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

SPONSOR Trujillo

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/31/06

2/7/06 HB 433/aHEC

SHORT TITLE Santa Fe Alternative School

SB

ANALYST Baca

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

500.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates SB 504

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HEC amendment

The House Education Committee amendments to HB 433 strike all references to curriculum and

staffing, and, in essence, provide funding for basic planning for the construction of a new facility

for an alternative high school. The appropriation is non-recurring.

Synopsis of Original Bill

House Bill 433 appropriates $500,000 from the general fund to the Public Education Department

(PED) for expenditure in fiscal year 2007 to fund planning for an alternative school in the Santa

Fe Public Schools (SFPS). The appropriation shall be used to fund curriculum planning, staffing

efforts and staff training, architectural planning and design, visits to comparable sites nationwide

and a pilot program.

House Bill 433/aHEC– Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500,000 contained in this bill is a recurring to the general fund. Any unex-

pended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUE

Alternative schools and programs serve students who are at risk of dropping out of school for

any number of reasons, including poor grades, truancy, suspension and pregnancy. PED reports

that SFPS has one alternative high school with 90 students. The program is computer-based and

designed for students who are self-motivated to attend. Many of the enrolled students work and

are parents.

The PED comments that the general language of the bill permits SFPS to plan for an alternative

school with no restrictions as to its purpose, curriculum or grades it will serve. Further, the PED

observes, staff of alternative schools always raise issues of licensure, which require careful scru-

tiny in light of the highly qualified provisions of the federal No Child Left behind Act of 2001.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation will flow to the SFPS through the PED. There should be minimal impact on

the PED.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

HB 433 and SB 504 are duplicate bills.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

It is not clear whether the SFPS intend to operate the alternative school within its existing facili-

ties or seek to construct a new facility. If a new facility is desired, the district would have to

consider its options for obtaining capital outlay to construct the new facility.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The PED reports that students within the SFPS who are adjudicated and/or long-term suspended

or who have significant needs in the areas of academics and social/emotional issues will not re-

ceive the school support they need. Most of these students will not make academic progress

would be retained, reclassified or drop out.

House Bill 433/aHEC– Page

3

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. Does the district intend to construct a new facility.

2. Will the proposed appropriation be used to develop programs that will attract more than

the 90 currently being served.

3. What steps are currently undertaken to attract and retain at-risk students at the alterna-

tive high school.

4. What is the “success” rate at the alternative high school in term graduation and/or GED

completions.

LB/yr:nt