NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

The LFC is only preparing FIRs on bills referred to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The chief clerks are responsible for preparing and issuing all other bill analyses.

Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Room 416 of the State Capitol Building.

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB876 Duplicates SB728

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Public Education (SDE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 715 amends the Incentives for School Improvement Act to provide for corrective action and interventions and also changes the distribution of money in the act to provide financial assistance to schools identified as most in need of improvement.

Significant Issues

This bill requires SDE to develop an interventions for school improvement formula and process to identify schools most in need of improvement and the necessary corrective actions and interventions.

The State Superintendent or his designee, the local school district superintendent and the president of the local school board are required to conduct a public meeting to inform the community that a school has been identified as most in need of improvement and requires intervention.

Schools must involve the community in developing an intervention and improvement plan. The local school board, state superintendent, and district superintendent must all agree on the plan.

The school must document progress prior to the end of the first school year of implementation of the intervention and improvement plan. If SDE determines that the school has not met the desired objectives, the State Board of Education will assign a diagnostic team to intervene during the next school year. If the state superintendent determines the school has not met the desired objective, for two consecutive years, he shall take direct control of the school pursuant to Section 22-2-14 NMSA 1978.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

This bill amends the Incentives For School Improvement Act to require that sixty percent of the money in the fund be distributed directly to schools evidencing the greatest improvement and forty percent of the money in the fund be distributed to schools identified as most in need of improvement.

Schools that have been identified as most in need of improvement, will not be allowed to receive funds for more than three years.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

SDE indicates the administrative impact on the public schools receiving incentives should be minimal. Schools that have been identified for intervention will be significant. They must develop an intervention and improvement plan. The department will continue to monitor both programs.

SDE indicates that if a large number of schools are identified for intervention, the administrative impact on the agency will be greater.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

This bill relates to HB876 and duplicates SB728.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

SDE indicates that the development of the intervention and improvement plan does not allow for much flexibility for schools and school districts and does not allow any type of due process.

CTF/gm