NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used for other purposes.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

SPONSOR:

Hamilton

 

DATE TYPED:

2/18/03

 

HB

256/aHEC

 

SHORT TITLE:

WNMU School of Education

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

L. Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$988.0

 

 

Recurring

GF

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to: SB192

 

Relates to Appropriation for Western New Mexico University in the General Appropriation Act

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

State Department of Education (SDE)

 

SUMMARY

    

      Synopsis of HEC Amendment

 

The House Education Committee amendment adds an evaluation component suggested by the CHE:

 

“The institution receiving the appropriation in this bill shall submit a program evaluation to the Legislative Finance Committee and the Commission on Higher Education by June 30, 2005 detailing the benefits to the State of New Mexico from having this program implemented for a three-year period.”

 

     Synopsis of Original Bill

 

House Bill 256 appropriates $988.0 for expenditure in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 to the Board of Regents of Western New Mexico University (WNMU) from the general fund to establish a network for web-based teacher licensure.

 

The bill carries an emergency clause.

     Significant Issues

 

The bill provides funding for WNMU for a web-based teacher preparation program to deliver WNMU professional education courses through distance technology.  This activity is an effort by WNMU to help improve the effectiveness of instruction and alleviate the teacher shortage in New Mexico and to strengthen its bid for a five-year re-accreditation by NCATE, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.  The coursework offered electronically will be offered between among and beyond the four network learning centers in Silver City, Deming, Gallup and Truth or consequences.

 

This request for funding was approved by the Board of Regents of WNMU and submitted to the CHE as its first priority.  However, the CHE did not recommend this or any other teaching expansion proposal recommending instead the establishment of the Program development and Enhancement fund with an initial funding level of $3.o million and available for urgent workforce development in teacher training ($1.4 million) and nursing ($1.6 million).

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $988.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

 

The budget submitted for this program  shows projected expenditures as follows:

 

            Salaries                       $542,000

            Fringe Benefits            $146,000

            Supplies                      $ 50,000

            Travel                         $ 50,000

            Equipment                   $200,000

            TOTAL                       $988,000

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

The CHE suggests the following language for all new recurring higher education programs and expansion of current programs (assuming that funding will continue beyond 2002-2003):

 

“The institution receiving the appropriation in this bill submit a program evaluation to the Legislative Finance Committee and the Commission on higher Education by August 2005 detailing the benefits to the State of New Mexico from having implemented this program over a three period.”

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.               How would this approach help improve the quality of teaching in New Mexico schools?

2.               Has any kind of study concerning student and teacher interest in the program been done?

 

LRB/sb