Bill > HB387

This bill establishes the Education Opportunity Account (EOA) Program in New Mexico, which creates a system for parents to receive state funding to support alternative educational options for their children. The program allows eligible students (school-age residents who haven't graduated high school) to receive an account funded at the equivalent per-pupil spending rate of public schools, which can be used for various educational expenses such as private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, educational software, assessment fees, transportation, and other approved educational charges. Parents must apply to the state department of education, sign a contract agreeing to provide education in core subjects, and commit to not simultaneously enrolling the student in public school. The department will manage these accounts, maintain a list of approved education service providers, and create a review commission composed of parents and educators to help oversee the program. The bill appropriates $100.58 million to fund the program, with provisions for annual reporting to the legislature, strict rules about fund usage, and mechanisms to prevent fraud. Importantly, the program is voluntary, and participation does not require students to leave public schools entirely, but rather provides an alternative educational funding mechanism for families seeking different educational approaches.

Education

https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno=387&year=25