Transcript Highlights:

• I have an expert for LESC. former teacher.
• I have an expert for LESC, Annie Armish, and of course Ellen B. Bernstein from the Teachers Union.
• The employment, I know during LESC we talked about could they get insurance.
• We, as part of the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC), have been working on the budget since
• I know our LESC folks, and probably the department, are concerned about what the implications of this

Bills: SB83, SB106, SB107, SB123, SJR1

Keywords: ecological monitoring, sustainability, tribal engagement, education, research funding, graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, out-of-school programming, education funding, youth programs, affordability, nonprofit organizations, defibrillators, public schools, health and safety, emergency response, school elections

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Secretary, we're going to have LFC present the report cards and then we'll invite both PED and LESC
• We'll go through the report cards and then again, we'll invite up PED and LESC and enter in what I'm
• The LESC.
• We have a commitment from LESC to be involved in every aspect of the development of this plan.
• I think that the partnership between PED and the LESC and LFC are Secretary: strong.

Transcript Highlights:

• next slide highlights some of our New Mexico evaluations conducted by the LFC as well as from the LESC
• In 2016, LFC conducted an evaluation of virtual programs, and the following year, LESC staff and LFC
• In 2016, LFC conducted an evaluation of virtual programs, and the following year, LESC staff and LFC
• In 2016, LFC conducted an evaluation of virtual programs, and the following year, LESC staff and LFC
• In 2016, LFC conducted an evaluation of virtual programs, and the following year, LESC staff and LFC

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This was endorsed by both Piscuda and LESC.
• A full breakdown of 450 is included in our post-session review LESC website, and we'll talk about every
• Montoya from LESC examine the impact of inflation on school construction, maintenance costs, and the
• we decided to take that out and move it to November, um, so that we have a little bit more time as LESC
• Nope, nope, it's gone, right, we had LESC staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the LESC meeting, November 17th to the 19th.
• John Sena, your Staff Director for LESC. Our Deputy Director, Jessica Hathaway, is in the back.
• The fiscal impact report (FIR) is about $3 million, I believe, in LESC it was $5 million, and the PED
• I forgot to talk about Appendix B in the LESC brief.
• Chair, of what I say because my wife works at LESC.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's good that we have a 9% increase recommendation on the LESC.
• I don't know how many people on LESC were. there during Secretary Skandera's time.
• LESC had a virtual. charter school bill.
• Chair, those are designations that we determine as the LESC. Is that right?
• Any other discussion about adopting the LESC recommendation for education funding.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Proposal Updates for LESC Mr.
• And the LESC budget separating them out more clearly, I think, should help.
• But I also didn't want to say LESC. Staff always sends a memo to LFC.
• Director, if you're ready, 2026 LESC endorsed legislation proposals.
• Be voting on LESC endorsed legislation on the Monday before session starts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third day of the LESC meeting.
• first up is the 520 Native American Language and Cultural Certification, and Natasha has our lead with LESC
• During the 2025 legislative session, the Legislature passed Senate Memorial 9 requesting LESC to convene
• While SM9 focused on the 520 certificate, LESC staff expanded that scope to include bilingual education
• LESC staff met with PED and HED to better understand current supports for 520 educators.

Summary: The committee began with a presentation on the 520 Native American Language and Culture certificate, created to let proficient tribal language and culture speakers teach in K-12 schools without a bachelor’s degree. LESC staff, PED, and HED described the certificate’s statutory basis, the role of tribes and pueblos in setting proficiency standards, and ongoing challenges such as uneven MOAs, limited professional development, rural access barriers, data gaps, and retention concerns. PED said oversight of 520 is moving from the licensure bureau to the Indian Education Division, and HED reported that the tribal education technical assistance centers authorized in 2023 are still in procurement but are expected to be awarded in early 2026. A student, Alonzo Hughes, testified about how learning Tewa from 520-certified teachers helped him understand his culture and speak with elders, and members praised the program’s role in language revitalization and asked about funding, teacher pathways, and whether similar models exist in other states. Committee members then discussed several PED rule updates. Staff reviewed an adopted rule implementing HB 54 on AEDs and cardiac emergency response plans, including staff training requirements and staggered compliance dates, and a proposed rule for school nurse licensure under HB 195 that would create a three-tier system and align nurse pay with teacher pay. They also reviewed proposed changes to the Community Schools Act rule, including a full-time community school coordinator requirement, updated grant language, and broader coalition membership criteria; PED said the broader language would not conflict with the Martinez-Yazzie work. A proposed bilingual teacher rule would standardize coursework requirements, add trans-languaging and culturally relevant curriculum competencies, and allow Native American language certification applicants to demonstrate proficiency using tribal standards. In questions, members raised concerns about AEDs being present at athletic events, the need for the amended school nurse bill to move experienced nurses directly into higher levels, and whether the community schools rule’s broader coalition language could affect current education litigation. Members also asked about funding for 520 programs, teacher residency or cohort models, and how to support advanced language instruction and sustainability. PED said the Indian Education Fund and school budgets can support some of the work, but additional strategic funding and cross-training are needed. The committee also heard that New Mexico’s 520 system is unusually robust compared with other states, and members encouraged staff to present the model at national conferences. The meeting ended with the director’s report, which noted a flat budget request of $2,024,300, staff turnover including Natasha Davalos’s departure, and appreciation for the committee’s work before adjournment for the holidays.

