TITLE 5 POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
CHAPTER 7 TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID
PART 34 TEACHER PREPARATION AFFORDABILITY
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
5.7.34.1 ISSUING AGENCY: New
Mexico Higher Education Department.
[5.7.34.1 NMAC - N,
7/30/2019]
5.7.34.2 SCOPE: Provisions
of 5.7.34 NMAC apply to all public post-secondary institutions or tribal
colleges in the state of New Mexico.
[5.7.34.2 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.3 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Section 9-25-1 et seq. NMSA 1978
and Chapter 193, Laws of 2019.
[5.7.34.3 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.4 DURATION: Permanent.
[5.7.34.4 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.5 EFFECTIVE DATE: July
30, 2019, unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.
[5.7.34.5 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.6 OBJECTIVE: The
objective of 5.7.34 NMAC is to provide a guideline for implementing the Teacher
Preparation Affordability Act (the Act).
The purpose of the Act is to encourage eligible New Mexico students to
attend and complete an accredited public education department approved teacher
preparation program at a New Mexico public post-secondary educational
institution or a tribal college by providing a scholarship opportunity. The scholarship is intended to help defray the
educational expenses charged by the public postsecondary institution or tribal
college including tuition, fees, books and course supplies and living expenses.
[5.7.34.6 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.7 DEFINITIONS:
A. “Academic year” means any consecutive period of two semesters, three quarters or
other comparable units commencing with the fall term each year.
B. “Award recipient” means a student awarded a scholarship.
C. “Department” means the New Mexico higher education department.
D. “FAFSA” means the free application for federal student aid.
E. “Half-time” means an enrolled student who is carrying a half-time academic
work load as determined by the institution according to its own standards and
practices.
F. “Institution” means a New Mexico public post-secondary educational institution
or tribal college.
G. “Public
post-secondary educational institution” means a
research or comprehensive institution, as defined in Article XII, Section 11 of
the New Mexico constitution, and branch community colleges or community college
or technical and vocational institute as defined by Section 21-13, 14 and 16
NMSA 1978.
H. “Returning adult” means a student enrolling in an institution at any time later
than the first semester following high school graduation or the award of a
high-school equivalency credential recognized by the State of New Mexico.
I. “Satisfactory academic
progress” means maintaining the required
academic progress toward program completion as determined by the institution.
J. “Scholarship” means a teacher preparation affordability
program award.
K. “Tribal college” means a tribally, federally or congressionally chartered post-secondary
educational institution with a physical campus in New Mexico that is accredited
by the higher learning commission.
[5.7.34.7 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.8 STUDENT ELIGIBILITY AND
SELECTION OF AWARD RECIPIENTS:
A. A scholarship
may be granted to a student who:
(1) is
a resident of New Mexico as defined in 5.7.18.9 NMAC or is eligible for the nondiscrimination
waiver as defined in Subsection K of 5.7.18.10 NMAC;
(2) is
enrolled at least half-time at an eligible institution in a teacher preparation
program that leads to an appropriate educational credential to be licensed as a
teacher by the public education department including but not limited to an
education major or alternative licensure certification program. The
student’s enrollment must be later than 120 days following high school
graduation or the award of a high
school equivalency credential recognized by the State of New Mexico;
(3) has
not earned appropriate educational credentials to be licensed as a teacher by
the public education department; and
(4) has
demonstrated financial need as determined by the institution.
B. Institutions shall
make awards first to students who meet the provisions of Subsection A of
5.7.34.8 NMAC and who:
(1) are English language learners whose first or
heritage language was not English;
(2) are historically underrepresented minorities in New Mexico’s teaching
profession; or
(3) have declared intent to teach in a high-need teacher position as
defined by the public education department.
C. After
scholarships have been awarded to eligible students pursuant to Subsection B of
5.7.34.8 NMAC, institutions shall make awards to students who meet the
provisions of Subsection A of 5.7.34.8 NMAC
[5.7.34.8 NMAC - N,
7/30/2019]
5.7.34.9 AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP AND DURATION:
A. Institutions shall
make awards to qualifying eligible students based on financial need. The
following provisions shall also apply to the scholarship:
(1) each
scholarship award is for a period of one semester;
(2) the
scholarship may apply to educational expenses including tuition, fees, books
and course supplies and living expenses; and
(3) awards
shall not exceed six thousand dollars ($6,000) per academic year.
B. A student may
not receive more than five academic years of the scholarship. A scholarship may
be renewed as long as the student continues to meet the conditions of eligibility
in Subsection A of 5.7.34.8 NMAC and maintains satisfactory academic progress
or until the student graduates from an eligible institution.
[5.7.34.9 NMAC - N, 7/30/2019]
5.7.34.10 ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM:
A. Institutions shall:
(1) determine
initial and continuing student eligibility for the scholarship based on the
provisions in Section 8 and Section 9 of 5.7.34 NMAC;
(2) distribute
awards to qualifying eligible students; and
(3) provide
information to the department on an annual basis to be used by the department
for calculation of the allocation to the institution. Required information
shall include:
(a) income
reported on the FAFSA;
(b) the
number of students enrolled in a public education department approved teacher
preparation program at the institution; and
(c) the
percentage of the teacher preparation program students classified as returning
adults who are otherwise ineligible for state financial aid.
B. The department
shall allocate money to institutions based on a student need formula calculated
according to:
(1) income
reported on the FAFSA;
(2) the
number of students enrolled in a public education department approved teacher preparation
program at the public post-secondary institution or tribal college; and
(3) the
percentage of the institution's teacher preparation program students classified
as returning adults who are otherwise ineligible for state financial aid.
[5.7.34.10 NMAC - N,
7/30/2019]
5.7.34.11 TERMINATION OF SCHOLARSHIP: A scholarship is terminated upon occurrence of
one or more of the following by the award recipient:
A. withdrawal from
the institution or from the teacher preparation program;
B. failure to
maintain at least half-time enrollment;
C. failure to
achieve satisfactory academic progress; or
D. substantial
noncompliance with the Teacher Preparation Affordability Act or the provisions
of 5.7.34 NMAC.
[5.7.34.11 NMAC - 7/30/2019]
HISTORY OF 5.7.34 NMAC: [RESERVED]