Changes to financial aid programs for teachers, healthcare workers and more coming this month
Several laws championed by the New Mexico Higher Education Department and signed by Gov. Lujan Grisham will go into effect this week, including measures benefitting working teachers and health professionals in addition to tribal communities and families saving for college.
“This year’s legislative session was a boon for higher education and communities across our state. With these law changes, new initiatives, and an unprecedented $1.2 billion going toward higher education, we are directly investing in hardworking families and students. I am grateful to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for keeping higher education a priority and ensuring that New Mexicans have the means to succeed and contribute to our economy,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez.
The following laws will go into effect on Friday, 90 days after the 2023 regular legislative session:
Extending scholarships to working teachers
Senate Bill 307, sponsored by Sen. Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart and Rep. G. Andres Romero, expands the existing Teacher Preparation Affordability Scholarship to licensed teachers with bachelor’s degrees, allowing them to use the scholarship to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees. The program was previously limited to students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree in teacher education and bachelor’s degree holders pursuing alternative licensure. Attaining education beyond a bachelor’s degree can help teachers advance to licensure levels II and III, which provide average salaries of $60,000 to $70,000 per year.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham approved $8 million for the scholarship this year, which will benefit students enrolled in teacher preparation programs at any New Mexico public college or university. Over 2,700 scholarships have been awarded since the program’s inception in 2019. The legislation was supported by the New Mexico chapters of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA).
Supporting tribal education and communities
House Bill 280, Sponsored by Rep. Derrick J. Lente and Sen. Benny Shendo, Jr. enables the Higher Education Department, in partnership with the Early Childhood Education and Care, Public Education and Indian Affairs Departments, to establish two Tribal Education Technical Assistance Centers to expand the capacity of tribal communities and educators to develop culturally relevant curriculum, provide professional development to teachers, and by providing technical support in spending and applying for state and federal grants.
The Tribal Education Technical Assistance Centers will focus on and sustain indigenous values, languages, educational practices and culture. Efforts at the centers will center on the development of culturally relevant instructional materials by Native American faculty, educational professionals, and tribal experts who bring lived cultural experience.
The centers will also provide professional development for teachers and administrators, the recruitment of Indigenous educators, development of an Indigenous teacher education workforce, and provide support in developing policy proposals and fundraising efforts benefitting Native American students. Any entity serving Native American students would be eligible for assistance through the centers including school districts, charter schools, early childhood centers, colleges and universities, tribally-controlled schools and Bureau of Indian Education schools.
Nearly 11 percent of New Mexico residents identify as Native American and 23 sovereign Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos exist within the state. In 2022, 47,463 K-12 students were Native American, 10,084 Native American students were enrolled in a New Mexico college, and 7,090 Native American children participated in early child care programs.
Expanding Debt Relief for Health Professionals
House Bill 209, sponsored by Rep. Kristina Ortez, expands the department’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program to include licensed physicians in any field and expands the minimum service commitment from two years to three years for those applying for debt forgiveness through the program. The law also directs the Higher Education Department to collaborate with the state’s Department of Health to determine designated health provider shortage areas. The program previously limited eligibility to primary care physicians and relied solely on federal definitions to determine high-need areas.
Gov. Lujan Grisham approved a record $14.6 million for the program this year, which is estimated to benefit a minimum of 600 working health professionals. The changes aim to expand the number of professionals benefitting from the program as well as attract more in-state and out-of-state professionals to serve high-need communities throughout New Mexico.
Supporting Families Saving for Career Education
House Bill 342, sponsored by Rep. T. Ryan Lane and Majority Floor Leader Peter Wirth, expands the allowable use of funds New Mexicans invest in individual 529 Education Plan investment accounts to include vocational training and apprenticeship programs as long as the programs are approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Expanding the types of expenses covered by the savings accounts recognizes a wider variety of high-paying career pathways that support the state’s career technical workforce.
Contributions to 529 accounts can be claimed as a deduction on state income taxes, and New Mexico is one of only two states that does not impose a cap on the amount an individual can contribute. The plans are ideal for parents to open for their children, but any adult can open a plan for any other person or for themselves.
For more information about New Mexico’s education investment plans, visit TheEducationPlan.com.