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

SPONSOR Nava

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-3-2008

HB

SHORT TITLE Expand Schools in Dual Credit Program

SB 31

ANALYST Dearing

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 31 carries no appropriation. If enacted, Senate Bill 31 amends section 21-1-1.2

NMSA 1978, Dual credit for high school and post-secondary classes, such that students in state

supported schools are included among eligible participants; it expands HED/PED evaluation role

to include reporting of state supported and charter schools. Additionally, the bill amends general

eligibility provisions such that eligible high-school students could participate in summer courses

offered by eligible post-secondary institutions. Lastly, Senate Bill 31 specifically exempts the

New Mexico Military Institute from participation as an eligible institution.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

While Senate Bill 31 carries no fiscal appropriation, there are fiscal implications for participating

schools newly included for eligibility. Specifically, cost issues for these institutions include

costs to purchase text materials for students attending post-secondary institutions in dual credit

programs. Additionally, it is unknown whether the aggregate dual credit tuition credit waiver for

higher education institutions in the amount of $1.92 million included in the FY09 House-passed

version of House Bill 2 was estimated to include funds for students from the newly eligible

schools.

Senate Bill 31 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Title 6, Chapter 31, Part 2 of the New Mexico Administrative Code (6.31.2 NMAC) defines a

state-supported educational program as a publicly funded program that:

(a) provides special education and related services to children with disabilities who come

within the program’s educational jurisdiction;

(b) is operated by, or under contractual arrangements for, a state school, state educational

institution or other state institution, state hospital or state agency; and

(c) is primarily funded through direct legislative appropriations or other direct state support

to a public agency other than a local school district.

According to the Public Education Department 2006-2007 Educational Personnel Directory and

New Mexico Higher Education Department research, there are seven state-supported schools

whose students would become eligible to participate in the dual credit program.

The Higher Education department response notes that New Mexico Military Institute is a private

high-school, but a public post secondary institution. The department notes a question as to the

treatment of student eligibility regarding students attending other local high schools enrolling in

dual credit programs at NMMI, as opposed to NMMI high school students attending NMMI dual

credit programs.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Requires expansion of reporting role of HED/PED.

PD/nt