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

SPONSOR Papen

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/17/08

01/23/08 HB

SHORT TITLE NMSU Public School Hospitality Initiative

SB 24

ANALYST Haug

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$250.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

Tourism Department (TD)

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 36 appropriates $250.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico State University to implement a hospitality and tourism education initiative statewide in

public schools.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $250.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2009 shall revert to the

general fund.

This request was submitted by NMSU to the New Mexico Higher Education Department for

review but is not included in the Department’s funding recommendation for FY09.

The HED’s evaluation table of FY09 Research and Public Service Projects provided to the LFC

classifies this project as a “breach" of the Higher Education Formula. Reasons for this

classification decision are not provided. (LFC Report 07-20, Higher Education Department

Review of Selected Research and Public Service Projects, January 12, 2008, Table 4, p74.)

Senate Bill 24 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The program that would be supported by this appropriation is known as the ProStart program.

According to NMSU, the purpose of the ProStart program is to teach both culinary essentials and

basic foodservice management, preparing students to continue their education and fill the need of

skilled managers within the food service industry. ProStart is a career building program that

gives high school students a taste for success in the restaurant and foodservice industry by

blending both classroom learning and work experience.

NMSU states further that the ProStart program, developed by the National Restaurant Association

Educational Foundation (NRAEF), is a nationwide system of high school restaurant and foodservice

courses linked with mentored worksite experiences. The ProStart program is comprised of state-driven

industry and educational partnerships throughout the country, and it exists as the national umbrella

organization for restaurant and foodservice career education. In New Mexico, the ProStart Program is

managed by the Hospitality Industry Education Foundation. In New Mexico 43 high schools have

purchased the curriculum and 28 actively participate in the program involving over 1,200 students.

The Hospitality Industry Education Foundation provides professional development and orientation for

ProStart teachers, responds to inquiries regarding implementation of the program, provides assistance

with connections to industry, job placement, setting up advisory boards and securing worksites. When

students meet academic standards, complete a checklist of competencies and participate in at least 400

hours of a mentored work experience, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement

that signifies they are well qualified to enter the industry workforce or continue their education at a post-

secondary level. The ProStart program currently has articulation agreements with over 60 post-secondary

institutions nationwide.

NMSU states that the following NM high schools currently offer the ProStart Program.

Alamogordo Bernalillo Carlsbad Cliff

Cloudcroft Cobre

Farmington

Gadsden Gallup Hatch

Hot Springs Kirtland Las Cruces Lordsburg

Los Alamos Los Lunas Lovington Mayfield Onate Pojoaque Portales

Rio Rancho Roswell Ruidoso Santa Fe Silver Socorro Taos

GH/jp