March 15, 2001

Mr. President:

Your CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred

has had it under consideration and reports same with the following recommendation:

1. The following senate floor amendments be APPROVED:

Nos. 3 and 4.

2. The following senate floor amendments be DISAPPROVED:

Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6.

3. All house education committee amendments be DISAPPROVED.

and that the bill be amended further as follows:

4. On page 11, line 6, after "in" insert "non-English classes, limited English proficient classes or".

5. On page 17, line 13, strike "for".

6. On page 25, line 25, strike "and".

7. On page 26, line 3, strike the period, insert "; and", and between lines 3 and 4, insert the following new paragraph:

"(5) criteria for schools to establish individualized reading plans for students who fail to meet grade level reading proficiency standards.".

8. On page 34, line 13, strike "2001-2002" and insert in lieu thereof "2003-2004".

9. On page 35, line 7, strike "2001-2002" and insert in lieu thereof "2003-2004".

10. On page 36, line 25, after "in" strike the remainder of the line, strike line 1 on page 37 and insert in lieu thereof:

"kindergarten through third grade. The assessment shall provide a means of demonstrating continuous progress in reading and diagnostic information on phonics, phonemic awareness and comprehension.".

11. On page 37, line 4, after "teachers" insert "in the elementary, middle and junior high school grades".

12. On pages 41 through 43, strike Section 17 in its entirety.

13. Renumber the succeeding sections accordingly.

14. On page 44, line 21, strike "ten" and insert in lieu thereof "eight".

15. On page 55, line 15, strike "one hundred eighty-six" and insert in lieu thereof "one hundred eighty-five".

16. On page 55, line 18, strike "six" and insert in lieu thereof "five".

17. On page 55, line 25, strike "six" and insert in lieu thereof "five".

18. On page 67, line 20, strike "2003-2004" and insert in lieu thereof "2004-2005".

19. On page 79, line 13, strike "six" and insert in lieu thereof "five".

20. On page 112, line 14, strike "Effective" and insert in lieu thereof "Beginning".

21. On page 112, line 14, after "2002" insert "and continuing until January 1, 2012".

22. On page 130, between lines 18 and 19, insert the following new section:

"Section 78. TEMPORARY PROVISION--VOLUNTARY TEACHER INCENTIVE PAY PILOT PROGRAM.--

A. The "voluntary teacher incentive pay pilot program" is created under the state board of education. The program shall operate for the 2001-2002 through 2003-2004 school years. The purpose of the pilot program is to determine if providing incentive pay to teachers who demonstrate teaching effectiveness or who acquire advanced skills in best teaching practice will improve the academic achievement of students in selected schools. The pilot program is voluntary and shall include a program evaluation component. The teacher incentive pay advisory committee and the state department of public education shall provide periodic reports to the appropriate legislative interim committees and shall provide a final report to the legislature.

B. The governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate shall name a "teacher incentive pay advisory committee" to make recommendations to the state board of education on the design and implementation of a voluntary teacher incentive pay pilot program, including a requirement that for a school to participate, at least seventy percent of its teachers must agree to participate. A value-added assessment methodology shall be used to determine teaching effectiveness compared to student academic achievement.

C. If the number of teachers at volunteer schools exceeds the available funding, the state board of education shall select through a lottery process enough participants to use available funding.

D. Voluntary teacher incentive pay shall be provided as follows:

(1) four hundred dollars ($400) to all teachers in those participating public schools that are in the top ten percent of improving probationary schools as ranked in accordance with the Incentives for School Improvement Act and based on the annual tests of students administered by districts as required by Section 22-1-6 NMSA 1978;

(2) two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) to teachers who meet the teaching effectiveness criteria as assessed by their students' test scores as shown on pre- and post-criterion-referenced or terra nova norm-referenced tests as assessed by the value-added methodology as determined by the teacher incentive pay advisory committee; and

(3) a one-time incentive of three thousand dollars ($3,000) for teachers who have received national board for professional teaching standards certification or for teachers who otherwise meet standards of best teaching practice as determined by criteria established by the teacher incentive pay advisory committee.

E. Implementation of the pilot program is contingent on funding.".

23. Renumber the succeeding sections accordingly.

24. On page 131, line 7, strike "services" and insert in lieu thereof "service".

25. On page 131, line 10, after "periodic" insert "and annual".

26. On page 131, line 12, after "plan" insert ", the balance of employees between the department and the regional service centers and information on services provided by the regional service centers".

27. On page 132, between lines 16 and 17, insert the following new section:

"Section 82. TEMPORARY PROVISION--CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTING.--It is the intent of the legislature that the state department of public education use the most educationally effective and cost-effective criterion-referenced test available. The department shall compare the educational and fiscal merits of purchasing criterion-referenced tests and customizing them for New Mexico or developing New Mexico-specific tests.".

28. Renumber succeeding sections accordingly.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________

Cynthia Nava

_____________________________

Mary Jane M. Garcia

_____________________________

Ramsay L. Gorham

Adopted____________________ Not Adopted_____________________

(Chief Clerk) (Chief Clerk)

Date ______________