A. The department shall develop a mandatory training course for local school board members that explains department rules, policies and procedures, statutory powers and duties of local school boards, legal concepts pertaining to public schools, finance and budget and other matters deemed relevant by the department. The department shall notify local school board members of the dates of the training course, the last of which shall not be later than three months after a local school board election. B. Local school board members in their first term shall complete at least ten hours of mandatory training during their first year serving on the board. Training for new local school board members shall include: (1) at least two hours covering laws and department policies and procedures affecting local school boards or public schools, including ethics and school personnel; (2) at least two hours covering public school finance, budgeting and fiduciary responsibilities of local school boards; (3) at least two hours covering legal concepts pertaining to local school boards and school districts, including the Open Meetings Act [Chapter 10, Article 15 NMSA 1978] and the Inspection of Public Records Act [Chapter 14, Article 3 NMSA 1978]; (4) at least two hours covering effective governance practices and effective methods of supporting and supervising the local superintendent; and (5) at least two hours covering student achievement and student support services. C. Mandatory training for all other local school board members shall include at least five hours per year and shall cover: (1) laws and department policies and procedures affecting local school boards or public schools, including ethics and school personnel; (2) public school finance, budgeting and fiduciary responsibilities of local school boards and performance-based budgeting; (3) a local school board's role in evaluating and improving student academic achievement and using data to set individual school goals for student academic achievement in each of the school district's public schools; (4) a local school board's role in providing a safe learning environment conducive to improving student outcomes; (5) legal concepts pertaining to local school boards and school districts, including the Open Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act; (6) effective governance practices and effective methods of supporting and supervising the local superintendent; and (7) other matters deemed relevant by the department. History: 1978 Comp., § 22-5-13, enacted by Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 24; 2024, ch. 43, § 5. Cross references. — For references to the former state board, see 9-24-15 NMSA 1978. The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, enhanced mandatory training for local school boards; in Subsection A, after "explains", deleted "state board rules", and after the second occurrence of "department", added "rules"; and added Subsections B and C.
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