HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL 481

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; AMENDING THE READING MATERIALS FUND TO FUND ELEMENTARY LITERACY MATERIALS ALIGNED TO THE SCIENCE OF READING.

 

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

     SECTION 1. Section 22-15-8.2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2006, Chapter 58, Section 1) is amended to read:

     "22-15-8.2. READING MATERIALS FUND--CREATED--PURPOSE--APPLICATIONS.--

          A. The "reading materials fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. Money in the fund shall not revert to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year. The fund shall be administered by the department, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to assist public schools that want to change their [reading programs] elementary literacy materials from the current adoption. Money in the fund shall be disbursed on warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the secretary's authorized representative.

          B. A school district that wants to use a scientific research-based core comprehensive, intervention or supplementary reading program aligned with explicit, systematic, diagnostic, cumulative instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, syllable types, morphology, semantics and syntax may apply to the department for money from the reading materials fund to purchase the necessary instructional materials for the selected program [A school district may apply for funding for its reading program if]; provided that the school district selects no more than two comprehensive published core reading programs and the school district has established a literacy professional development plan that includes a detailed framework for structured literacy training and ongoing support in the effective use of the selected instructional materials. Materials eligible for funding shall be:

                (1) core [and] materials that are on the New Mexico kindergarten through eighth grade English language arts, Spanish language arts, English language development and world languages instructional materials adopted list and have received structured literacy recognition from the department; or

               (2) intervention or supplemental materials that are [highly rated by either the Oregon reading first center or the Florida center for reading research or the materials are listed in the international dyslexia association's framework for informed reading and language instruction;

                (2) the district selects no more than two comprehensive published core reading programs; and

                (3) the district has established a professional development plan describing how it will provide teachers with professional development and ongoing support in the effective use of the selected instructional materials] on the advisory list of instructional programming created by the Colorado department of education or meet the criteria of the New Mexico structured literacy instructional review rubric."

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