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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Carraro

 

DATE TYPED:

2/3/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Alternative Teaching Certification

 

SB

192

 

 

ANALYST:

L. Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

NFI

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

State Department of Education (SDE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 192 amends the Public School Code to allow the State Board of Education (SBE) to waive teacher certification requirements regarding education and student teaching if it determines that an applicant is otherwise qualified by reason of the applicant’s education or training.

 

     Significant Issues

 

This legislation addresses the teacher shortage in New Mexico by allowing the SBE to certify individuals without meeting certain licensure requirements.  However, the SDE reports, “the SBE currently allows candidates for alternative licensure to qualify for a license without student teaching if they proceed by way of portfolio assessment.”  A related issue is whether these individuals would be considered “properly” endorsed for the assigned teaching areas, and, if so, whether this type of certification would comply with the provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements that every classroom have a “highly qualified” teacher.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

In its analysis, the SDE suggests that “in order to avoid waiver of standards for some people and not others and not operate counter to NCLB, the bill would be better written to specify that other options are possible in order to satisfy the general degree requirements and student teaching.  In this way, no requirements would be waived, but people could be licensed under other paths.”

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

  1. Will allowing waivers as provided for in this bill lead to more teachers being considered “unendorsed” for their teaching areas?
  2. If enacted, will the SBE be allowed to certify persons who have not earned a college degree?
  3. Current statutes require student teaching experience as a prerequisite for certification.  Does this bill suggest it is not a useful and necessary experience?
  4. Does this bill bring into question all of the other certification requirements?

 

LRB/njw