2020 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 22 - Public Schools
Article 23A - Indian Education
Section 22-23A-9 - Indian education; school district responsibilities; needs assessments; use of data; prioritizing budgets; reports.

A. As used in Sections 1 through 3 [22-23A-9 to 22-23A-11 NMSA 1978] of this 2019 act, "school district" includes charter schools.

B. Historically defined Indian impacted school districts are required to conduct a needs assessment to determine what supports are needed in public school, at home and in the community to help Indian students succeed in school, graduate with a diploma of excellence and be prepared to enter post-secondary education or the workplace.

C. After the needs assessment, the school district shall meet with the local tribes to prioritize the needs to be addressed. The school district shall make meeting the needs of Indian students and closing the achievement gap between Indian students and all other student groups a priority in the school district budget, including applying state and federal funding for Indian students, disadvantaged students, at-risk students, students in poverty and other categories of state and federal funding to help disadvantaged students.

D. The school district shall apply for appropriate state, federal and private grants to help it carry out the provisions of Sections 1 through 3 of this 2019 act. When approving budgets, the department shall consider whether a school district's budget accomplishes the prioritized needs from the Indian students needs assessment.

E. The school district shall develop an accountability tool that measures public school efforts pursuant to the systemic framework provided for in Sections 2 and 3 of this 2019 act and the success or failure of those efforts.

F. The school district shall hold a public meeting with members of the Indian students' tribal leaders, parents and the Indian education division at least twice in the school year to report on the needs assessment and the school district's evaluation of progress.

History: Laws 2019, ch. 16, § 1.

Effective dates. — Laws 2019, ch. 16 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 14, 2019, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.