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

SPONSOR Taylor

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/1/08

HB

SHORT TITLE APS Rio Grande Truancy Issues

SB 510

ANALYST Haug

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$240.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 510 appropriates $240.0

from the general fund to the Public Education Department to

address truancy issues at Rio Grande High School, two truancy officers ($120.0), Bernalillo

Public Schools, one truancy officer ($60.0) and Los Lunas Public Schools, one truancy officer

($60.0).

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $240.0 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.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The goals of the Governor’s Dropout and Truancy Prevention Initiative are to decrease truancy

and dropout and increase student attendance. In order for students to achieve they must first be

present. In addition, the underlying issues for dropout and truancy are oftentimes associated with

social, family and health barriers that prevent students from achieving. These barriers do

Senate Bill 510 – Page

2

contribute to the disparities seen in NM diverse cultures that contribute to the achievement gap.

Therefore, dropout and truancy prevention programs help to provide supports to students,

schools and families to increase academic success and close the achievement gap for all students.

According to the National Center for School Engagement (National Center for School

Engagement, 2008):

•

Truancy has been identified as one of the early warning signs of students headed

for potential delinquent activity, social isolation or educational failure via

suspension, expulsion or dropping out.

•

Truancy is considered to be one of the top 10 problems facing schools. 80% of

dropouts were chronically truant before dropping out. 90% of youths in detention

for delinquent acts were chronically truant.

•

If the attendance rate continues to decrease, the graduation rate will be affected.

•

Dropout and truancy have been correlated to an increase in juvenile crime

•

The underlying issues for dropout and truancy are often associated with social,

family and health barriers that prevent students from achieving. These barriers

negatively impact closing the achievement gap.

RELATIONSHIP

Relates to House Appropriations and Finance Committee Substitute for House Bill 2 which

would appropriate $1,000.0 to the Public Education Department for truancy and drop out

prevention.

GH/nt