SB218: establishing an early educator professional development grant.

SB 218-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

2023 SESSION

23-1004

10/08

SENATE BILL 218-FN-A

AN ACT establishing an early educator professional development grant.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Rep. Schapiro, Ches. 16; Rep. Newell, Ches. 4

COMMITTEE: Education

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes in the department of education an early educator professional development grant program to award school districts funds for their local professional development master plans.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-1004

10/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT establishing an early educator professional development grant.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 State Board of Education; Rulemaking; Local Professional Development Master Plan. Amend RSA 21-N:9, II(z) to read as follows:

(z) Local master plan for staff development and recertification. The rules for the local professional development master plan shall require districts to articulate the professional learning goals and descriptions of the professional development activities the district will use to orient, support, and mentor educators who are one or more of the following:

(1) Within the first 3 years of their career in education.

(2) Within the first year of working in a new school or district.

(3) Within the first year of employment at a new role.

2 New Section; Department of Education; Higher Education; Recruitment of Educators. Amend RSA 21-N by inserting after section 9 the following new section:

21-N:9-a Early Educator Professional Grants.

I. There is established in the department of education, pursuant to rules adopted by the state board of education, an early educator professional development grant program, in order to increase ongoing support efforts, retention, and the likelihood of success for New Hampshire educators, thereby increasing educational/academic achievement and success of New Hampshire students.

II. The department shall award an early educator professional development grant to match local school district or Title II funds utilized for the purpose of fulfilling the professional development activities the district articulated in their local professional development master plan, under RSA 21-N:9, II(z), to orient, support, and mentor early educators who are one or more of the following:

(a) Within the first 3 years of their career in education.

(b) Within the first year of working in a new school or district.

(c) Within the first year of employment at a new role.

III. The department shall request in its biennial operating budget an appropriation of $500,000 annually to be available for this grant program. Any unused funds shall lapse to the general fund.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.

LBA

23-1004

Revised 2/2/23

SB 218-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT establishing an early educator professional development grant.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

LOCAL:

Revenue

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

$0

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes an early educator professional development grant program, to be administered by the Department of Education, which would provide grants to match local school district or Title II funds utilized for the purpose of fulfilling the professional development activities in districts. The Department states it would need a new full-time education consultant III position (labor grade 28, step 9) to manage the program, evaluate applications, determine match eligibility and reporting. However, the Department is only able to justify the need for 0.3 of this FTE position would actually be needed to incorporate the new responsibilities relative to the grant program.

While this bill does require the Department to request $500,000 per year for this program, it should be noted that this bill provides neither authorization for a new position nor any appropriation for the position or the grant program (the FY 2024 / FY 2025 biennium agency budget requests were finalized in the fall of 2022). Therefore, this bill’s impact, if any, on state expenditures and local school district revenue in FY 2024 and beyond is indeterminable, as it would be dependent on future appropriations.

This bill does not provide authorization or an appropriation for a new full-time position.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Education