SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL 78

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

AN ACT

RELATING TO EDUCATION; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS ENHANCEMENT FUND TO CORRECT EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DEFICIENCIES AND TO REPLACE FUNCTIONALLY OBSOLETE COMPUTERS AND NETWORK DEVICES IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE STATEWIDE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.

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

     Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.--

          A. Fifty-nine million five hundred thousand dollars ($59,500,000) is appropriated from the computer systems enhancement fund to the following funds or agencies for expenditure as provided for the following purposes: 

                (1) twenty-seven million dollars ($27,000,000) to the educational technology deficiency correction fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2007 and subsequent fiscal years to make allocations to correct serious deficiencies in educational technology infrastructure pursuant to the Technology for Education Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert; 

                (2) twenty-four million dollars ($24,000,000) to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 to make distributions to school districts to replace functionally obsolete computers and network devices in accordance with the statewide plan for the integration of educational technology into the public schools. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the computer systems enhancement fund; and

                (3) eight million five hundred thousand dollars ($8,500,000) to the higher education department for expenditure in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 to fund the infrastructure for a sustainable statewide support system for distance learning in New Mexico, including purchase of equipment, software, materials and contractual services. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the computer systems enhancement fund.

          B. Two million six hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,650,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the following agencies for expenditure in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 to support the creation of the statewide cyber academy:

                (1) one million four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,450,000) to the higher education department for program administration, information technology services and maintenance costs; and

                (2) one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) to the public education department to be allocated as follows:

                     (a) six hundred thirty thousand dollars ($630,000) for initial program costs for the statewide cyber academy for program administration, professional development, curriculum development and purchase and operating costs;

                     (b) one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000) for distribution to regional education cooperatives three, eight and nine for distance learning networks to facilitate the exchange of courses and teaching services, and to enable member public schools to offer their students more rigorous and more relevant courses, including offering algebra 1 to middle school students, and to offer their teachers and administrators expanded professional development opportunities. The regional education cooperative distance learning networks may serve as regional hosting sites for the statewide cyber academy, and shall conduct an annual evaluation of the quality and cost-effectiveness of its provision of distance learning. If the evaluation of the distance learning networks indicates that they are providing quality distance education, increased rigor in curricula and are cost-effective, the public education department may replicate distance learning networks in the remaining regional education cooperatives; 

                     (c) fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for distribution to Rio Rancho public schools for the Rio Rancho cyber academy to fund its operation and the expansion of its course offerings; and

                     (d) four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) for distribution to school districts to support distance learning. 

          C. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining of the appropriations in Subsection B of this section at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the general fund.

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