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

SPONSOR

Powdrell-Culbert

DATE TYPED 02/10/05 HB 316

SHORT TITLE Improve Minority Student Math & Science Skill

SB

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$100.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for the University of New Mexico in the General Appropriations

Act.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

Responses Not Received From

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 316 – Making an Appropriation for the University of New Mexico to Enhance Pre-

College Minority Students’ Mathematics and Science Skills – appropriates $100,000 from the

general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico for expenditure in FY06

to enhance pre-college science and mathematics skills and conduct a summer mathematics and

science camp for minority students. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the

end of FY06 shall revert to the general fund.

Significant Issues:

PED notes that the 2001 College Board Outreach Program Handbook – a survey and compre-

hensive description of outreach programs from across the nation designed to prepare junior high

House Bill 316 -- Page 2

and high school students for postsecondary education – observed that “… traditionally under-

served students are less likely to attend, to persist, and to graduate from college than other, more

fortunate students.” The handbook also stated that three factors directly impact “access to” and

“success in” college:

•

predisposition to college;

•

access to academic experiences of high-quality; and

•

postsecondary opportunities.

Programs that provide enrichment experiences or support services, the College Board concluded,

can “… help fill the gaps where the system fails.”

PED further indicates that the Outreach Program Handbook also observed the following relevant

items:

•

Of the 1,091 programs listed, more than half were conducted at or through a college or

university, and 37 percent had a particular academic subject area focus, most commonly

math, science and technology.

•

Of university funded programs, 38 percent offered services only during the summer, with

summer programs comprising 15 percent of the total programs listed.

•

Academic enrichment involving math and science instruction, critical thinking skills,

reading and writing and study skills was offered by a majority of the programs.

•

Sixty-two percent of the programs targeted students with particular characteristics – most

commonly low-income students and those from traditionally underrepresented racial or

ethnic groups – and 69 percent of students participating in outreach programs across the

country were non-white.

The Outreach Program Handbook survey embraced nineteen New Mexico programs: eight in

the Albuquerque area; two each in Hobbs, Las Cruces, and Portales; and one each in Deming,

Las Vegas, Mora, Santa Fe, and Socorro. Twelve of the programs included summer activities,

and of the eight programs in the Albuquerque area, two included summer components focus on

math and science skill development.

PED additionally suggests that the results of the 2001 New Mexico Alliance for Minority Par-

ticipation (NMAMP) program reflected a 75 percent increase in the number of science, math,

engineering and technology degrees awarded over baseline figures established when NMAMP

first began operations. A 43 percent increase in degrees awarded to minority students for the

same period was also observed.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

House Bill 316 -- Page 3

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The University of New Mexico will retain oversight of this project.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for the University of New Mexico in the General Appropriations

Act.

BFW/sb