SENATE BILL 203

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava and Jimmie C. Hall

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL; REQUIRING LICENSURE OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the School Personnel Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIAL--LICENSURE--PROFESSIONAL LICENSING FRAMEWORK--MANDATORY TRAINING.--

          A. As used in this section, "school business official" means a person, other than a local superintendent or charter school administrator, charged with the direct management of the business operations of a school district or charter school or any supervisor, director or manager of accounting or bookkeeping in a school district or charter school.

          B. The department shall license school business officials and may provide a professional licensing framework in which licensees may advance in their careers through the demonstration of increased competencies and responsibilities.

          C. The department shall provide by rule for the requirements for initial and continuing licensure, including:

                (1) professional competencies that licensees are required to demonstrate;

                (2) ethics and reporting requirements;

                (3) continuing education and professional development requirements;

                (4) the grounds for denying, suspending or revoking a school official license; and

                (5) other requirements determined by the department.

          D. The department shall follow the procedures in the Uniform Licensing Act when denying, suspending or revoking a school business official license.

          E. The department shall track applications for licensure and denials, suspensions and revocations of school business official licenses to ensure that all school business officials employed by school districts and charter schools hold current licenses and are qualified for the positions in which they are employed.

          F. The department shall assess the quality of and enforcement of continuing education and professional development requirements for school business official licensure.

          G. The department shall require mandatory training for local superintendents and charter school administrators in the evaluation of school business officials, including how to assess school business official competencies."

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