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

SPONSOR

Campos

DATE TYPED

2/20/05

HB

SHORT TITLE

NM Highlands Immersion Language Program

SB

567

ANALYST

Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$250.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the Appropriation for New Mexico Highlands University in the General Appropria-

tions Act.

Relates to HB543

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 567 – Making an Appropriation for a Language Immersion Program at New Mexico

Highlands University – appropriates $250,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of

New Mexico Highlands University for expenditure in FY06 to support an English-Spanish lan-

guage immersion program. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of

fiscal year 2006 shall revert to the general fund.

Significant Issues

PED indicates that if this legislation is successful, individuals from different disciplines, includ-

ing teachers from New Mexico and Mexico, will have the opportunity to improve or expand their

Senate Bill 567 -- Page 2

knowledge of the Spanish/English language and culture through an immersion program. Lan-

guage immersion programs are recognized as one of the best models for achieving language pro-

ficiency. As general background information, PED further notes that:

•

the Spanish language is the second most commonly spoken language in the United States,

and it is second in the world as a language of business (Source: Spanish Embassy Re-

port);

•

HB212, approved by the 2003 Legislature, requires students (K-12) to be proficient in

two languages (English and a second language, which could be Spanish);

•

New Mexico has been a leader in the nation in recognizing the academic, economic and

social value of being bilingual. Since 1973, the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act has

provided financial support for programs that allow students to become proficient in two

languages, English and a second language (one of which is Spanish), and to succeed aca-

demically;

•

currently, there is a significant need to continue and expand preparation programs for in-

dividuals in various disciplines to become bilingual;

•

NMHU has been an leader in educating and preparing teachers to serve the needs of stu-

dents of Hispanic descent; and

•

for the 2004-2005 academic school year, 174,165 students (53.3 percent of all students)

attending New Mexico public schools are of Hispanic descent (Source: ADS 40

th

Re-

port);

CHE indicates this request was not in the list of priority projects submitted by New Mexico

Highlands University to the Commission on Higher Education for review. Accordingly, the re-

quest was not included in the commission’s funding recommendation for FY06.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

PED suggests that, if enacted, this legislation would impact a core performance measure that as-

sesses students in grades 3 to 9 on achieving proficiency or above on the New Mexico criterion-

referenced assessments in reading/language arts and math.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $250,000 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.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the Appropriation for New Mexico Highlands University in the General Appropria-

tions Act.

Relates to HB543 in that HB543 also seeks to appropriate $250,000 from the general fund to the

Senate Bill 567 -- Page 3

Board of Regents of New Mexico Highlands University to support an English-Spanish language

immersion program. However, HB543 seeks to appropriate the funds for FY06 and subsequent

fiscal years and indicates that any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of

a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

BFW/yr