SENATE BILL 429

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

INTRODUCED BY

Mark Boitano

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; REQUIRING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHEN DEVELOPING YEARLY SCHOOL CALENDARS, TO INCREASE THE LENGTH OF THE SCHOOL DAY IN CERTAIN INCREMENTS.

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

     Section 1. Section 22-8-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1967, Chapter 16, Section 63, as amended) is amended to read:

     "22-8-9. BUDGETS--MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.--

          A. A budget for a school district shall not be approved by the department that does not provide for:

                (1) a school year consisting of at least one hundred eighty full instructional days or the equivalent thereof, exclusive of any release time for in-service training; or

                (2) a variable school year consisting of a minimum number of instructional hours established by the [state board] department; provided, however, that no calendar adjustments shall be made in increments of less than one-half hour per day; and

                (3) a pupil-teacher ratio or class or teaching load as provided in Section 22-10A-20 NMSA 1978.

          B. The [state board] department shall, by rule, establish the requirements for an instructional day, the standards for an instructional hour and the standards for a full-time teacher and for the equivalent thereof."

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