BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION ACT CHANGES

HB 116 amends New Mexico's Bilingual Multicultural Education Act to change how eligible public school programs must deliver instruction. It requires programs serving culturally and linguistically diverse students (especially in kindergarten through third grade) to either use a home or heritage language as the primary instruction medium or adopt a state-approved language revitalization model. The bill also mandates programs to include heritage language history/culture instruction, use qualified bilingual teachers, and provide clear parental notice about program placement. These changes apply to all state-funded bilingual programs seeking financial support under the updated law.