HB 263

                                1  HOUSE BILL 263
                                2     57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2026
                                3  INTRODUCED BY
                                4  Catherine J. Cullen and Brian G. Baca
                                5
                                6
                                7
                                8
                                9
                                10  AN ACT
                                11   RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; ENACTING A NEW SECTION OF THE
                                12   MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION ACT; REQUIRING AUTOMATIC
                                13   ENROLLMENT OF CERTAIN STUDENTS IN AVAILABLE ADVANCED
                                14   MATHEMATICS COURSES; PROVIDING EXCEPTIONS TO AUTOMATIC
                                15   ENROLLMENT; REQUIRING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO
                                16   REPORT ANNUALLY TO THE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE BUREAU OF THE
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17   PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ON DATA, INCLUDING STUDENT
underscored material = new
                                18   PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS AND ENROLLMENT IN ADVANCED
                                19   MATHEMATICS COURSES; ASSIGNING DUTIES TO THE BUREAU AND THE
                                20   DEPARTMENT.
                                21
                                22   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
                                23        SECTION 1.    Section 22-15E-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007,
                                24   Chapter 44, Section 1 and Laws 2007, Chapter 239, Section 1) is
                                25   amended to read:
                                     .233199.1
                                1  "22-15E-1. SHORT TITLE.--[This act] Chapter 22, Article
                                2    15E NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Mathematics and Science
                                3    Education Act"."
                                4  SECTION 2.     A new section of the Mathematics and Science
                                5    Education Act is enacted to read:
                                6  "[NEW MATERIAL] AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT IN ADVANCED
                                7    MATHEMATICS COURSES--EXCEPTIONS--REPORTING.--
                                8  A.   A public school that provides advanced
                                9    mathematics courses for sixth, seventh or eighth grade students
                                10   shall automatically enroll a student in an available advanced
                                11   mathematics course appropriate for the student's grade or
                                12   abilities if the student:
                                13  (1)   demonstrated the highest proficiency in
                                14   grade-level mathematics on the most recent statewide
                                15   assessment;
                                16  (2)   demonstrated the highest proficiency in
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17   grade-level mathematics on an end-of-course exam or benchmark
underscored material = new
                                18   assessment administered by the student's school in the
                                19   immediately preceding school year; or
                                20  (3)   earned at least a letter grade of A or an
                                21   equivalent in the mathematics course in which the student was
                                22   most recently enrolled.
                                23  B.   A public school is not required to automatically
                                24   enroll a student in an advanced mathematics course pursuant to
                                25   Subsection A of this section if the public school has notice of
                                     .233199.1
                                                                     - 2 -
                                1    the student's parent's objection to the enrollment.
                                2  C.   In addition to the requirements of Subsection A
                                3    of this section, a public school shall otherwise enroll a
                                4    student in an advanced mathematics course provided by the
                                5    public school upon the request of the student or the student's
                                6    parent.
                                7  D.   Each school district and each charter school
                                8    with students in sixth through eighth grade shall provide an
                                9    annual report to the bureau on the following:
                                10  (1)   the number of the school's students in
                                11   sixth through eighth grade for the current school year,
                                12   disaggregated by race, sex and family income, who are:
                                13  (a)   eligible for automatic enrollment in
                                14   an advanced mathematics course pursuant to Subsection A of this
                                15   section;
                                16  (b)   enrolled in an advanced mathematics
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17   course and whether the enrollment was automatic or upon the
underscored material = new
                                18   request of the student or the student's parent;
                                19  (c)   eligible for automatic enrollment in
                                20   an advanced mathematics course but are not enrolled because of
                                21   the student's parent's objection; and
                                22  (d)   eligible for automatic enrollment in
                                23   an advanced mathematics course or who requested enrollment in
                                24   an advanced mathematics course but did not enroll because a
                                25   course was not available;
                                     .233199.1
                                                                     - 3 -
                                1  (2)   the number of the school's students in
                                2    sixth through eighth grade for the current school year who are
                                3    not eligible for automatic enrollment in an advanced
                                4    mathematics course pursuant to Subsection A of this section,
                                5    but otherwise are enrolled in an advanced mathematics course,
                                6    disaggregated by race, sex and family income;
                                7  (3)   the average score in grade-level
                                8    mathematics on the statewide assessment or the end-of-year
                                9    course exam or benchmark assessment and the average letter
                                10   grade in mathematics for the students reported on pursuant to
                                11   Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection and for all other
                                12   students enrolled in the school district or at the charter
                                13   school, disaggregated by student grade level, race, sex and
                                14   family income;
                                15  (4)   the advanced mathematics courses for
                                16   sixth, seventh and eighth grade students that are available in
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17   the school district or at the charter school for the current
underscored material = new
                                18   school year; and
                                19  (5)   the resources, services or interventions
                                20   provided by the school district or charter school to support
                                21   student performance in mathematics and the number of students
                                22   that received those resources, services or interventions in the
                                23   current school year.
                                24  E.   The bureau shall compile the reports received
                                25   pursuant to this section and publish the reports on the
                                     .233199.1
                                                                     - 4 -
                                1    department's website; provided that the published reports shall
                                2    comply with state and federal law regarding confidentiality of
                                3    personally identifiable information.
                                4  F.   The department shall promulgate rules to
                                5    implement the provisions of this section."
                                6  - 5 -
                                7
                                8
                                9
                                10
                                11
                                12
                                13
                                14
                                15
                                16
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17
underscored material = new
                                18
                                19
                                20
                                21
                                22
                                23
                                24
                                25
                                     .233199.1