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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Education

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

The bill appropriates $75.0 from the general fund to the State Department of Education for developing urban agricultural education magnet schools statewide. This bill would integrate agriculture curricula into regular high school curricula. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 reverts to the GF.

Significant Issues

Three schools districts are classified as urban: Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Albuquerque

Santa Fe and Las Cruces have agriculture programs that articulate to post secondary institutions.

According to SDE agricultural issues continue to be relevant in modern cities. SDE lists the following reasons that demonstrate the relevancy of this legislation:

• Albuquerque area is a national center for the equine industry
• growth of Albuquerque area creates demand for landscape designers and contractors
• environmental science industry is in constant need of qualified people
• existence of large floral and greenhouse nursery business in Albuquerque
• new field of sustainable agriculture -which teaches farmers and ranchers to use fewer chemicals and modify grazing practices

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The amount of $75.0 is adequate for initiating a pilot study of the feasibility of introducing this program. SDE notes that the funds may also be enough to develop the curriculum for such a program. However, SDE indicates that the amount requested is not sufficient to establish magnet schools for this purpose.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

SDE points out that a comprehensive needs assessment should be conducted to determine the need for the program.

A new project would be created for SDE. SDE specifies that the current staff can handle the project if a significant number of other special projects are not approved.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to SDE the same objective could be accomplished without magnet schools if urban issues were included in current agriculture curricula. Currently there is no evidence that Albuquerque Public Schools are interested in the program

CF:BD/njw