Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they are used for other purposes.

 

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are available on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).  Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not.  Previously issued FIRs and attachments may also be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

 

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR

Stewart

DATE TYPED

02-13-04

HB

43

 

SHORT TITLE

Kindergarten Plus Pilot Project

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST

Segura

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY04

FY05

FY04

FY05

 

$100.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

LFC Files

 

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 43 appropriates $100.0 to PED for the second year of the Kindergarten Plus Pilot Project.

 

Significant Issues

 

According to PED, the Kindergarten Plus Pilot Project was created as a three-year study that extends the kindergarten year by four months to demonstrate that increased time in kindergarten narrows the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and other students and increases cognitive skills leading to higher test scores for all participants.

 

House Bill 43 provides the following:

 

§         Supports and aligns with the federally funded New Mexico Reading First Initiative and its goal of ensuring that all children in New Mexico learn to read fluently by the end of third grade.

§         Supports and complements the statewide Full-Day Kindergarten Literacy Readiness Program.

                       

The legislation addresses one of the most critical needs of disadvantaged students, early literacy proficiency.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

House Bill 43 appropriates $100.0 from the general fund and is recurring.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

PED indicates that Public Schools must provide transportation, food services and the administration necessary for program implementation.

 

RS/dm