Summary:

 House Bill 488, relating to public education, provides that bilingual multicultural education shall use students’ home or heritage language. 

Legislation Overview:

 House Bill 488 in SECTION 1 amends Public Schools in Bilingual Multicultural Education Programs in Subsection A, which specifies each bilingual multicultural program shall meet specific criteria, to delete A(3) and insert new text as follows:
(3) use the home or heritage language as the medium of instruction for any part or all of the curriculum of the grade levels within the program and use English for an additional part within the program when there is an identifiable need to improve the students' English language proficiency;
These changes delete the requirement to use two languages as mediums of instruction to specify the use of the home or heritage language when there is an identifiable need to improve the students English language proficiency.
Subsection A(4) is amended to delete references to two languages and insert “or heritage” language. 

Current Law:

 House Bill 488 regarding Section 22-23-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 285, Section 6, as amended) does not require students be taught in their home or heritage language.