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>> THE BUDGET PROCESS RAN INTO THE BIGGEST ROADBLOCKS
OVER EDUCATION REFORMS. NMiF CORRESPONDENT GWYNETH
DOLAND SPOKE TO REPRESENTATIVES DENNIS ROCH
AND BILL McCAMLEY ABOUT THE COMPROMISE ON THESE
ISSUES THAT LED TO A BUDGET DEAL, AND SHE TALKED TO
SEVERAL OTHER LAWMAKERS ABOUT HOW THE UNIVERSITY OF
NEW MEXICO AND THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP FARED IN THIS
BUDGET, AS WELL, AND ABOUT A BILL THAT WOULD WAVE TUITION
FOR KIDS AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
SHE ALSO TOUCHED ON AN EFFORT TO GET FRESH LOCAL
PRODUCE INTO MORE SCHOOLS. NOW, ONE NOTE.
WE TAPED THESE SEGMENTS WITH THESE REPRESENTATIVES ON
WEDNESDAY, ONE DAY BEFORE THE SESSION ENDED.
>> REPRESENTATIVE ROCH, YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING VERY
CAREFULLY AND PARTICIPATING IN THE DEBATES OVER HOW
WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN A
COMPROMISE HERE. HOW DID THIS PLAY OUT?
>> WELL, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THAT BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, BOTH PARTIES, AND
BOTH BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THESE DISCUSSIONS, THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
LEGISLATIVE, HAVE BOTH CALLED FOR PUTTING
ADDITIONAL MONEY INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WE KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOLS HIT THE HIGH WATER MARK IN
FUNDING ABOUT 2008, AND HAVE BEEN ON THE DECLINE BECAUSE
OF THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. FINALLY OUR STATE REVENUE IS
GETTING BACK TO A POSITION WHERE WE CAN FUND THE
SCHOOLS AT THAT LEVEL AGAIN. THE DIFFERENCES ARE THAT THE
GOVERNOR AND THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, AND FRANKLY,
SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF MY PARTY, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY,
HAVE SAID, WE WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO EDUCATION, BUT WE
WANT TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN TARGET AT LEAST SOME
OF THE MONEY, NOT ALL, BUT AT LEAST SOME OF THE MONEY
TO INITIATIVES THAT PROMISE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE
IN EDUCATION. THINGS LIKE INCREASED
GRADUATION RATES. THINGS LIKE INCREASED
READING PROFICIENCY FOR OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS, AND
GETTING THEM SUPPORTS IMMEDIATELY SO THAT THEY
DON'T FALL BEHIND WHEN THEY GET INTO UPPER GRADES IN
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'VE HAD SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS.
NOT EVERYBODY AGREES THAT THOSE INITIATIVES ARE THE
RIGHT ONES OR THE ONES THAT WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE, AND
EVERYONE SORT OF PRODUCES THEIR OWN RESEARCH TO DEFEND
THEIR POSITION. SO THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF
A BACK AND FORTH ON IT. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE
COMPROMISE THAT WE'RE GETTING TO NOW SAYS WE'RE
GOING TO ALLOW THE SECRETARY AND THE GOVERNOR TO PUT SOME
MONEY, TO TARGET SOME INVESTMENTS THERE, BUT WE
ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE WE SUPPORT GENERAL EDUCATION
FUNDING SO WE CAN REDUCE CLASS SIZES THAT HAVE GOTTEN
TO BE A LITTLE BIT OVER-SIZED BECAUSE OF THE
ECONOMIC STRUGGLE WE'VE BEEN IN, AND FINALLY GET SCHOOL
STAFF AND OTHER STATE EMPLOYEES A RAISE THAT THEY
HAVEN'T SEEN IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
>> REP. McCAMLEY, TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE ELEMENTS
IN THE EDUCATION FUNDING COMPROMISE THAT YOU SUPPORT.
>> WELL, THOUGH WE ARE GIVING SOME MONEY TO THE
GOVERNOR'S DISCRETIONARY SPENDING FUND, WE MADE SURE
THAT THE TEACHERS ARE PROTECTED.
THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST ISSUES, THAT RULES
HAVE BEEN FORCED UPON THEM THAT REQUIRE ALL THIS
TESTING, AND THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE THAT TESTING A PART
OF THE MERIT PAY SCHEME. WHAT WE SAID IS, IF YOU WANT
TO TRY THAT AT ALL, FIRST OF ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO
COME TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, NOT THE OTHER
WAY AROUND, AND THE TEACHERS UNION HAVE TO HAVE A SEAT AT
THE TABLE IN THOSE DISTRICTS WHERE THEY HAVE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING, SO WE MAKE SURE, WE MAKE CONCRETELY SURE THAT
TEACHERS ARE INCLUDED IN THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THEIR
POLICIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> SENATOR McSORLEY, YOUR DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES THE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN
FOLLOWING IT VERY CLOSELY. HOW DO YOU THINK UNM HAS
DONE IN THESE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS?
>> THIS IS THE BEST UNM HAS DONE IN SIX YEARS.
HIGHER ED TOOK A DISPROPORTIONAL HIT ON THE
BUDGETS WHEN WE HAD TO CUT A BILLION DOLLARS OUT OF SIX
BILLION DOLLARS. HIGHER ED TOOK A
DISPROPORTIONAL HIT. UNM TOOK A DISPROPORTIONAL
HIT OF ALL THE UNIVERSITIES. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HALF OF
ALL THE HIGHER ED STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO,
WE TOOK A DISPROPORTIONAL HIT.
UNM DID A FANTASTIC JOB. VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE
REDUCTIONS CAME FROM UPPER LEVEL MANAGEMENT.
THEY TRIED TO KEEP THE TEACHING MISSION INTACT.
THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED MORE MONEY THAN WE RECEIVED IN
THE PAST, AND SO UNM IS STARTING TO GET CLOSE TO
WHERE IT WAS BACK IN 2008. BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE
MANAGEMENT REFORMS THAT THEY'VE DONE, THEY'RE IN
MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN BEFORE.
>> IN TERMS OF THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP, I KNOW YOU'VE
BEEN FOLLOWING THAT, TOO, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT HAS
COME OUT IN THE END? >> WELL, I'M A LIT DEPRESSED
ABOUT THAT. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY STARTED
THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS 20 YEARS AGO OR SO, WE THOUGHT
THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP.
FIRST THERE WOULD BE TUITION, THEN IT WOULD BE
BOOKS, THEN IT WOULD BE ROOM AND BOARD.
AND REALLY, WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WE'VE BACK SLID.
PEOPLE BLAME THE UNIVERSITIES FOR THIS, BUT
DURING THESE BUDGET CRISES, IT WAS THE LEGISLATURE THAT
TOLD THE UNIVERSITIES YOU HAVE TO RAISE TUITION 10 AND
15 PERCENT. THAT'S THE WAY THE STATE
BUDGETED IT. AND WHEN THE UNIVERSITIES
DID IT, THEN THEY TURNED AROUND AND BLAMED THE
UNIVERSITIES FOR BUSTING THE LOTTERY.
SO IT WASN'T FAIR. IT'S NOT RIGHT.
AND IF WE CAN GET BACK TO A MORE REGULAR FUNDING FORMULA
FOR THE UNIVERSITIES, WHERE WE'RE NOT CUTTING THEIR
BUDGETS DRAMATICALLY AND TELLING THEM TO RAISE
TUITION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND AND FORESEE THE FUNDING
STREAMS THAT WE NEED TO FUND THE LOTTERY.
SO I'M A LITTLE DEPRESSED BECAUSE THE FORMULA THAT WE
JUST SENT OUT LAST NIGHT FROM THE SENATE DOESN'T
INCLUDE TUITION FOR ALL FOUR YEARS FOR ALL STUDENTS, AND
SO WE'RE BACKSLIDING. WE'RE GOING IN THE
WRONG DIRECTION. AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT
IDEAS OUT THERE, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THE
GOVERNOR TO AGREE ON A PLAN YET THAT WOULD FULLY FUND
THE LOTTERY. SO THERE'S NUMEROUS PLANS
OUT THERE, AND THE BEST ONE THAT I FAVOR IS THE
REVERSION PLAN. IF THE GOVERNOR SAID SHE --
WE APPROPRIATED MONEY TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
IF SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T NEED IT, INSTEAD OF GOING BACK TO
THE GENERAL FUND, IT SHOULD GO TO THE LOTTERY
SCHOLARSHIP. LAST YEAR, IT WAS
$55 MILLION. WE WOULD ONLY NEED TO DO
THAT FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, AND IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY
FUNDED AS A TRUST, AND THEN WE'D ONLY HAVE TO USE THE
INTEREST FROM IT WITH THE LOTTERY MONEY, AND IT WOULD
BE FULLY FUNDED FOR AS LONG AS WE NEEDED.
