LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 4361

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: DECEMBER 22, 2023

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Establishes “VETeach Pilot Program” in DOE to facilitate teacher certification of veterans.

Type of Impact:

Four-year State expenditure increase; four-year revenue and expenditure increases for up to four participating four-year public institutions of higher education.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Education; participating four-year public institutions of higher education.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Four-Year Duration of the Pilot Program

 

State Cost Increase

Indeterminate

 

Participating Four-Year Public Institution of Higher Education Revenue Increase

Indeterminate

 

Participating Four-Year Public Institution of Higher Education Cost Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill would lead to an annual increase in State expenditures over the four-year duration of the VETeach Pilot Program.  The increase in State expenditures, excluding administrative costs, would correspond to a revenue gain for participating four-year public institutions of higher education.

·         The OLS finds the costs of the program to be indeterminate and contingent on the size of the cohort of students enrolled under the pilot program.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill establishes the “VETeach Pilot Program” in the Department of Education, which would be a four-year pilot program to facilitate the teacher certification of veterans. Under the bill, a participating four-year public institution of higher education would enroll a single cohort of students who are veterans of the United States Armed Forces and served on or after September 11, 2001 in a 36-month teacher preparation program, which will lead to a baccalaureate degree and completion of the requirements necessary to apply to the State Board of Examiners for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing.

      Under the bill, a participating four-year public institution of higher education is responsible for establishing, with the approval of the State Board of Education, the coherent sequence of courses required to be completed by a student under the pilot program in order to be eligible to receive a degree from the institution and receive a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing.

      Upon conclusion of the pilot program, the Commissioner of Education is required to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing the number of veterans enrolled in the university under the pilot program, the outcomes of the veterans who completed the pilot program, and the advisability of establishing similar programs on a permanent basis.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that this bill would lead to an annual increase in State expenditures over the four-year duration of the VETeach Pilot Program.  The increase in State expenditures, excluding administrative costs, would correspond to a revenue gain for up to four participating four-year public institutions of higher education.  The OLS finds the costs of the program to be indeterminate and contingent on the size of the cohort of students enrolled under the pilot program. According to data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, the average tuition for a public four-year institution of higher education in New Jersey is $10,143. The revenue increase would be approximately equivalent to the in-State tuition multiplied by the number of students enrolled under the pilot program, to the extent that the students enrolled under the pilot program would not otherwise have been enrolled at their respective institution of higher education. Students enrolled under the pilot program would likely use federal funds to pay tuition under the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, which provides grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs.

      While participating colleges and universities may experience a certain level of revenue increases, their respective teacher certification programs may experience increased expenses to the extent that it would incur costs to develop and implement the VETeach Pilot Program. Potential cost increases are indeterminate, but likely modest.

      The bill may lead to an indeterminate, but likely modest, increase in costs for the Department of Education associated with the production of the report required by the bill. The magnitude of the expenditure increase would be dependent on the extent to which existing staff and resources are sufficient to carry out the provisions of the bill.

 

Section:

Education

Analyst:

Noah Callahan

Assistant Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).