FARMINGTON — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation that opens the lottery scholarship to students attending tribal colleges in New Mexico.

Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 407 on March 14.

The bill broadens the eligibility of students who receive the scholarship to include those pursuing higher education at a tribal college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Students will be eligible to receive $1,020 each semester. The criteria to qualify includes being a full-time student who graduated from a public or accredited private high school in the state.

The student also has to successfully complete their first semester with a 2.5 GPA or higher.

There are four tribal colleges in the state, the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint and Diné College, which operates campuses in Shiprock and Crownpoint.

The fourth tribal college – Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque –stated it will not participate in the scholarship program due to being operated and funded by the Bureau of Indian Education, according to the fiscal impact report for the legislation.

The new law goes into effect on July 1.

https://www.daily-times.com/story/news/education/2019/03/26/new-mexico-lottery-scholarship-broaden-include-tribal-college-students/3277630002/