HOUSE BILL 301

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Mary Helen Garcia

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CREATING A DROP-OUT PREVENTION PILOT PROJECT AT LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] DROP-OUT PREVENTION PILOT PROJECT--LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL.--The department and the Las Cruces public school district shall design a four-year "drop-out prevention pilot project" to be instituted at Las Cruces high school. The pilot project shall test a variety of drop-out prevention and academic improvement strategies that, proven successful, can be used to lower the drop-out rates in other school districts throughout the state. The pilot project shall include an annual evaluation phase that tracks Las Cruces high school students and their academic achievement, that identifies students at risk of dropping out and relates specific strategies used to keep those students in classes and in school and that provides other data sufficient to determine the efficacy of the strategies used and the pilot project. Insofar as practicable, data collection and reporting shall be consistent with requirements of the student teacher accountability reporting system. The department and the school district shall report to the legislative education study committee by July 1 of each year on the past school year's success in improving the drop-out rate at Las Cruces high school and the strategies that will be used in the coming school year. The department and school district shall provide a written report, including findings and recommendations, to the legislative education study committee at the end of the pilot project."

     Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--One million dollars ($1,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2009 for distribution to the Las Cruces public school district to implement a drop-out prevention pilot project. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2009 shall revert to the general fund.

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