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 Lopez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/31/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Summer Literacy Camp Program

SB 397

ANALYST Escudero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to general appropriation act: $7,163.4 in the public school support request for the

Kindergarten-three Plus program

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 397 appropriates $100.0 to the Public Education Department (PED) for a summer

literacy camp program in Bernalillo County

This summer literacy camp offers enrollment to students from any schools in Albuquerque’s

South Valley. Of 11 elementary schools in the South Valley, three made Adequate Yearly

Progress (AYP). The other eight schools are in the Schools In Need of Improvement (SINOI)

process, with three schools being required to write Alternative Governance Plans. Nine of the 11

schools qualify to apply for the K-3 Plus extended school year program funds and could, thereby,

offer 25 days of increased instruction in literacy at each site.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100.0 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.

Senate Bill 397 – Page

2

This appropriation can be implemented with existing PED staff. Therefore, the fiscal

implications on the PED are minimal.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to PED, this appropriation continues a program started in July 2007 at Atrisco Elementary for at-

risk students from the South Valley of Albuquerque. Current year funds will be used to start the camp in

June 2008 for two weeks. This appropriation will fund the camp for an additional four weeks during July

2008.

The legislation, as written, requires no assessment for determining the performance level of each

student at enrollment or after the summer literacy program.

•

National research supports the implementation of literacy camps in providing

maintenance and development of early literacy skills through the summer. The Sterling

McDowell Foundation contends that the lack of ongoing instruction over the summer

months contributes to the decline in student literacy skills. Its research indicated that

shorter programs in three- to four-week blocks, as opposed to six- to eight-week blocks,

were more effective.

•

Additionally, the Foundation concluded that the summer literacy program was successful

in increasing the interest of developing learners, with the fidelity of the curriculum being

very important, and that parents’ participation seems to influence children’s levels of

success in obtaining proficiency. Furthermore, most communities across the USA show

success with summer literacy programs.

•

By offering additional instruction, students are able to maintain current levels of

performance and begin the school year better prepared to meet the proficiencies of their

new grade level.

This summer literacy camp offers enrollment to students from any schools in Albuquerque’s

South Valley. Of 11 elementary schools in the South Valley, three made Adequate Yearly

Progress (AYP). The other eight schools are in the Schools In Need of Improvement (SINOI)

process, with three schools being required to write Alternative Governance Plans. Nine of the 11

schools qualify to apply for the K-3 Plus extended school year program funds and could, thereby,

offer 25 days of increased instruction in literacy at each site.

This appropriation is outside the formula for funding school districts.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

According to PED, this appropriation relates to the public school performance measure of

percent of elementary school students who achieve the No Child Left Behind Act annual

measurable objective for proficiency or above on standards-based assessments in reading and

language arts.

Senate Bill 397 – Page

3

TECHNICAL ISSUES

According to PED, the legislation does not identify what curriculum or literacy strategies will be

used during this summer camp. Program advocates indicate that data were collected before, after

and during the school year for students who participated in the summer literacy program.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to PED, this literacy camp duplicates the K-3 Plus extended school year program

funded by the Legislature in FY 08. Atrisco Elementary is eligible to apply. Nine of the eleven

schools in Albuquerque’s South Valley qualified to apply for the program.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The school district would have to use existing resources to offer a summer literacy camp. K-3

Plus funds are available to the site where the summer literacy camp is proposed and to eight

other schools in the Albuquerque South Valley.

PME/bb