44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO EDUCATION; CREATING THE OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION IN THE NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS; REPEALING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

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

Section 1. OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION--CREATED.--The "office of Indian education" is created as a subdivision of the New Mexico office of Indian affairs. The New Mexico commission on Indian affairs shall set policy and direct the projects and programs undertaken by the office of Indian education through the executive director of the New Mexico office of Indian affairs. The director and staff of the office of Indian education shall be under the supervision of the executive director of the New Mexico office of Indian affairs.

Section 2. OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION--DIRECTOR.--The executive director of the New Mexico office of Indian affairs shall appoint the director of the office of Indian education with the approval of the New Mexico commission on Indian affairs.

Section 3. OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION--DUTIES--RESPONSIBILITIES.--The office of Indian education of the New Mexico office of Indian affairs shall:

A. provide assistance to public school districts, public schools and Indian students to improve the educational performance of Indian students in New Mexico;

B. provide assistance to school districts in planning, development, implementation and evaluation of curricula designed to improve the success of Indian students in the public school system in the state;

C. coordinate with public schools in developing programs to better prepare Indian students for post-secondary education;

D. work closely with the public schools to increase the retention rate of Indian students in secondary schools and to encourage students who have dropped out of school to return to public school or to enter alternative schooling programs to receive their high school diplomas;

E. provide assistance to public schools in developing culturally appropriate programming for Indian students of all ages; and

F. carry out the duties assigned to it by the New Mexico commission on Indian affairs.

Section 4. APPROPRIATION.--Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the New Mexico office of Indian affairs for expenditure in fiscal year 2000 for the purpose of carrying out the duties of the office of Indian education of the New Mexico office of Indian affairs. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.

Section 5. REPEAL.--Sections 22-2-11 through 22-2-13 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1975 (1st S.S.), Chapter 8, Sections 1 through 3) are repealed.

Section 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 1999.