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	Nava		DATE TYPED	2/9/04		HB
SHORT TITLE		Regional Education Technology Assistance				SB	397
					ANALYST		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
	$500.0			Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Commission on Higher Education Recommendations for Funding FY05 (CHE)

Responses Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 397 appropriates $500 thousand from the general fund to the PED for the Regional Technology Assistance program (RETA).

Significant Issues

The RETA program has provided professional development assistance to help public school teachers and administrators make effective use of technology. During its seven year existence, RETA has been primarily funded through federal grants, one of the last grants being a five year grant that runs out at the end of FY04. Federal funds obtained through the Enhancing Education Through Technology and the Reading First Initiatives have enabled RETA to set up an infrastructure that includes 95 trained instructors, six regional resource centers located strategically throughout the state and more than 3,800 teachers who have completed in-depth professional development to prepare them to coach and mentor their peers as local technology experts. The No Child Left Behind Act requires that technology be integrated across all curriculum areas in the schools by 2008. RETA has the statewide infrastructure already in place to respond to this need. This appropriation would enable RETA to continue and to expand the professional development services needed to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act provisions.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500 thousand 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.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

RETA is a statewide program that uses on-site instruction, distance learning and a web site to deliver professional development services to teachers and administrators. The PED reports Participation in RETA as shown in the table below:

		1998 - 1999	1999 - 2000	2000 – 2001	2001 - 2002	2002-2003
No. RETA Instructors		45	65	85	106	95
No. RETA/RRCs		4	6	6	6	6
No. RETA Sat. Workshops		140	168	312	297	Est. 336
No. RRC Sessions		42	95	159	189	Est. 200
Total # Workshops		182	263	471	490	Est. 536
No. RETA Sat. Workshop Participants		244	648	890	940	1,350
	No. RETA Sat. Workshop Participants	244	648	890	940	1,350
	No. RRC Primary Participants	Information not collected	Information not collected	1,440	1,748	Est. 1,850
	Conference Presentation Participants	Information not collected	Information not collected	Information not collected	339	Est. 650
	Total No. Primary Participants	923	2,118	2,529	3,027	Est. 3,850
	Total No. Secondary Participants	3,692	8,472	10,116	12,108	Est. 15,400
	No. NM Districts Served	34	60	66	76 SDE 3 BIA	72 SDE 13 BIA

This request was not among the FY05 funding requests submitted by the NMSU Board of Regents to the CHE. Consequently, the Commission did not review it.

LB/yr