NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only 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 for other purposes.

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Miera

 

DATE TYPED:

2/27/03

 

HB

837

 

SHORT TITLE:

Require NM History for High School Graduation

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

L. Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

NFI

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Conflicts with: HB 212, Public School Reforms

                         HB 800, Require Land Grant & Native American History

                         SB 149, Graduation Requirements

                         SB 230, Public School Reforms

                         SB 472, Family Communication Requirement

                         SB 488, Require Health Credit for Graduation

(All of these bills address graduation requirements, but none require NM History.)

 

Relates to:         HB 180, Align Public School Curricula

                          HB 186, Advanced Placement Program

                          HB 150a, Indian Education Act

                          SB 115a, Indian Education Act

                          SB 149a, Graduation Requirements

                          SB 396, Multicultural Educational Materials

                          SB 472, Family Communication Graduation Requirement

 

Responses Received From

State Department of Education (SDE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 837 adds New Mexico History and geography as one the three social science courses required for graduation and adds that, with the approval of the local school board, participation in marching band may count as toward fulfillment of the physical education required unit.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Section 22-2-8.3 E NMSA 1978 stipulates, “All seventh grade classes shall require instruction in New Mexico History and Geography.” 

 

The SDE reports that the State Board of Education’s content standards and benchmarks for social studies require that students study the history of New Mexico and the Southwest, and that a study of New Mexico History is thus addressed in high school history and social science classes.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

This bill has no appropriation, but school districts will have to purchase instructional materials, if and as available, from existing instructional materials appropriations.  Initially, obtaining instructional materials could further strain budgets for instructional materials.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

It is not known that textbooks and supportive materials for a high school course in New Mexico History are available.  The quality of the materials is another unknown and will have to be determined.

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.                  Has anyone tried to ascertain whether suitable materials for the teaching of New Mexico History are available?

2.                  Will we have teachers qualified to teach New Mexico History?

3.                  How extensive is the teaching of New Mexico History in our high schools?

4.                  How is New Mexico History taught in our elementary and middle schools?

 

LRB/ls