NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only 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 for other purposes.

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Boitano

 

DATE TYPED:

3/13/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Tuition Scholarships for Teachers’ Kids

 

SB

77

 

 

ANALYST:

Segura

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

 

 

**Unknown

REC

Lottery Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ** Please Refer to Fiscal Impact Summary

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

State Department of Education (SDE)

New Mexico Commission of Higher Education (CHE)

New Mexico Lottery

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 77 provides lottery tuition scholarships for students who did not graduate from a New Mexico high school and whose parents are teachers certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards and are teaching at New Mexico public schools.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Senate Bill 77 proposes to allow those students to be eligible for lottery scholarships upon completion of :

 

·        A high school curriculum at a public or accredited private high school outside New Mexico; or

·        A graduate equivalent diploma.

 

According to SDE, allowing children of Board certified out-of state-teachers to apply for lottery tuition scholarships could create a larger pool of qualified applicants for lottery scholarships and, at the same time, could attract more highly qualified teachers to the state.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

According to CHE, it is not known the extent of the fiscal impact if SB 77 were enacted on the Lottery Tuition Fund. There are 107 NBPTS –certified teachers in New Mexico. It is not known how many of these transferred from out of state or if, given the low teacher salaries in New Mexico, a tuition-only scholarship for dependents would serve as an effective recruitment tool.

 

Current LSS budget projections indicate that the Fund will support 100% tuition scholarships through 2010. If lottery eligibility is expanded, as proposed in many bills during the 2003 Legislative session, the CHE would have to reevaluate the percentage of tuition paid in the near future.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

CHE would have to develop a consistent process for verification of NBPTS- certification status that would be followed at all institutions.

 

RELATIONSHIP

 

SB-77 relates to HB 81, and HB 171.

 

RS/njw