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





SPONSOR: Gorham DATE TYPED: 02/15/01 HB
SHORT TITLE: Middle School Initiative Act SB 17
ANALYST: Segura


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
$ 3,000.0 Recurring General Fund



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Relates to HB 406

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Education SDE



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 17 would provide statewide before and after school extracurricular activities, academic and social enrichment programs, and enhanced learning opportunities for students in grades six, seven, eight and nine.



Significant Issues



The SDE would distribute money to local school districts on an equal basis for each middle school, while schools with 6th grades or 9th grades would receive one-half the amount distributed to middle schools.



According to SDE, most public schools in New Mexico have cut middle level extracurricular activities from their programs because students at that level do not usually have transportation and because middle school activities do not carry the same level of prestige in the community as high school activities. This bill would provide funding to implement programs in public schools designed to stimulate creative alternative learning experiences through activities approved and monitored by the SDE as part of the process.









FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



Senate Bill 17 appropriates $3,000.0 from the general fund and is recurring.



According to SDE, the equal distribution value for each middle school and each junior high is about $9,983. Those schools with sixth or ninth grades that are not part of a middle school or junior high would receive one half of this amount or $4,991.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



Senate Bill 17 would require SDE to develop rules, distribute funds and monitor progress of the Middle School Initiative Act.



RS/lrs/njw