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	Stapleton-Williams		DATE TYPED	02/04/05		HB	136
SHORT TITLE		Career Technical Education in School Budgets				SB
					ANALYST		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
	NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

Relates to HB 96 & SB 51

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Response Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

FOR THE LESC

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 136 amends Section 22-8-11 NMSA 1978 of the Public School Code by adding the requirement that the PED shall not approve and certify an operating budget of any school district that fails to demonstrate support for career technical education offerings in its budget documentation.

Significant Issues

New Mexico public schools generate state support through the State Equalization Guarantee of the New Mexico Public School Funding Formula, and local school boards determine how the funds should be spent. Funding for vocational education is factored into the formula and, currently, school districts are not required to demonstrate support for career technical education. The bill, however, does not indicate what the terms “demonstrate support” mean. The intent and meaning of the bill’s sponsor may be clarified during hearings on the bill.

The PED reports that vocational education programs offer a progressive sequence of courses that relate directly to the preparation of students for entry into an associate degree or two-year certificate program at a postsecondary institution, entry into a baccalaureate program at a four-year postsecondary institution or entry into full-time employment in their chosen field, with the option to continue their education later. These programs may include applied technology education, competency-based learning and occupational-specific skills. (Standards for Excellence, 6.30.2 NMAC, January 2001)

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The PED ANALYSIS STATES THAT:

A quality career-technical education provides a progressive continuum of courses that comprise an effective skill development, technical training, employment and postsecondary program of study for students. Involved in this preparation is the integration of academic and vocational education, which emphasizes all phases of an industry, implements academic performance measures and encourages high school students to continue at the postsecondary level and postsecondary students to pursue four-year credentials through various articulation and tech prep arrangements. The National Center for Educational Statistics reports findings that suggest that current reform efforts stressing high content and performance standards for all students in both academic and technical subjects, the integration of academic and career-technical education and contextualized, work-based learning may indeed point the way to a new career and technical education with greatly improved learning outcomes (In Brief 2001, #11, National dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education).

RLG/prr