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SPONSOR: |
Garcia, M.H. |
DATE TYPED: |
|
HB |
198/aHEC |
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SHORT TITLE: |
NMSU /Grants Degree Completion Program |
SB |
|
||||
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ANALYST: |
L. Baca |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
150.0 |
|
|
Recurring |
GF |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates SB 89
Relates
to Appropriation for
LFC files
Responses
Received From
Commission
on Higher Education (CHE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of HEC Amendment
The House Education Committee adds an evaluation
requirement as proposed by the CHE:
“The institution
receiving the appropriation in this bill shall submit a program evaluation to
the Legislative Finance Committee and the Commission on Higher Education by
Synopsis
of Original Bill
House Bill 198
appropriates $150.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico
State University to provide bachelor’s degree completion programs in early childhood
and elementary education in collaboration with the
Significant Issues
This bill addresses the teacher shortage issue, one that is particularly acute among small school districts that have large minority group students. This bill is also designed to allow prospective teachers from minority groups to complete certification requirements and thus increase the number of certified teachers available as well the number of teachers from cultural and\or linguistic minority groups.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
This request for $150.0 was submitted to and approved by the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University. However, the Commission on Higher Education did not recommend the project for expansion.
The appropriation of
$150.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance
remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund. According to the NMSU analysis, this is a
one-time request for non-recurring funding because program funding will be
continued through the IHE funding formula after the first year. The recurring cost, however, is simply
shifted from a specific, one-year allocation to the university’s general fund
appropriation.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
1. If teacher training programs are already offered in the Grants area, why is additional funding needed ?
2.
Given that this program
is considered a high priority by the regents, why
weren’t funds redirected from other areas so the project could
qualify for formula funding
in subsequent years ?
3.
Are
other sources for one-time funding available either
within or outside the NMSU budget ?
LRB/yr:prr