Chapter 22, Chapter 22

It is the purpose of the Historical Codes Act [22-15-15 to 22-15-20 NMSA 1978] to promote an appreciation, necessary to a complete education, for the heritage and history of our civilization through the posting of historical codes pursuant to the provisions of the Historical Code…

Each local school board is authorized to accept contributions from private sources in order to carry out the provisions of the Historical Codes Act [22-15-15 to 22-15-20 NMSA 1978]. History: Laws 1981, ch. 29, § 3.

Each local school board may, to the extent funds are available pursuant to Section 3 [22-15-17 NMSA 1978] of the Historical Codes Act, post, in a nondiscriminatory manner not favoring one religious or ethno-cultural background over another, durable, permanent copies of the histor…

No funds from any other source other than those accepted pursuant to Section 3 [22-15-17 NMSA 1978] of the Historical Codes Act shall be used to carry out the provisions of Section 4 [22-15-18 NMSA 1978] of that act. History: Laws 1981, ch. 29, § 5.

As used in the Instructional Material Law [22-15-1 to 22-15-14 NMSA 1978]: A. "division" or "bureau" means the instructional material bureau of the department; B. "director" or "chief" means the chief of the bureau; C. "instructional material" means school textbooks and other edu…

As used in the Historical Codes Act [22-15-15 to 22-15-20 NMSA 1978], "historical codes" means: A. the ten commandments; B. the code of Hammurabi; C. any injunctive compendium from the Koran; D. any compendium of Confucian teachings; E. any excerpts from the Bhagavad-Gita; F. the…

This act [22-15-26 to 22-15-31 NMSA 1978] may be cited as the "Braille Access Act". History: Laws 2003, ch. 313, § 1.

The purposes of the Braille Access Act [22-15-26 to 22-15-31 NMSA 1978] are to: A. enhance literacy; B. increase braille proficiency; C. improve employability for blind and visually impaired students; and D. reduce the cost of acquiring braille and other alternate accessible form…

As used in the Braille Access Act [22-15-26 to 22-15-31 NMSA 1978]: A. "alternate accessible format" means one of several alternatives to traditional print, including braille, large print and computer text files; B. "braille" means the tactile system of reading and writing used b…

A. A publisher that prints instructional materials for students attending educational institutions shall provide, upon request of the educational institution, any printed instructional materials in an electronic format mutually agreed upon by the publisher and the educational ins…

A. The "instructional material bureau" is created within the department of education [public education department]. B. With approval of the state board [department], the state superintendent [secretary] shall appoint a chief of the bureau. History: 1953 Comp., § 77-13-3, enacted …

The department, in consultation with representatives from educational institutions and publishers, shall adopt guidelines consistent with the Braille Access Act [22-15-26 to 22-15-31 NMSA 1978] for the implementation and administration of that act. The guidelines shall address al…

A student who contends that there has been a violation of the Braille Access Act [22- 15-26 to 22-15-31 NMSA 1978] has the right to pursue a private right of action in the district court if the student has exhausted the administrative complaint process. Organizations representing…

Subject to the policies and rules of the department, the bureau shall: A. administer the provisions of the Instructional Material Law [22-15-1 to 22-15-14 NMSA 1978]; B. enforce rules for the handling, safekeeping and distribution of instructional material and instructional mater…

A. The state treasurer shall establish a nonreverting fund to be known as the "instructional material fund". The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and any other money credited to the fund. The fund shall be administered by the department, and money in the …

Disbursements from the instructional material fund shall be by warrant of the department of finance and administration upon vouchers issued by the department of education [public education department]. History: 1953 Comp., § 77-13-6, enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 16, § 210; 1975, ch.…

A. Any qualified student or person eligible to become a qualified student attending a public school, a state institution or a private school approved by the department in any grade from first through the twelfth grade of instruction is entitled to the free use of instructional ma…

A. The department shall adopt a multiple list to be made available to students pursuant to the Instructional Material Law [22-15-1 to 22-15-14 NMSA 1978]. At least ten percent of instructional material on the multiple list concerning language arts and social studies shall contain…

The "instructional material adoption fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of fees charged to publishers to review their instructional materials, income from investment of the fund, gifts, grants and donations. Money in the fund shall not revert to any other f…

A. The "reading materials fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. Money in the fund shall not revert to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year. The fund shall be administered by the department, and money in the…

A. On or before April 1 of each year, the department shall allocate to each school district, state institution or private school as agent not less than ninety percent of its estimated entitlement as determined from the estimated forty-day membership for the next school year. A sc…

Chapter 22, Article 15A NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Digital Equity in Education Act". History: Laws 1994, ch. 96, § 1; 2005, ch. 222, § 1; 2023, ch. 161, § 1.

