BILITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PROJECT

HB0118

HOUSE BILL 118

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Yanira Gurrola

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CREATING THE BILITERACY DEVELOPMENT
AND TRAINING PROJECT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT SPECIALIZED BILITERACY
TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS WILL IMPROVE
EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS; PROVIDING
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT; PROVIDING
REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT; ASSIGNING DUTIES
TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
A new section of the Public School Code is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] BILITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING
PROJECT--REQUIREMENTS--DEPARTMENT DUTIES.--

A. As used in this section:

(1) "at-risk students" means public school
students who are economically disadvantaged, English language
learners, Native American or students with disabilities;

(2) "biliteracy" means the ability to
proficiently read and write in two languages;

(3) "multiliteracy" means an approach to
teaching reading and writing that integrates other modes of
communication, including visual, auditory or gestural modes
communication;

(4) "project" means the biliteracy development
and training project; and

(5) "transliteracy" means an instructional
concept concerned with a person's ability to communicate and
discern meaning across multiple languages, modes of
communication and platforms for communication.

B. The "biliteracy development and training
project" is created as a three-year pilot project to
demonstrate that specialized biliteracy training and
professional development for teachers will improve educational
outcomes for at-risk students.

C. The project includes the creation of regional
and statewide programs to provide teachers with uniform
training in biliteracy instruction and state laws and rules
regarding bilingual multicultural education. The training in
biliteracy instruction shall be comprehensive and research-based and include best practices for:

(1) instruction in a language other than
English;

(2) developing second language literacy for
English language learners;

(3) developing biliteracy; and

(4) developing transliteracy and multiliteracy
across content areas.

D. The programs created for the project may be
administered by a private provider. If the department
contracts with a private provider to administer a program, the
provider shall be qualified and, to the department's
satisfaction, have:

(1) expertise in biliteracy development and
bilingual multicultural education;

(2) a history of supporting bilingual or
multilingual programs in New Mexico;

(3) experience in providing professional
development to culturally and linguistically different
students;

(4) capacity to work regionally or statewide;
and

(5) established relationships with school
districts, Indian nations, tribes and pueblos or multilingual
communities.

E. For participation in the project, the department
shall select one hundred twenty-five teachers for the first
year, two hundred fifty teachers for the second year and five
hundred teachers for the third year. In selecting
participants, the department shall prioritize:

(1) teachers from school districts with a
significant enrollment of bilingual learners;

(2) site administrators with experience in
managing bilingual multicultural education programs or similar
instruction models; and

(3) teachers working in bilingual
multicultural education programs or similar instruction models.

F. The department shall:

(1) develop standards for the regional and
statewide training programs, criteria for participation and
metrics for measuring the effectiveness of the programs in
collaboration with a New Mexico-based nonprofit organization
that works with schools and teachers to develop and support
high-quality bilingual education; and

(2) provide a preliminary report and interim
reports to the legislative education study committee and a
final report to the governor and the legislature that includes
data regarding:

(a) student biliteracy development;

(b) overall educational outcomes for at-risk students;

(c) teacher professional development,
credential attainment and retention; and

(d) parental satisfaction."

SECTION 2.
APPROPRIATION.--Six million six hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($6,645,000) is appropriated from the
general fund to the public education department for expenditure
in fiscal years 2027 through 2029 to administer the biliteracy
development and training project. Any unexpended balance
remaining at the end of fiscal year 2029 shall revert to the
general fund.

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