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 a vailable 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 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 Cote

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/18/2008

HJM 3

SHORT TITLE Study School Staff Shortage Issues

SB

ANALYST Padilla

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Memorial 3 requests that the Public Education Department (PED) and the Office of

the Education Accountability (OEA) examine issues related to turnover and emergencies

resulting from predicted shortages of school counselors, nurses and other professional

instructional support personnel in public school districts and charter schools. The results of this

study are to be reported to the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) prior to the first

session of the 49

th

Legislature.

House Joint Memorial 3 (HJM3) states that school counselors, nurses and other professional

instructional support personnel are essential to children’s learning in New Mexico schools and

New Mexico schools must recruit and retain qualified school counselors, nurses and other

professional instructions support personnel to cope more adequately with the demands of the

Federal No Child Left Behind Act.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The PED indicates in its analysis that the Department may be required to designate staff to

oversee and implement the study, produce a report and submit the report of the study with

recommendations and findings to the LESC. The PED further indicates that it can do this with

existing staff; however, it is estimated that it would take 40 hours by a Social/Community

Services Coordinator A to accomplish this task, i.e., (40 hrs x 22.74/hr + 30% salary & benefits).

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

HJM3 is a LESC bill.

House Joint Memorial 3 – Page

2

HJM3 proposes that school districts have a difficult time attracting and retaining qualified school

counselors, nurses and other professional instructional support personnel. PED indicates that

instructional support personnel is defined in the Public School Code as “a person who is

employed to support the instructional program of a school district, including educational

assistant, school counselor, social worker, school nurse, speech-language pathologist,

psychologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, interpreter for the

deaf and diagnostician." Furthermore, the PED notes that the School Personnel Act includes the

following positions as instructional support providers that must be licensed by PED: educational

assistants, school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, speech-language therapists,

occupational therapy assistants, and recreational therapists, interpreters for the death,

diagnosticians and other service providers.

HJM3 further proposes that school counselors play a critical role in helping students focus on

academic, personal, social and career development in order to be prepared to lead fulfilling lives

as responsible members of society. Accordingly, many school counselors, nurses and other

instructional support personnel in New Mexico average more than fourteen years of experience;

however, due to competition for their services from the private sector, they can choose

employment in a variety of settings other than public schools, such as hospitals, pediatric clinics,

rehabilitation facilities, mental health centers and nursing homes.

HJM3 indicates that examination of the current issues resulting from predicted shortages of

school counselors, nurses and other professional instructional support personnel in public school

districts and charter schools needs to be studied by the PED and the OEA and the findings should

be presented before the Legislative Education Study Committee prior to the first session of the

Forty-Ninth Legislature with copies of this Memorial to be transmitted to the Secretary of Public

Education, the Director of the Office of Education Accountability, and the Secretary of Finance

and Administration.

As part of the PED’s analysis provided to the LFC analyst, it is important to note the significant

research implications regarding the projected shortage of school professionals in the Public

School system. Accordingly, upon research findings provided by the PED from a study

completed by the American Association of Colleges and Nursing (AACN, 2007), “The United

States is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify. Moreover, the Health

Resources and Services Administration (HRSA, 2006) “projected that the nation’s nursing

shortage would grow to more than one million nurse by the year 2020. The average age of the

Registered Nurse (RN) population in March 2004 was 48.8 years of age." A ratio of one nurse

per 750 pupils is recommended by the National Association of School Nurses.

Further research as indicated in the PED’s analysis provided to the LFC states as follows:

According to a publication from the American School Counselor Association (Baker, 2007):

1)

The Optimum ratio of school counselors to student is one to 250. No state meets that

goal.

2)

Even if the number of school counselors is increased, shifting populations and increasing

numbers of school-aged children remain a problem.

3)

For example, the number of school counselors statewide in California inched up during

the 90’s but has not kept pace with creasing school enrollment. Because of increased

school enrollment, the ratio of students to counselors has remained roughly the same

despite the gradual increase of new counselors.

House Joint Memorial 3 – Page

3

4)

Shortages of school nurses, counselors and other support personnel may intensify.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The PED states that HJM3 aligns to the PED goal of “Ensuring that all students attend schools in

a safe and healthy environment and the PED strategy of keeping students ready to learn by

providing access to health care (including mental health), healthy foods and physical fitness.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The PED explains that coupled with the OEA, they are the administrative agents for this bill. The

PED also indicates that it could accomplish this task with existing staff.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

According to the PED, a study of the shortage of school nurses, counselors and other

professionals instructional support staff by PED and the OEA may not occur if this bill is not

enacted.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1)

What are the social, emotional, psychological, and health implications for New Mexico’s

children in Public Schools if school counselors, nurses and other professional

instructional support personnel are leaving the public sector for the private sector.

2)

What incentives are available for public professionals to remain in the public sector.

3)

What measures can be taken to reverse the shortfall of public personnel through the

PED.

JRP/mt