LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 2764
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: FEBRUARY 8, 2023
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Establishes “VETeach Pilot Program” in DOE to facilitate teacher certification of veterans. |
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Type of Impact: |
Four-year State expenditure increase; four-year revenue and expenditure increases for Rowan University. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Education, Rowan University. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
Four-Year Duration of the Pilot Program |
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State Cost Increase |
Indeterminate |
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Rowan University Revenue Increase |
Indeterminate |
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Rowan University Cost Increase |
Indeterminate |
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· 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 Rowan University.
· 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, Rowan University would enroll a single cohort of students who are veterans of the United States Armed Forces and who 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, Rowan University 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 to 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 the establishment of 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 Rowan University. 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. As listed on the university’s website, in-State undergraduate tuition at Rowan University is approximately $15,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year. 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 Rowan University. 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 Rowan University may experience a certain level of revenue increases, its College of Education 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 marginal.
The bill may lead to an indeterminate, but likely marginal, 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.
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Section: |
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Analyst: |
Assistant Fiscal Analyst |
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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.).