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	Romero		DATE TYPED	2/9/04		HB
SHORT TITLE		Albuquerque Student Mentoring Program				SB	482
					ANALYST		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
	$300.0			Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Omission on Higher Education Funding Recommendation for FY05 (CHE)

Response Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 482 appropriates $300,000 from the general fund to the PED to support a mentorship program that includes behavioral health education and civic responsibility training for African-American male youths in the Albuquerque Public Schools.

Significant Issues

In its 2000-01 statewide Dropout Study, the PED reports that in grades seven and eight, African-American students had the highest dropout rate. In grades 9-12, African-American males were second only to Hispanic males in having the highest dropout rate of all students in New Mexico. According to the PED, mentoring programs are defined by the establishment of a sustained relationship between a young person and an adult in which the adult provides the young person with support, guidance and assistance. Mentoring programs can have positive effects in three areas critical to young people’s success in life: educational achievement, health and safety and social and emotional development.

Success in these three critical areas can lead to success in an academic environment and serve as encouragement for students to stay in school.

The PED reports that the value of Behavioral Health Education, like mentoring, lies in its effectiveness. The U.S. Department of Education’s website lists many exemplary and promising safe, disciplined and drug-free school programs. According to the Search Institute, building developmental assets in youth (i.e., positive relationships and internal strengths) is a successful strategy for promoting academic success and reducing youth engagement in high-risk behavior.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $300 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the general fund.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

This request was not among the priorities for FY05 funding submitted by the UNM Board of Regents to the CHE. Consequently, the Commission did not review it.

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