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

SPONSOR Begaye

DATE TYPED 02/02/05 HB HM 3

SHORT TITLE Elevate Standing of Indian Education Division

SB

ANALYST Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Indian Affairs (DIA)

Responses Not Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Memorial 3 resolves that PED be requested to analyze means of elevating the status of the

Indian education division, the department prepare and issue a joint report on ways the authority,

funding, scope, staffing and responsibilities of the Indian education division be enhanced to the

interim Legislative Indian Affairs Committee at the October, 2005 hearing, and copies of the re-

port be transmitted to the leader of each New Mexico tribe and pueblo, to schools whose Native

American student population is five percent or more, and to the school boards of Central Con-

solidated Schools, Gallup-McKinley County Schools, Grants-Cibola County Schools, Farming-

ton Municipal Schools, Bloomfield Schools and the Navajo Nation Indian Education Depart-

ment.

Significant Issues

In the PED reorganization, the director of the Indian Education Division was designated as an

Assistant Secretary. Elevating the status would probably require making the position a Deputy

House Memorial 3 -- Page 2

Secretary for Indian Education. To accomplish the intent of the memorial, PED would have to

realign responsibilities and programs under this deputy.

DIA states the “Indian Education Division… was created under the 2003 Indian Education Act

and is currently building capacity to meet the provisions….” However, “funding for programs

and staffing has been limited.”

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Funding may be required to do a study particularly if stakeholders are required to attend meet-

ings or staff travels to tribes and pueblos to receive inputs.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1.

Does PED support this memorial.

2.

What possibilities will the department consider.

3.

Is the current organizational structure sufficient by recognizing the importance of Indian

Education by the designation of an Assistant Secretary.

GAC/lg