45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

REQUESTING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF INCLUDING ADDITIONAL SITE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION FORMULA AND TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS AND BEFORE- AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.

WHEREAS, in 1997 the legislature passed a memorial to address public school district concerns regarding the equitable distribution of funds through the public school transportation formula; and

WHEREAS, in response to the memorial, the state department of public education formed the public school transportation task force comprised of representatives from the legislative education study committee, the executive branch, the state board of education, school district superintendents, transportation directors and public school transportation contractors; and

WHEREAS, in 1999, based on the recommendations of the public school transportation task force, the legislature modified the public school transportation formula to eliminate density groupings and to incorporate density and other site characteristics such as special education students, unpaved and unimproved miles and the total number of school service days in order to provide an equitable distribution of transportation funding; and

WHEREAS, the public school transportation task force requested that the formula be reevaluated within two years to ensure its effectiveness; and

WHEREAS, public school personnel and school bus contractors provided testimony to the legislative education study committee during the 2000 interim regarding additional site characteristics and the impact of charter school transportation needs on school district transportation allocations;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state department of public education, in cooperation with school district superintendents and school bus contractors, be requested to study the feasibility of including additional site characteristics in the public school transportation formula and to examine the impact of charter schools and before- and after-school programs on transportation funding; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings and recommendations of this study be provided to the legislative education study committee by November 1, 2001; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be distributed to the superintendent of public instruction and the director of the legislative education study committee for appropriate distribution.