Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they are used for other purposes.

 

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are available on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).  Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not.  Previously issued FIRs and attachments may also be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

 

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR

Stapleton-Williams

DATE TYPED

2/4/04

HB

351

 

SHORT TITLE

Continue Re:Learning Program

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST

Baca               

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY04

FY05

FY04

FY05

 

$1,500.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

 

Duplicates SB 139

Relates to HB 31, HB 95, SB 15, SB 93, SB 163 & SB 182

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

 

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 351 appropriates $1.5 million from the general fund to the Board of Regents of Eastern New Mexico University to continue the Re:Learning  Program to support school improvement in all grades of public schools statewide.

 

Significant Issues

 

The PED reports Re:Learning provides professional development services to over 180 schools in 40 school districts.  In addition to professional development,  Re:Learning provides technical assistance to school districts in the writing of grants, developing strategies to improve a school’s accreditation status – especially if a school has been placed on probationary status.  Re:Learning is a school improvement whose effectiveness is documented by both anecdotal and improvements in norm referenced test data. 

 

The program has an appropriation of $900 thousand for FY04 and has been funded by the Legislature since 1989. 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $1.5 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the general fund.

 

RELATIONSHIP

 

SB 139 relates to:

            HB 31, Mid-School Teacher Science and Math Training,

            HB 95, Math and Science Teacher Development,

            SB 15, ENMU Teacher Education Programs,

            SB 182, Mid-School Science and Math Teacher Training         

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

This appropriation to the ENMU Board of Regents is a flow-through fund, and ENMU serves as the program’s fiscal agent.  Consequently, this request for funding does not appear in the program funding recommendations submitted to the CHE by the ENMU Board of Regents.

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.                  In which school districts is Re:Learning currently providing services?

2.                  How were these districts selected?

3.                  How were the individual schools selected?

4.                  Has any one school been receiving services from Re:Learning throughout the program’s nearly 14 years?

5.                  Has any one district received Re:Learning services for these 14 years?

 

RLG/lg