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

SPONSOR	Nava		DATE TYPED	2/8/04		HB
SHORT TITLE		Instructional Support Staff Methodology				SB	146/aSEC
					ANALYST		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
	$75.0			Non-Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to HB 304

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

Synopsis of SEC Amendment

The amendment adopted by the Senate Finance Committee provides that the appropriation and task of identifying a methodology to compensate instructional support staff based on training and experience will go the Legislative Education Study Committee.

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 146 appropriates $75 thousand from the general fund to the PED to identify a methodology to compensate instructional support staff based on training and experience.

Significant Issues

According to the PED, Instructional support providers are defined in the law to include educational assistants, librarians, school counselors, social workers, school nurses, speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, interpreters for the deaf and educational diagnosticians. These positions were not included in the three tier salary approach to compensating teachers in the education reform bill adopted by the Legislature in 2003. Each of these positions requires a bachelor’s degree and often more, consequently, discussions for parity among public school, degreed professionals has intensified and given rise to the need for this study.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $75 thousand contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the general fund.

LB/yr