AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE; CREATING A FUNDING FORMULA STUDY TASK FORCE; PROVIDING DUTIES; ALLOWING CONTRACTS.

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

     Section 1. FUNDING FORMULA STUDY TASK FORCE CREATED--MEMBERSHIP--DUTIES.--

          A. The "funding formula study task force" is created. The task force shall function from the date of its appointment until December 15, 2006.

          B. The task force is composed of the following members:

                (1) three members from the house of representatives and three members from the senate appointed by the New Mexico legislative council;

                (2) three members appointed by the governor;

                (3) four representatives of public school administrators, including one each from a small district, a growth district, an impact aid district and a mid-sized district. The members shall be appointed by the New Mexico legislative council from a list submitted by the New Mexico superintendents' association; and

                (4) the president of the New Mexico school board association or the president's designee.

          C. Vacancies on the task force shall be filled by appointment by the original appointing authority.

          D. Members of the task force are entitled to per diem and mileage as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

          E. Staff for the task force shall be provided by the legislative council service, the legislative education study committee, the legislative finance committee, the public education department and the office of education accountability of the department of finance and administration. Staff shall provide technical assistance to the contractor.

          F. The task force shall:

                (1) develop a work plan and budget for approval by the New Mexico legislative council;

                (2) approve the request for proposals for a contractor to conduct the study of the public school funding formula and select the contractor; and

                (3) make recommendations to the legislature and the governor by December 15, 2006.

          G. The request for proposals shall request a comprehensive study of the public school funding formula, including the expectations of the public and statutory requirements for New Mexico's public education system; the costs of those expectations and requirements; and a thorough analysis of all formula components and consideration of possible changes to the formula, including:

                (1) a revised training and experience index aligned to the three-tiered licensure system for teachers;

                (2) size factors associated with small schools and small school districts; and

                (3) any other factor with the potential to affect the equity and efficacy of the funding formula as a whole.