NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Education SDE

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 555 amends Section 22-8-2, NMSA 1978, Public School Finance Act to allow school districts to receive funding for home school students who are regularly enrolled in one-half or more of the minimal course requirements at public schools.

Significant Issues

House Bill 555 amends the definition of a "qualified student" to allow two or more home school students who are regularly enrolled in less than one-half the minimum course requirements to generate funding for the school district if the aggregate of the number of courses enrolled is equal to at least one-half of the minimum course requirements.

According to SDE, there was 6,732 home school students in 1999-2000. School districts can get a waiver from the State Board of Education under the Collaborative School Improvement Act to establish a Family School. In a Family School, the district can get funding for home school students if they are enrolled in the school for at least 50% of the time and then are home schooled the remaining 50% of the time. There are eight school districts with Family Schools in NM.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

House Bill 555 does not contain an appropriation.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The SDE suggests that for clarification, the phase " in public school" be inserted before the word "enrolled" on page 4, line 13 of HB-555.

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