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

SPONSOR Nava

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/04/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Create Statewide Service Learning Framework

SB 329

ANALYST Escudero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$30.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Higher Education Department (HED)

Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 329 brings forth the recommendations of the 2007 SJM 51, including a $30.0

appropriation, to have the Public Education Department (PED) and the Children, Youth, and

Families Department (CYFD) establish a task force to develop a statewide service-learning

framework for New Mexico. This framework would support the implementation of a consistent,

fair and equitable implementation of service-learning programs for academic credit.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $30.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to the general

fund

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to PED, the New Mexico 2007 Legislature passed the SJM 51 asking the PED and

CYFD to look at service learning that grants academic credit to high school students and students

Senate Bill 329 – Page

2

in 8

th

grade entering high school. The memorial further requested that the departments present

their findings and recommendations, if any, to the Legislative Education Study Committee

(LESC) prior to the second session of the 48

th

Legislature. The report was submitted to the

LESC on January 14, 2008 that addressed service-learning and the specifics asked for in the

memorial. The report offered the following recommendations:

1.

Appoint a statewide service-learning task force charged with developing a service-

learning framework for New Mexico; and

2.

Increase the current funding of $70.0 allocated through the professional

development funding to the PED for support of Service-Learning to $100.0. The

additional $30,000 will support the work of the Service-Learning Task Force.

Therefore, the recommendations presented to the LESC are carried forth in this legislation with

the full report available through the LESC.

According to HED, the intent of SB329 is to form a task force that will design a standard

framework to implement service learning programs for academic credit. SB329 specifies that the

service learning framework should include:

.

a standard definition for service learning;

.

alignment between the service learning curriculum and PED standards and benchmarks;

.

professional development;

.

data collection in the PED Student Teacher Accountability Reporting System; and

.

a plan to evaluate service learning.

According to a PED administrator, out of the $2,500,000 appropriated to PED in 2007 from the

General Fund, $70,000 was earmarked for service learning to lay the groundwork for a statewide

program. In addition, PED applied for and received a $130,340 grant from Learn and Serve

America. PED distributed funds to four sub-grantees: Las Vegas City Schools ($40,000), Santa

Fe Public Schools ($40,000), Taos Charter School ($13,945) and East Mountain Charter High

School ($13,945). PEDs goal is that these schools serve as models that may be applicable

statewide.

Learn and Serve America is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service,

an independent federal agency that provides direct and indirect support to K-12 schools,

community groups and higher education institutions to facilitate service learning projects, as per

their website.

PED and CYFD may wish to engage members of the New Mexico higher education community

in the development of this framework, particularly as it relates to the earning of college credit in

the form of internships or state work study programs.

In addition, PED and CYFD may wish to include College of Education faculty members in

detailing the professional development requirements for the service learning framework.

This appropriation does not apply to NMHED or to the publicly funded higher education

institutions in New Mexico. No fiscal implications apply for the purpose of NMHEDs analysis.

Senate Bill 329 – Page

3

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

There is no specific PED performance measure related to this legislation. However, this bill

does support the on-going PED funding through the professional development fund to better

serve schools and districts in the area of service-learning

CYFD maintains performance measures focusing on education credits earned by youth in

juvenile justice facilities. A service-learning program resulting for the work of a taskforce

would potentially create additional educational opportunities for youth in CYFD’s juvenile

justice facilities.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

According to PED, there would be time needed by staff of the PED to serve on this task force

and provide input for the development of the service-learning framework. Monies are provided

within this bill to support the task force and their work.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

As stated by HED, SB 329 relates to SB324, Community Service Learning Opportunities, which

appropriates $250,000 to PED for FY09 to support a statewide regional center network to

support teachers and community educators in incorporating community service learning into

standards-based education.

As stated by CYFD, SB467 of the 2003 legislative session appropriated $350,000 for a similar

project that included implementation. SB249 of the 2004 legislative session appropriated

$250,000 to support a regional center network to support service learning education for reducing

youth violence. SB98 of the 2005 legislative session appropriated $250,000 to support a regional

network throughout the state to support community service learning into standards-based

education.

PME/mt