HOUSE BILL 199

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2020

INTRODUCED BY

Tomás E. Salazar

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY BILITERACY FRAMEWORKS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--BILITERACY FRAMEWORK WORKING GROUP--MEMBERS--PURPOSE--DUTIES.--

          A. The public education department shall convene a "biliteracy framework working group" that includes local experts in culturally and linguistically responsive instruction, tribal language experts designated by participating tribes, service providers, universities, school districts, charter schools and other education providers that are successfully implementing biliteracy frameworks. The working group shall function from the date of its appointment until December 1, 2020.

          B. Members of the working group who are not paid with public money are entitled to per diem and mileage as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

          C. The purpose of the working group is to:

                (1) study potential statewide models that will provide all public school students with access to a culturally and linguistically responsive education;

                (2) identify biliteracy models that will improve the literacy rate in New Mexico and help students become college and career ready;

                (3) identify the best kindergarten through twelfth grade biliteracy frameworks in English and Spanish for public school students in developmental bilingual multicultural education programs in New Mexico;

                (4) identify the best practice for biliteracy frameworks that respect, honor and promote indigenous languages; and

                (5) study biliteracy framework implementation so as to provide guidance to school districts and charter schools that are implementing or choosing to implement developmental bilingual multicultural education.

          D. In carrying out its charge, the working group shall:

                (1) identify and study biliteracy frameworks that align with the state's kindergarten through twelfth grade English and Spanish language arts standards and that are culturally and linguistically responsive and have proven successful in developing language and academic proficiency in English and Spanish;

                (2) identify and study biliteracy frameworks for indigenous languages with input from tribal language experts and tribal communities; and

                (3) focus on how and why identified frameworks have been successful, and identify which culturally and linguistically responsive curriculum and instructional materials have best supported the implementation of a biliteracy framework and provided biliteracy success for public school students.

          E. The working group shall publish a final report regarding biliteracy frameworks in New Mexico, including why identified frameworks have been successful and how state standards for Spanish language arts should align with the state's kindergarten through twelfth grade biliteracy framework. The report shall provide guidance to school districts and charter schools that want to use a biliteracy framework with their bilingual, multicultural education program implementation.

          F. The working group shall report its findings and recommendations to the public education department, the legislative education study committee, the governor and the deans of the colleges of education and the presidents of the state universities by December 1, 2021.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2021 to pay the expenses of and staffing for the biliteracy framework working group, including paying for state or national biliteracy experts and in-depth research and publication of the working group's report. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2021 shall revert to the general fund.

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