,
asthma and Type II Diabetes -- all of which impact student learning and can contribute to the
achievement gap.
National data indicate that 15% of youths are overweight. In New Mexico, 17% of elementary,
52% of middle school and 43% of high school students are overweight. The economic burden of
chronic diseases associated with obesity is $324 million in New Mexico and $117 billion
nationally.
According to the 2005 New Mexico Youth Risk and Residency and Survey
44% of New Mexico high school students did not participate in physical activity during
the past week of the survey
50% of high school students are not enrolled in physical education.
The Public Education Department notes that movement, choreography, storytelling, valuing
one’s own and others’ cultures can be enhanced though the Performing Arts/Dance. Learning
through the arts for students creates interest, discipline, focus and promotes learning and skill
development.
The NM Content Standards for the Arts make a foundation for this learning along with other
Content Standards through:
Demonstration of an understanding of the dynamics of the creative process.
Observation, discussion, analysis and making critical judgments about artistic works.
Increased awareness of diverse peoples through the performing arts.
Connections and parallels among the arts, health and physical education disciplines as
well as Science, Math, Language Arts, and Social Studies, Modern, Classical and Native
Languages and Career Technology.
Contributions to the local community by sharing learning in movement, and dance.
As the world moves from a logical, linear Information Age into an economy and society built on
the inventive capabilities of a Conceptual Age, creative design, symphony, empathy and
meaning* will emerge to be as valued as logical thinking and linear skills are now. (Pink, 2005).
This legislation will also support and encourage new performing arts talent from the Native
American communities in Shiprock. The arts make unique contributions to education, culture
and society. Students, teachers, parents and community members would benefit from a Native
American arts, culture and education program that would support recognition and celebration of
the diversity of culture in New Mexico.
Educational outreach programs based upon learning through the arts and culture promote:
Creative, engaged, skilled and confident students for New Mexico
Family and community involvement
Cultural and traditional celebrations, appreciation and connections
Celebration and development of artistic skills and knowledge
Support to New Mexico’s elementary arts education programs
Contribution to closing the achievement gap for students
Improved school performance, cultural preservation and rejuvenation and job training.
(The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, U.S. Department of
Education, 2006).
pg_0005
Senate Bill 277a/SPAC – Page
5
References:
Daniel Pink (2005). A whole new mind. New York. Riverhead Books
New Mexico Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards Visual and
Performing Arts K-12 (2007 revision)
DL/mt