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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 01/31/05 HB 139

SHORT TITLE NM History for Public School Graduation

SB

ANALYST Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

See Narrative

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 139 amends Section 22-31-1.1 NMSA 1978 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS to

include one-half unit in New Mexico history for students entering the ninth grade beginning in

the 2005-06 school year and reduces the elective units from eight to seven and one-half. Total

high school graduation units would remain unchanged at 22 units. Minor editing changes are

also made with changing the intent of the statute.

Significant Issues

DCA states students in New Mexico need to understand the full cultural background of the his-

tory of this state. For some students, a deeper appreciation of their personal background could

raise levels of self-esteem and help them find their place in society. Understanding New Mexico

history would also help young people appreciate the complex diversity of the state.

PED states current Social Studies Content Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Standards

include New Mexico history, geography, government and economics through an integrative ap-

House Bill 139 -- Page 2

proach in the existing high school requirements. The Social Studies Instructional Materials

Adoption is in the selection process for school year 2005-6 and expansion of New Mexico his-

tory was not considered. School districts may have difficulty in implementing this new require-

ment as new teachers will need to be hired, curriculum developed and, possibly, new classrooms

will be needed.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Instruction in the cultural and history in New Mexico may result in improved student outcomes.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

House Bill 139 contains no appropriation. PED estimates the cost to establish the new require-

ment will be $4.2 million recurring to hire an additional 93.28 New Mexico history teachers and

$821 thousand in non-recurring for instructional materials. Calculation of the required history

teachers is based upon a ratio of 160 students per teacher per year and 9

th

grade student enroll-

ment of 29,850.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

PED and the school districts may have to develop curriculum for the new requirement. PED es-

timates this will take approximately one year to implement.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

DCA suggests New Mexico history be integrated into all aspects of curriculum rather than as a

separate course.

The 2003 Legislature funded the New Mexico History Resource Framework to support local cur-

riculum development for grades K-12. Lesson plans, primary and secondary resource materials

and teaching modules were developed by PED and DCA and can be used to meet the new re-

quirement.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Graduation requirements will remain as stated in statute.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1.

What would it cost to fully integrate New Mexico history into the social studies curricu-

lum rather than establishing a new course requirement.

GAC/lg