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

SPONSOR

Nava

DATE TYPED

03-15-05

HB

SHORT TITLE

Advanced Placement New Mexico Program

SB 608

ANALYST

Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$350.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

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

priations Act.

Duplicates HB771

Relates to SB215, SB138

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

Advanced Placement – New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands University (APNM) (updated in-

formation added 03-14-05)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 608 – Making an Appropriation to Support the Advanced Placement New Mexico

Program – appropriates $350,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico

Highlands University for expenditure in FY06 to support and expand the advanced placement

New Mexico program in grades six through twelve. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance

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

Senate Bill 608 -- Page 2

Significant Issues

APNM indicates that the Advanced Placement (AP) initiative is a nationally recognized educa-

tional program that provides high school students with the opportunity to take advanced level

course work in high school with the possibility of earning advanced status in college or college

credit. APNM further notes that research suggests that student success in AP courses is the sin-

gle best predictor of college success. Further, that access to and success in AP courses for New

Mexico students has increased dramatically over the last five years, resulting in the following

accomplishments:

•

a 73 percent increase in the number of AP test-takers in 2004 compared to the number of

test-takers in 1999;

•

a 21.2 percent increase in the number of exams receiving scores of 3-5 in 2004 compared

to 2003, and a 59 percent increase in the number of scores of 3-5 since 1999;

•

a 129 percent increase in the number of Hispanic students taking the AP exam compared to

the number of test-takers in 1999;

•

a 129 percent increase in the number of Native American students taking the AP exam

compared to the number of test-takers in 1999;

•

an 85.8 percent increase in total AP scholar awards compared to 2003;

•

over 1400 teachers participating in professional development activities in 2004; and

•

AP summer institute participation more than doubling since 2000: increasing from 261 to

695 in 2004 – a 166 percent increase over 2000;

APNM concludes by noting the following:

“The teacher training that has been the primary reason for these increases will

not be available without the $350,000 in funding provided for in HB 771 and

SB 608. Federal funds have ended and a refocus of previously allocated PED

funds make this money essential for the continued growth and success of the

AP program in New Mexico.”

CHE indicates that the current program serves students in grades 6 through 12. This legislation

seeks an expansion of the program.

PED raises the following interrelated points with respect to implementation of the legislation:

•

PED would not oversee or define the manner in which the New Mexico Highlands

University (NMHU) Advanced Placement New Mexico (APNM) program would ad-

minister activities and programs for the AP program for grades 6-12 in New Mexico’s

public schools.

•

The PED would not serve as a sub-recipient for the state appropriation of the AP

framework for grades 6-12. Compensation has previously been made by PED to the

Senate Bill 608 -- Page 3

NMHU-APNM program on a reimbursement basis.

•

The PED and NMHU-APNM program would not formally engage in institutional col-

laboration for the promotion and expansion of the AP program in New Mexico’s pub-

lic schools through a legal agreement as has been previously done in past years.

•

The NMHU-APNM would no longer be required to coordinate activities with PED or

to regularly share information on planned activities, participation of public schools

and districts and the number of public school teachers attending each event as is cur-

rently required in a legal agreement between PED and the NMHU-APNM program.

•

The NMHU-AP New Mexico program would no longer be required to submit a

written report to PED staff detailing participation of public schools and districts in AP

programs and initiatives.

•

The NMHU-APNM program would no longer be required to provide evidence of ex-

pansion and/or improvement of AP programs in New Mexico’s public schools.

•

The NMHU-APNM program would no longer be required by PED to assess and

evaluate, with a view to regular refinements thereof, professional development and ac-

tivities to support and expand AP Programs in New Mexico’s public schools.

This project is not included in CHE’s 2005-2006 Higher Education Funding Recommendation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $350,000 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.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

PED suggests that if the legislation comes into effect, local school districts would need to de-

velop agreements with the NMHU-APNM program to ensure their participation and inclusion in

AP initiatives and professional development.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP

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

priations Act.

Duplicates HB771 in that HB771also seeks to appropriate $350,000 from the general fund to the

Board of Regents of New Mexico Highlands University for expenditure in FY06 to support and

expand the advanced placement New Mexico program in grades six through twelve.

Relates to SB138 in that SB138 seeks to appropriate $400,000 for school districts and charter

schools to create core curriculum frameworks in kindergarten through grade six to prepare stu-

dents for pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement coursework

Senate Bill 608 -- Page 4

Relates to SB215 in that SB215 seeks to amend the Indian Education Act (Section 22-23A-1

NMSA 1978) to require the PED Indian Education Division to develop or select challenging,

sequential, culturally relevant curriculum for K-6 grades American Indian students to prepare

them for pre-advanced and advanced placement classes in 7-12 grades.

BFW/lg:yr