Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Garcia, M.H.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/18/2007

HB 1246

SHORT TITLE NMSU ENGLISH TEACHER PROGRAM

SB

ANALYST Moser

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$25.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Department of Higher Education (NMDHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill1246 appropriates $25,000 from the General Fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico State University (NMSU) to pay for an English Teacher Collaboration Program (ETCP).

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $25,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMSU seeks to further develop the ETCP to provide professional development for secondary

and postsecondary English teachers. The program strives to improve student preparedness for

college, as well as increase student retention. The design of the program includes the following

opportunities for teachers:

•

Observation of other teacher’s classrooms;

House Bill 1246 – Page

2

•

Design and plan co-constructed assignments;

•

Team teaching; and

•

Cross-institutional professional development.

This appropriation would provide additional funds for program development, travel, materials,

and recruitment.

HED indicates that it is not known how this project will address the alignment issues between

secondary and post-secondary education, especially in English. This is a major issue that will be

addressed statewide through NM's participation in the America Diploma Project (ADP). It is not

known whether this project will duplicate, converge with, or supplement some of the work that

will be done by ADP. Remediation in English is a major issue for four-year institutions.

This request was not on the list of priority projects submitted by NMSU to the New Mexico

Higher Education Department (NMHED) for review and was not included in the Departments

funding recommendations for FY08.

GM/nt