Students who wait to go to a two-year- post-secondary school would be eligible for a Lottery Scholarship under a bill that just passed the House.
The House Education Committee Substitute for House Bill 27 sponsored by Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo-19) cleared the House by a vote of 49-13.
The legislation will extend the Legislative Lottery Scholarship eligibility to students who are accepted to attend a two-year state educational institution within two years of completion of:
- a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private NM high school
- receiving a high school equivalency diploma
- beginning service in the US armed forces or honorable service or medical discharge from the service
Existing statute requires enrollment in a public postsecondary institution immediately upon receiving a high school diploma or GED. Many students are not ready to jump into a four-year college right out of high school. They need the extra time to better prepare for the college experience and they may also need remediation time to gain the skills they need to succeed.
“This legislation would give the student extra time to prepare for college and still be eligible for a Lottery Scholarship,” says Rep. Stapleton. “It could actually help the solvency issue because the Lottery Scholarships would be given to students who are more mature and better prepared for post-secondary education.”
CSHB 27 now goes to the Senate for consideration.