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

SPONSOR Martinez, Richard

DATE TYPED 02-12-05 HB

SHORT TITLE Middle School Teacher Science & Math Training

SB 519

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$260.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for Northern New Mexico Community College in the General Ap-

propriations Act.

Duplication of HB621

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Response Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

No Response Received From

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 519 – Making an Appropriation to Provide Training for Middle School teachers in

Science, Mathematics and Technology – appropriates $260,000 from the general fund to the

Board of Regents of Northern New Mexico State School for expenditure in FY06 to provide a

program to train middle school teachers to improve their skills, technical knowledge and teach-

ing techniques in science, mathematics and technology so that middle school teachers are better

Senate Bill 519 -- Page 2

prepared to teach students in those subjects. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remain-

ing at the end of FY06 shall revert to the general fund.

Significant Issues

PED indicates that National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) scores for New Mex-

ico’s 8th-grade students in math and science are below the national average. Further, that New

Mexico’s middle school teachers must have deep content knowledge and effective pedagogical

skills to be competent instructors.

To this end, Northern New Mexico Community College (NNMCC) has partnered with the

Northern New Mexico Math and Science Academy (MSA) to conduct professional development

for middle school teachers. PED offers the following background information with respect to

MSA:

•

The MSA program was started in 2000 by the Northern New Mexico Council for Excel-

lence in Education (NNMCEE). This bill would fund the sixth year of this professional

development program.

•

MSA focuses on standards-based education using research-based concepts and instruc-

tional strategies.

•

MSA emphasizes assessment and data analysis.

•

The MSA goal is to increase student achievement by improving teacher practice.

•

Funding for the MSA teachers comes from the legislature and private and corporate do-

nations.

•

Evaluators have found that student achievement has increased steadily for the students of

teachers in the program.

•

More than 70 teachers are participating this year at 14 sites in five districts.

PED adds that the middle school teachers program consists of intensive training during a three-

week summer institute; biweekly site-based meetings after school; cognitive coaching and men-

toring four to five times a year; development of individual reflective portfolios; and biweekly

online discussions with the whole MSA community.

This initiative was not included in the CHE’s 2005-2006 Higher Education Funding Recommen-

dation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $260,000 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.

Senate Bill 519 -- Page 3

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Northern New Mexico Community College will retain oversight of this program.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for Northern New Mexico Community College in the General Ap-

propriations Act.

Duplication of HB621 in that HB621 also seeks to appropriate $260,000 from the general fund to

the Board of Regents of Northern New Mexico State School for expenditure in FY06 to provide

a program to train middle school teachers to improve their skills, technical knowledge and teach-

ing techniques in science, mathematics and technology so that middle school teachers are better

prepared to teach students in those subjects.

BFW/lg