A New Funding Formula
House Bill 331, sponsored by Representative Mimi Stewart is the legislation that creates a new more efficient funding mechanism for New Mexico Public Schools. This legislation will be heard in a joint meeting of the House Education Committee and the Senate Education Committee this morning (February 16) at 8:00 AM.
The formula laid out in House Bill 331 provides for a new public school funding formula and the maintenance and periodic recalibration of the formula. Since the new formula radically changes the distribution of public school funding, it is important that the new money be place before the redistribution takes place.
House Bill 331, if funded, provides for a new public school funding formula and the maintenance and periodic recalibration of the formula. The bill provides for a longer school year for students, a longer work year for teachers and other instruction staff (one additional day in 2010-2011 and four days when fully implemented--the bill requires that the days be paid for with additional compensation), and codifies the Educational Plan for Student Success (EPSS) as the accountability instrument to be used to verify appropriate programs of instruction are provided.
For the first time in New Mexico's recent history an empirical study determined the costs of ensuring that all students in the state of New Mexico have access to the programs and resources necessary to have sufficient education as required by the State Constitution.
The bill lays out the foundation for a new formula projecting the sufficient per-student cost calculation for school districts and charters schools. It contains definitions and cost factors consisting of: poverty, English language learners, special education, mobility, percent of district enrollment by set grades, and the weighted index of staff qualifications. It identifies the sufficient per-student cost multiplier and guidance about how to complete the sufficient per-student cost calculation. Methodologies are identified for factoring in growth; new school demographics; special education; implementation of intervention strategies related to lowering special education identification rates; annual updates of cost factors; and annual adjustment of the base per-student cost based on appropriations.
Call or email House Education Committee and the Senate Education Committee members to ask them to support House Bill 331.
Follow this link to send an email to House Members asking them to pass the new funding formula and to sufficiently fund our schools.
Sufficient Funding for Public Schools
A tax bill, House Bill 346, has also been introduced by Representative Stewart. This bill provides the new funding needed through a combination of repeal or recent high earners tax cuts and a half percent increase in Gross Receipts Tax. Together the two methods will raise some $350 million for the school year beginning in 2010.
Using the revenues form House Bill 346 and the new funding formula laid out in House Bill 331, there is sufficient revenue to meet the constitutional requirement to fund schools sufficiently.
House Bill 346received its first public hearing last week in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. Lobbyists for every major business group in the state were at the hearing in force, expecting to kill the legislation after a short hearing. Two extraordinary things happened. The hearing wasn't short, it lasted for hours and members of the committee thoroughly debated the bill. And then, much to the chagrin of the titans of industry present, Speaker Ben Lujan led a charge that chastised the anti-school funding lobbyists for offering only criticism and no constructive alternatives to the funding mechanism offered in House Bill 346. Other members of the committee were especially forceful and effective in their defense of public education and support for sufficient funding. These included Committee Chair Edward C. Sandoval; Representative Jim Trujillo; Representative Roberto Gonzales; and Rep Representative Benjamin Rodefer. Follow the links indicated above to these Representatives to thank them for their support, especially if any of them represent you. At the conclusion of the hearing, the measure was temporarily tabled, with instructions from Chairman Sandoval to the assembled business leaders to work with the sponsors to attempt to put together a funding mechanism that they could support.
Let the entire House Taxation and Revenue Committeeknow that you support raising revenues to sufficiently fund public schools.
Senator Cynthia Navahas also introduced a tax bill to provide sufficient funding for public schools. It is Senate Bill 412. This measure increases Gross Receipts Tax by 1% and will be heard first in the Senate Education Committee. Let members of this committee know that you support Senate Bill 412 and sufficient funding for public schools.
We Need to Send a Message that NCLB is Not the Only Way to Hold Schools Accountable
Senate Bill 156, Alternative School Accountability Pilot, introduced by Senator Cynthia Navacreates a six-year voluntary school accountability pilot project based on a student growth model for grades 4 through 8 that is separate from but complementary to the existing school accountability system; and phases in the project over two years. Passage of this measure will give schools the chance to practice an accountability that has meaning beyond standardized test scores. This bill received a unanimous do pass recommendation from Senate Education Committee on February 13 and next goes to the Senate Finance Committee for a hearing. Let members of the Senate Finance Committee know that this is an important alternative to the way the federal government looks at school success and should be passed.
Tuition Tax Credit Bill (Vouchers) Still on Hold in Senate Education Committee
Senate Bill 355, sponsored by Senator Pete Compos, is a back-door voucher bill that creates a new personal and corporate income tax credit for contributions to scholarship granting organizations called the “Equal Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit.” In NEA-NM's opinion, credit against income tax is considered a tax expenditure in that, while it is not a direct payment from the state to the taxpayer, the taxpayer reduces the amount of tax paid to the state. Thus this measure violates the establishment clause of the US Constitution and several provisions of the New Mexico Constitution. As an expenditure of tax dollars it is a violation of Article IV, Section 31 of the New Mexico Constitution, which prohibits a direct educational appropriation to any person, corporation, association, institution or community not under the direct control of the state. Additionally, the measure also violates Article XII, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution because it prohibits the use of public money for the support "of any sectarian, denominational or private school…"
It is always difficult when a negative piece of legislation is introduced by a well-meaning usually pro-education legislator. Senator Composcertainly fits this category. He has a sincere desire to help church-related schools. In that vein, NEA-New Mexico leaders continue to work with Senator Compos and members Senate Education Committee to find an acceptable compromise that does not violate the constitution. Senate Bill 355 remains in the Senate Education Committee awaiting its first hearing. We continue to advocate leaving the bill on the committee table and replacing it with an acceptable compromise, such as simple tax deductions for a charitable donation. Until that happens we continue to oppose Senate Bill 355. Let Senate Education Committee Members know that you are against this attempt to move public tax dollars to support private religious schools.
Retirement Changes Should be Studied Over the Next Year, Not Rushed Into During a Financial Downturn
Two bills before the legislature would change retirement benefits for new employees offered under the Educational Retirement Board. House Bill 573and House Bill 631would both require new employees to work 30 years before full retirement or have age and service equal 80. The current rule is 25 years or age and service equaling 75. We don't think these changes should be considered this year. We believe that all retirement plans should be studied over the next legislative interim and moved toward financial stability with needed changes applied to both the public employment retirement (PERA) system and educational retirement in a fair and equitable manner. Ask legislators to leave educational employee benefits in place with no drastic reductions for next year.
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