HOUSE BILL 115

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Tara L. Lujan and Pamelya Herndon and Siah Correa Hemphill

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CREATING A SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS PILOT PROJECT CONDUCTED BY THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO MODEL SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS AND KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE READING AND MATHEMATICS; REQUIRING THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF TEACHER, STUDENT AND PROGRAM DATA TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF THE PILOT PROJECT; CREATING A FUND; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS PLUS PILOT PROJECT--SUPPORT PROGRAMMING FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS--ELIGIBILITY--APPLICATION--REPORTING AND EVALUATION.--

          A. The "science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus" pilot project is created as an eight-year study that provides:

                (1) additional targeted professional development for science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers, including project-based learning;

                (2) programs and research projects for high school students who wish to prepare for science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers, including teaching; and

                (3) expanded after-school programming and tutoring for kindergarten through fourth grades in reading and mathematics to prepare students for science, technology and mathematics coursework and to foster an interest and potential careers in those subjects.

          B. The pilot project shall be administered by the department, and the department shall partner with the New Mexico institute of mining and technology, New Mexico highlands university and western New Mexico university for pilot project programming such as teacher professional development, teacher and student research projects and data collection and analysis. The department shall determine pilot project application requirements and procedures and criteria for evaluating applications. The department may contract with the partner universities and others to develop, implement and evaluate the pilot project.

          C. Students participating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus shall be evaluated at the beginning of and during their participation in the pilot project and shall be measured in the next school year through standardized assessments. The department shall establish reporting and evaluation requirements, including teacher, student and program measurement data. The department and the universities shall provide interim and final reports to the legislature and the governor on the efficacy of science, technology, education and mathematics plus.

          D. Using required eighth grade mathematics and science assessments as baseline metrics, the department shall follow participating high school student cohorts through high school and five years post-high school to determine how many participating students:

                (1) achieved higher benchmarks than grade-level cohorts in high school and higher education;

                (2) graduated from high school with a diploma of excellence or received a high school equivalency credential;

                (3) placed higher in college-level mathematics;

                (4) graduated from college with at least a bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field;

                (5) applied to graduate school or were employed in their degree field;

                (6) chose to become or became public school teachers in New Mexico; and

                (7) who did not receive at least a bachelor's degree:

                     (a) completed associate's degrees or career technical certificates in a science-, technology- or engineering-related field;

                     (b) found technical careers reflective of educational opportunities provided through science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus; and

                     (c) have been employed at higher rates than nonparticipating students.

          E. The partner universities shall provide programs of targeted professional development to science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers by subject and grade level through an application process developed in collaboration with the department. Coursework shall focus on subject matter and teaching methods that will result in a reduction of college-level remedial education for participating students. A summer research project component of professional development shall be provided by separate application. A teacher accepted for a summer research project may be paid a stipend not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) as approved by the department.

          F. Participating high school teachers may nominate students who wish to prepare for science, technology, engineering or mathematics careers to participate in the partner universities' summer courses or research projects.

          G. The first year of targeted after-school reading and mathematics programming and tutoring for kindergarten through fourth grade shall be conducted in the Socorro consolidated school district, the Santa Fe public school district and two other school districts in other regions of the state, selected through an application process submitted to the department. After a review of the pilot project's progress in the initial school districts, the department may take applications from other school districts to expand the program."

     SECTION 2. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] FUND CREATED.--The "science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and other money credited to the fund. The fund shall be administered by the department, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to carry out science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus. Expenditures from the fund shall be on warrants of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the secretary's authorized representative."

     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION.--Five million dollars ($5,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus fund

for expenditure in fiscal year 2023 and subsequent fiscal years to carry out the science, technology, engineering and mathematics plus pilot project. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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