SENATE BILL

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Michael Padilla

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; CREATING THE HIGH SCHOOL WATER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION PROJECT AS A SIX-YEAR PILOT PROJECT ADMINISTERED BY THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; REQUIRING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP ACADEMIC CONTENT AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND MODEL CURRICULUM FOR A HIGH SCHOOL ELECTIVE COURSE IN WATER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION, SELECT AT LEAST FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROJECT, AWARD FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COLLECT DATA; ALLOWING FOR POTENTIAL COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES; REQUIRING ANNUAL REPORTING AND A FINAL REPORT; 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] PILOT PROJECT--HIGH SCHOOL WATER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION PROJECT CREATED--ADMINISTRATION--COLLABORATION--REPORTING.--

          A. The "high school water management and conservation project" is created as a six-year pilot project administered by the department to study the feasibility of offering practical environmental education to high school students and the outcomes from offering such education.

          B. The department shall:

                (1) develop academic content and performance standards and a model curriculum for a high school elective course in water management and conservation that:

                     (a) focuses on practical and experiential learning;

                     (b) is offered as a sequence of courses;

                     (c) is multidisciplinary and combines pedagogical approaches; and

                     (d) meets the requirements of two or more units required for graduation;

                (2) select at least five school districts to participate in the project and make reasonable efforts to select districts from different regions of the state and from rural communities, small cities and large cities;

                (3) award financial assistance grants to participating school districts to be expended for personnel, supplies and equipment and other expenses reasonably related to the cost of providing the water management and conservation coursework; and

                (4) collect data regarding:

                     (a) student participation in the water management and conservation courses offered;

                     (b) students' performances in the courses taken; and

                     (c) students' post-graduation plans.

          C. The department may collaborate with the department of environment, state post-secondary educational institutions and counties and municipalities to identify statewide and local issues involving water management and conservation that may be incorporated in the development or application of the high school water management and conservation project, and the collaboration may include potential post-graduation employment or pre-employment, apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship or educational opportunities for students.

          D. The department shall provide annual reports to the legislative education study committee by December 31 of each year of the project and a final report to that committee by June 30, 2031."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--One million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to administer the high school water management and conservation project. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2031 shall revert to the general fund.

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