NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Related to House Bill 81, HJM8,HB-506

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Education SDE

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 507 appropriates $250.0 to SDE to develop curricula and assessment standards for Native American language and culture education, and for professional development for bilingual teachers and administrators who speak Native American languages.

Significant Issues

According to SDE, 35,697 Native American students were enrolled in New Mexico public schools in 1999-2000, representing 11 percent of the overall student population. Native American students perform at a lower level in New Mexico as compared to Anglo, Black, Hispanic and other ethnic groups on all statewide assessments administered in English.

A referenced report lists eight sociocultural factors as potentially responsible for the attrition and poor academic achievement of Indian students. These factors are primarily manifested in schools where there is a lack of Native teachers, a link to tribal language, culture, and community. These factors have been effectively mediated by the presence of greater numbers of well-trained Native teachers in the school.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

House Bill 507 appropriates $250.0 from the general fund and is recurring.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The department indicates that a process will need to be developed to monitor and ensure fiscal compliance.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

Related to HB-81, HJM 8, and HB-506.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The department provides the following status of Native Language Bilingual Programs:

- Native language and culture curricula and assessment standards do not exist for any of the eight Native languages.

- Bilingual programs that address Native Languages are being implemented in: Zuni, Gallup, Cuba, Dulce, Espanola, APS, Farmington, Magdalena, Bloomfield, Central, Jemez Valley Riverside Charter School, Bernalillo, Penasco and Pojoaque school districts.

- The Pueblos of Taos and other tribes do not want their language taught in the public schools. They prefer to teach the language to their own population in their own communities.

- Each district is required to develop an Educational Plan for Student Success (EPSS) that addresses student needs. Native American Student academic achievement must align with and be included in the districts' EPSS.

- Technical assistance ( professional development) in both assessment and curriculum development in needed for all educators to accomplish this initiative.

- Only one (Dine/Navajo) of eight Native languages is written. The Dine/Navajo tribe has recently developed Dine Language and Culture curriculum standards. There are no assessment standards for the Navajo language. Some 24,000 of 34,000 Native American students attending public schools in New Mexico are Dine/Navajo tribal members.

- The other seven Native languages: Keres, Tiwa, Towa, Tewa, Zuni, Jicarilla Apache, and Mescalero Apache are either in process of being written or not written yet.

- Jemez and San Juan Pueblos are participating in the Language Preservation Program through the University of New Mexico.

RS/njw