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

SPONSOR Kernan

DATE TYPED 3/18/05

HB

SHORT TITLE School Personnel Level 1 and 2 Licenses

SB 662/aSEC/aHFl#1

ANALYST Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SB499

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of House Floor amendment

House Floor amendment #1 to Senate Bill 662 adds the requirement for any level 3-A teacher not

demonstrating essential competencies to receive additional professional development and peer

intervention. If after 1 year, the teacher still does not demonstrate essential competencies, the

school district may choose not to contract with the teacher. The amendment also delays mini-

mum salaries for principals until the 2007-08 school year (FY08).

Synopsis of SEC amendment

Senate Education Committee to Senate Bill 662 changes the period of the level 1 teacher license

to five years.

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 662 amends Section 22-10A-4 NMSA 1978 on teacher licensure on a level 1 license

by deleting “issued for the first three years of teaching” and Section 22-10A-7 NMSA 7 to

Senate Bill 662/aSEC/aHFl#1 -- Page 2

change the level 1 license from a 3-year to a 4-year license. It provides for application for a level

2 license after a minimum of 3 years if the teacher demonstrates satisfactory progress and com-

petency. The act makes minor editorial changes throughout the statutes to change “state board”

to the “department” meaning the Public Education Department.

The bill contains an emergency clause.

Significant Issues

This bill would give a level 1 teacher an extra year to gain the necessary experience, competen-

cies, professional growth, and complete the required dossier for evaluation for earning a level 2

license.

DFA states “extending the period given to beginning teachers to mature and increase mastery in

the profession appears to serve wider administrative goals of improving teacher quality and re-

tention.” The negative is extending the period of licensure may result in low quality instruction

in various classrooms, particularly if the teacher chooses not to or is unable to meet the require-

ments of Level 2 licensure and leaves the teaching profession.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

PED states this bill is not related to any agency performance measures; it could relate to the pub-

lic school support measure on percent of highly qualified teachers in the classroom.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

This bill would have minimal fiscal impact.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

This bill addresses the technical changes proposed by PED in its analysis of SB 499.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Level 1 teachers who have not completed requirements for Level 2 Licensure could be termi-

nated at the end of 2005.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1.

How many teachers have expressed a need for this extension.

2.

How many Level 1 teachers will have their license expire at the end of 2005.

GAC/njw:yr