Transcript Highlights:

• The LESC should compare and contrast different modes of direction. of governance and come back with a
• proposed constitutional amendment and enabling legislation if, after careful consideration, the LESC
• We urge you to vote no on the LESC. Thank you so much.
• A number of you are new this year and you'll have the opportunity to serve on the LESC.
• The LESC bill analysis stated that there used to be a state superintendent that was abolished in 2003

Transcript Highlights:

• When you're members of the committee, my name is Daniel, and I cover public school finance for the LESC
• even begin planning their staffing and programming for the next fiscal year, which suggests to us at LESC
• We look forward to working with the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) in the interim next
• And I hope one of the things we consider in the LFC and PED and LESC collaboration, Mr.
• Chair and members of the LESC. It's great to see you all.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The LESC is both about investigation as well as lifting up successes, and I think ECECD and higher ed
• Not that I want to give LESC more work, but it is something that we could have.
• And so I wondered why we don't include higher ed in the work that The LESC.
• oversee higher education and early childhood, but as we saw last week from our presentation, Our aims in LESC

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that science has been borne out by looking at the analyses from both the LFC and the LESC.
• We went for LESC not long ago, and anyway, yes, I would gladly go and talk to anyone and explain why
• In the LESC analysis, there were two agency analyses that I was particularly interested in.
• Evans, further in this analysis from LESC, it says...
• I do want to point out that earlier in the LESC study that you were discussing, the LESC clearly states

Transcript Highlights:

• Third day of the LESC meeting.
• first up is the 520 Native American Language and Cultural Certification, and Natasha is our lead with LESC
• During the 2025 legislative session, the legislature passed Senate Memorial 9 requesting LESC to convene
• LESC's November interim meeting, allowing LESC staff to begin the foundational structure of our research
• LESC staff met with PED and. HED to better understand current supports for 520 educators.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the second day of the LESC meeting.
• LESC brief presented over the summer on math policy and practice, which provided a historical summary
• And so I'm thrilled to do it with the LESC.
• I want to thank the LESC for doing an incredible job with their evaluation too.
• So, the LESC had moved forward with legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the agenda to start off this morning, we are going to have a presentation from LESC on House Bill
• My name is Daniel, and I cover Public School Finance with the LESC.
• My name is Daniel, and I cover Public School Finance with the LESC.
• So the chairman asked LESC staff to come and update you on the status of House Bill 2 in a quick 10-minute
• And then we get to the LESC, and it's 19.86, but then it settles, and it actually, 6.62.

Bills: SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• Hey everybody and welcome to the second day of our LESC meeting here on May Day, May 1st.
• I wonder as far as LESC and LFC, if we need to talk more together. I mean, really sit down because.
• LESC, we know a lot, but how much does LFC listen? I don't know that we.
• Committees talking to each other and working together instead of just LFCs up here and LESCs down here
• Saludos, Chair, Vice Chair, and LESC Committee. My name is Nina Simbana.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've talked about this for a while in the LESC, trying to get more, and I think there's still some sorting
• We've worked on it very hard over the last several years in LESC, and just continuing the doggedness
• In fact, I even set it up where a couple of people from LESC went and looked at this program.
• There’s a little bit of a disagreement between the LESC and the Dorst SEG Formula Revamp and LFC.
• LESC has added a 0.05 to the formula for 6th grade through 12th grade.

Transcript Highlights:

• It matches the funding level that's recommended by LESC.
• However, LESC has that funding in the Public Education Reform Fund.
• In LESC this summer, we looked at math. Math is being the thing we're focusing on.
• So the executive wanted 6.3; LESC wanted 6 million.
• And in LESC, we had a great hearing where we talked about this.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With that comes the partnership with LESC, DFA, and PED.
• By July 1, those initial evaluation plans were due from PED to LESC, LFC, and DFA staff.
• Vice Chair, the court has said that it is not holding LAC or LESC as responsible.
• I would like to see a motion to approve the LAC and LESC.
• Again, as I mentioned earlier, we are working with LESC on these bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• My guess is LFC would present an education budget and LESC would present an education budget.
• My guess is LFC would present an education budget and LESC would present an education budget.
• And I think what I learned was, on the LESC at the time, looking at how everything was managed, I think
• And I might point out the hard work of the LESC, which is both bipartisan and bicameral.
• And I regularly point out, if we didn't have the little D's and R's next to our names in LESC, you'd

Bills: SB104, SJR3, SM3

Keywords: wildlife commission, removal procedures, malfeasance, appointed officials, governance, education reform, public education, state board of education, superintendent, chartering authority, constitutional amendment, policy setting, insects, insect workshop, insect identification, ecology, monitoring, management, pollinators, pollination