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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Heaton DATE TYPED: 02/16/01 HB 246
SHORT TITLE: Full-Day Kindergarten Programs SB
ANALYST: Segura


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02

See Narrative



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



State Department of Education SDE



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



House Bill 246 would amend Section 22-2-19 NMSA 1978 to include grade-level schools in the priority for full-day kindergarten programs. The bill includes the following:



1. Replaces the word "factor" with the word "index" to be consistent with the language in Section 22-8-23.3 NMSA 1978 regarding at-risk program units, and

2. Includes the word " school" before the word district, for consistency purposes.



Significant Issues



According to SDE, current law gives priority for implementing full-day kindergarten to school districts with the highest proportion of students most in need based on an at-risk index and in schools with available classrooms. The index for determining at-risk classification includes the percentage of students who are limited English proficient and the percentage of student mobility and the percentage of students living in poverty in the school districts.



To include the grade-level schools in the at-risk index, SDE would need to modify the index to use a profile of students from other grade-level schools within the district that kindergarten students would attend.







FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



House Bill 246 does not contain an appropriation. The current HB-3 includes $17,500.0 for full-day kindergarten three year phase-in.



TECHNICAL ISSUES



According to SDE, the bill should include a clear definition of " grade level schools" to also include those small districts that have only one elementary school which serves the entire school district. (see attachment)



RS/njw:ar

Attachment