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

SPONSOR:	McSorely		DATE TYPED:	01/31/02		HB
SHORT TITLE:		Teach NM History				SB	197
					ANALYST:		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB 123

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Education (SDE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 197 amends the Public School Code to increase the number of social studies required graduation units from three to four and decreases electives from nine to eight to maintain the overall number of requirements to 23 units. Students would be required to take a course in New Mexico state history, with an emphasis on the history of land grants and Native Americans.

This bill also amends Section 22-2-8.4.B.5 by changing “physical fitness” to “physical education”; and further amends the code, Section 22-2-8.4.B.7 to replace “R.O.T.C.” with “reserve officers’ training corps”.

Significant Issues

The SDE analysis states that the State Board of Education (SBE) directed the SDE to revise the New Mexico Content Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Standards for Social Studies in SY 2000-2001. New Mexico history, government, geography and economics are prominent in the revised version of the Social Studies Standards. The analysis cites several standards adopted that stress New Mexico cultures contributions to American History, comparisons of New Mexico state

government and constitution with the U.S. Constitution and federal government, and the interaction of New Mexico and New Mexicans with world events.

DUPLICATION

Senate Bill 197 duplicates House Bill 123.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. To what extent is New Mexico History currently being taught?

2. Is a study New Mexico History being incorparated in any of the history courses being taught?

3. Is the current crop of teachers schooled in New Mexico History ? If not, how effective a job will they do?

4. Should persons teaching in New Mexico be required to take a course in New Mexico History?

LB/ar