Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they are used for other purposes.

 

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are available on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).  Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not.  Previously issued FIRs and attachments may also be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

 

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR

Stapleton-Williams

DATE TYPED

2/11/04

HB

226/aHFL#1

 

SHORT TITLE

Tuition Payment for Higher Education Courses

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST

Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY04

FY05

FY04

FY05

 

See Narrative

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates SB 145/aSFL#1

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

 

Responses Received From

Department of Public Education (PED)

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis of HFI#1 Amendment

 

House Floor Amendment #1 adds language that stipulates that the public school district shall pay tuition and fees for dually enrolled students unless the participating institution of higher education and the public school district agree to reduce or waive the tuition and fees.  The amendment extends the language to include all institutions of higher education.

           

Synopsis of Original Bill

 

Senate Bill 145 amends Section 21-1-2 NMSA 1978 to require that school districts pay tuition and fees of public school students who receive high school credit for higher education course work.

 

 

 

Significant Issues

 

This bill “legalizes” the participation of four and six year institutions in dually enrolling students and requires that school districts pay the tuition of high school students receiving credit from both a university and a high school.  This requirement is currently applied to activities between community colleges and school districts.  There is, however, no uniform application, or enforcement, of this requirement.  According to one source, this bill “simply levels the playing” field for universities and community colleges.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS/OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

This bill has no impact on the general fund, but it impacts both higher education institutions and school districts. School districts pay and institution of higher education receive the tuition of dually enrolled students.  However, it is reported that not all school districts pay the tuition, and the higher education institution “eats” the loss of tuition.  It is further reported that compliance with this requirement often rest on the “willingness” of the school district to remit the tuition.  The statute requires written agreements between the school district and the institution of higher education, but these agreements are not always in place. Given the absence of uniformity in the application of this requirement, the student could be required to pay the tuition. 

 

 The CHE indicates that, in lieu of paying tuition for dually enrolled students, some school districts allow the institution to use school district facilities for the conduct of classes.

 

DUPLICATION

 

HB 226

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.                  How many school districts currently report they have dually enrolled students?

2.                  On a statewide basis, how many students are dually enrolled?

3.                  What steps are being taken to ensure that the provisions of the law are enforced?

4.                  Which agency is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the law?

 

 

LB/yr:dm:lg:yr