As used in the Digital Equity in Education Act: A. "council" means the council on technology in education; B. "digital citizenship" means the safe, ethical, responsible and informed use of technology and encompasses a range of skills and literacies, including internet safety, pri…

The department shall: A. administer the provisions of the Digital Equity in Education Act; B. require school districts and charter schools to develop, implement and submit to the department educational technology plans for utilizing educational technology in the school system, wh…

The "council on technology in education" is created. The council shall advise the department regarding the establishment of appropriate educational technology standards, technology-enhanced curricula, instruction, appropriations for educational technology and methods for addressi…

A. The council shall be composed of thirteen members. Members shall be appointed by the department for terms of four years. As designated by the department at the time of initial appointment, the terms of four members shall expire at the end of two years, the terms of four member…

The council shall: A. advise the department on implementation of the provisions of the Digital Equity in Education Act; B. work with the department to conduct periodic assessments of the need for educational technology in the public school system to support on-site and distance l…

The "educational technology fund" is created in the state treasury. Money in the fund is appropriated to the department for the purpose of implementing the provisions of the Digital Equity in Education Act. Money in the fund shall be distributed by the department for the purposes…

Chapter 22, Article 15C NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "School Library Material Act". History: Laws 2003, ch. 149, § 1; 2006, ch. 94, § 48.

A. Annually, the department shall submit a budget for the next fiscal year to the department of finance and administration showing expenditures for school library material to be paid from the fund, including reasonable shipping and handling charges and library material processing…

As used in the School Library Material Act: A. "additional student" means a student in the certified forty-day membership of the current year for a school district or state institution above the number certified in the forty-day membership of the prior year for the school distric…

The "school library material fund" is created in the state treasury. The purpose of the fund is to provide an account from which the department may distribute money to school districts, state institutions and governmentally controlled schools to pay for the cost of purchasing sch…

bureau; duties. Subject to the policies and rules of the department, the bureau shall: A. administer the provisions of the School Library Material Act; B. enforce rules for the handling, safekeeping and distribution of school library material and money from the fund; C. enforce i…

A. A qualified student or person eligible to become a qualified student attending a public school, a state institution or a governmentally controlled school in a grade from the first through the twelfth grade of instruction is entitled to the free use of school library material. …

A. On or before July 1 of each year, the department shall allocate from the fund at least ninety percent of the estimated entitlement for each school district, state institution or governmentally controlled school as determined from the estimated forty-day membership for the next…

A. With the approval of the bureau, school library material acquired by a school district, a state institution or a governmentally controlled school pursuant to the School Library Material Act may be sold at a price determined by officials of the school district, state institutio…

A school district, a state institution or a governmentally controlled school shall keep an accurate record of school library material that includes a cost record. A school district, a state institution or a governmentally controlled school shall comply with record-keeping procedu…

Annually, at a time specified by the department, each local school district, state institution or governmentally controlled school acquiring school library material pursuant to the School Library Material Act shall file a report with the department. History: Laws 2003, ch. 149, §…

Chapter 22, Article 15D NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Fine Arts Education Act". History: Laws 2003, ch. 152, § 1; 2006, ch. 94, § 50.

A. The purpose of the Fine Arts Education Act is to encourage school districts and state-chartered charter schools to offer opportunities for elementary school students to participate in fine arts activities, including visual arts, music, theater and dance. B. Participation in fi…

As used in the Fine Arts Education Act, "fine arts education programs" includes programs of education through which students participate in activities related to visual arts, music, theater and dance. History: Laws 2003, ch. 152, § 3.

The department shall issue guidelines for the development and implementation of fine arts education programs. The department shall: A. administer and enforce the provisions of the Fine Arts Education Act; and B. assist school districts and charter schools in developing and evalua…

A. A school district or charter school may prepare and submit to the department a fine arts education program plan in accordance with guidelines issued by the department. B. At a minimum, the plan shall include the fine arts education programs being taught, the ways in which the …

financial support. A. To be eligible for state financial support, a fine arts education program shall: (1) provide for the educational needs of students in the areas of visual arts, music, theater or dance; (2) integrate the fine arts into the curriculum; (3) use certified school…

Chapter 22, Article 15E NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Mathematics and Science Education Act". History: Laws 2007, ch. 44, § 1; 2007, ch. 239, § 1; 2026, ch. 53, § 2.

As used in the Mathematics and Science Education Act: A. "bureau" means the mathematics and science bureau; B. "chief" means the chief of the bureau; C. "council" means the mathematics and science advisory council; D. "mathematics difficulty" means a student's inability to perfor…

A. The "mathematics and science bureau" is created in the department. The secretary shall appoint the chief as provided in the Public Education Department Act [Chapter 9, Article 24 NMSA 1978]. B. The bureau shall: (1) administer the provisions of the Mathematics and Science Educ…

members; terms; vacancies. A. The "mathematics and science advisory council" is created, composed of twelve members. Members of the council shall be appointed by the secretary for staggered terms of four years; provided that for the initial appointments, four members shall be app…

The council shall: A. advise the bureau on implementation of the bureau's duties pursuant to the Mathematics and Science Education Act; B. make recommendations to the bureau and the department regarding the statewide strategic plan for improving mathematics and science education …

purpose; annual reports. A. The "mathematics and science proficiency fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and income from investment of the fund. Disbursements from the fund shall be made by w…