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

SPONSOR:	Nava		DATE TYPED:	01/26/02		HB
SHORT TITLE:		Advanced Placement Teachers				SB	70
					ANALYST:		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

($2,000.0)

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB 59

REVENUE

Estimated Revenue

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

$2,000.0

Recurring

Advanced Placement Professional Development Fund-New Fund

(Parenthesis () Indicate Revenue Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Education (SDE)

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 70 creates the Advanced Placement Development Fund and appropriates $2 million from the general fund to the State Treasury for that fund. The fund is created for the purpose of training public school teachers in grades 6-12 to instruct Advanced Placement courses. The fund will be administered by the State Department of Education (SDE). Competitive proposals will be submitted to the SDE by school districts. The application, reporting, and

evaluation components will be collaboratively developed by the SDE, the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU). The SDE will provide technical assistance and monitor the program.

Significant Issues

The CHE reports that the Advanced Placement (AP) program offers courses, taught by specially trained high school teachers; the courses follow the guidelines of the American College Board and conform to national standards. AP courses are designed to provide students with a variety of rigorous and engaging curricula to prepare them for the demands of college and university courses. Students are expected to achieve at a high level and are required to take end-of-the-year examinations that can result in college credit at higher education institutions in New Mexico and out of state. Currently, the New Mexico AP program receives federal and state funding and is administered through New Mexico Highlands University with oversight by the State Department of Education.

The state Director of Advanced Placement reports this fund would provide monies to meet the needs of schools in order to expand Advanced Placement opportunities. The funds would cover expenses such as stipends for teachers, pay for substitute teachers, equipment and books for new APcourses, and the reduction of test fees for lower middle income students.

The CHE analysis adds that the State Board of Education (SBE) and the CHE as a part of the P-16 Partnership are committed to working together to develop state-level policies for implementing programs that address the needs of students for whom accelerated learning approaches are appropriate. Both agencies adopted a Framework for Accelerated Learning at their January 2002 meetings. Advanced Placement is one of the programs under the Accelerated Learning Framework.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $2,000.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund

Continuing Appropriations

This bill creates a new fund and provides for continuing appropriations. The LFC objects to including continuing appropriation language in the statutory provisions for newly created funds. Earmarking reduces the ability of the legislature to establish spending priorities.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

SDE and CHE analysis concur that assistance in the development of application and evaluation criteria, and the record keeping process will have some administrative impact on the CHE and SDE. However, SDE is prepared to administer this fund and would not require an additional FTE.The majority of administrative impact will be on the SDE in administering funds and monitoring progress, and on NMHU which implements the program statewide.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

Senate Bill 70 duplicates House Bill 59.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. How many students and teachers currently participate in this program?

2. How many more can be added if this proposal is funded?

3. How many school districts participate in this program?

LB/ar