>> SO I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE UP HERE LOOKING FOR MONEY IN
THE BUDGET THAT WOULD PAY TO PUT NEW MEXICO GROWN PRODUCE
IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LUNCHROOMS ACROSS THE STATE.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT THAT YOU'RE HOPING THIS PROGRAM
WOULD HAVE? >> THIS IMPACTS KIDS IN
REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS.
IT'S THEIR HEALTH, IT'S THEIR DIET WHEN GRADE SCHOOL
CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A FULL
MEAL, NOT ONLY BREAKFAST, BUT THAT SCHOOL LUNCH
PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT. AND THE SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED
TO PUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ON THE PLATES, SO WE FEEL
LIKE IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, THAT KIDS GET NEW
MEXICO GROWN THAT'S FRESH. IT'S THE FRESHEST THING THEY
CAN HAVE. AND IT ALSO REALLY ASSISTS
THEM IN THEIR LEARNING HABITS, AS WELL.
IF A CHILD HAS A FULL BELLY AND THEY'RE NOURISHED, THEN
THEY REALLY ARE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON THEIR STUDIES
THAT MUCH MORE. THE OTHER THING THAT'S A
WIN-WIN ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE CALLED NEW MEXICO
GROWN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR SCHOOL MEALS
IS THAT IT REALLY BENEFITS OUR FARMERS IN NEW MEXICO,
AS WELL. SO WE HAVE ABOUT 25 FARMERS
WHO ARE NOW SELLING INTO ABOUT 61 OF OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS OUT OF 89. SO OVER HALF OF THE KIDS IN
NEW MEXICO HAVE ALREADY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TASTE AND
ENJOY FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
AND THEN THAT JUST IMPROVES THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
FOR OUR FARMERS IN NEW MEXICO, AS WELL.
>> SENATOR MUĂ‘OZ, YOU'VE SPONSORED A BILL THAT WOULD
PROVIDE FREE TUITION TO STUDENTS WHO AGE OUT OF THE
FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO DO
THIS? >> YOU KNOW, I SIT ON THE
HEART GALLERY BOARD. I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT A
LOT OF STUFF FOR FOSTER KIDS, AND THIS IS ONE OF
THOSE ISSUES THAT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
IT HELPS PEOPLE GET AN EDUCATION, AND ONCE SOMEBODY
HAS AN EDUCATION, NOBODY CAN EVER TAKE THAT AWAY
FROM YOU. SO I THINK THAT WHEN YOU
HELP THOSE KIDS -- AND THEY WERE IN THE ROOM TODAY, AND
ONE GIRL GAVE A GREAT SPEECH ABOUT, IT DIDN'T APPLY TO
HER, BUT SHE WANTED TO BE THERE TO HELP THE OTHER KIDS
THAT TURNED OUT. >> TELL US WHAT KIND OF
SPECIAL CHALLENGES THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FACE.
>> WELL, ONCE THEY COME OUT OF THE FOSTER SYSTEM, THEY
HAVE NO FAMILY. THEY HAVE NO SUPPORT SYSTEM.
AND SO WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM, IT
MAKES IT HARDER FOR THEM TO GET AN EDUCATION.
SO WHEN THEY GO TO APPLY FOR SCHOOLS OR COLLEGES, WE KNOW
THAT IN THE FEDERAL GRANT SYSTEM THERE'S A LINE THERE
THAT SAYS, 'HOW MUCH IS YOUR FAMILY GOING TO SUPPORT
YOU,' AND WHEN THAT LINE IS LEFT BLANK, THESE CHILDREN
ARE GONE. >> AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING
THE IMPACT WILL BE ON THEIR LIVES?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WITH
FOSTER KIDS THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY
TERM OUT, AND THE TROUBLES IN LIFE THAT THEY HAVE TO GO
THROUGH. AND IF WE LEAD THEM IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT
BETTER CITIZEN, A LOT MORE PRODUCTIVE.
BUT THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN. AND IN MY HEART, I KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE TO CARE FOR THESE KIDS.
YOU MAY NOT LIKE THEM. THEY MAY BE DIFFERENT.
BUT THEY'VE MOVED AROUND THEIR WHOLE LIFE.
AND EVERY LIFE MATTERS, AND PEOPLE SHOULD CARE ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS TO ONE ANOTHER.