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

SPONSOR Ashbill

DATE TYPED 3/10/05

HB

SHORT TITLE Browser-Based Computerized Learning System

SB 889

ANALYST Segura

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$4,000.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates: House Bill 670

Relates to: House Bill 487

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

SB 889 appropriates $4,000.0 to PED for the development and implementation of a browser-

based computerized learning system that aligns public schools’ curricula to New Mexico Content

Standards and Benchmarks and current adopted textbooks.

The bill mandates that the learning system diagnose students’ skill deficiencies automatically and

prepare lesson plans to address those deficiencies and measure objectives by grade level.

Significant Issues

According to PED, school districts are currently required to align curricula to content standards

and benchmarks in nine curricular areas. Included in the alignment are an analysis of the extent

to which local curricula address the Contents Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Stan-

dards, and an analysis of assessment data to determine the degree to which students are achieving

those standards and revisions to established curricula as appropriate to the needs of the learners.

Senate Bill 889 -- Page 2

A browser-based computerized learning system able to align lessons and assessments to all con-

tent standards and textbooks would be a useful tool for classroom teachers.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

SB 889 affects PED core performance measures as follows:

•

Implementation of Education Reform Initiatives.

•

Parent Involvement

•

Reading/Language Arts

•

Mathematics

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

SB 889 appropriates $4,000.0 from the general fund and is recurring.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

PED staff would be required to coordinate the development of a vendor RFP, oversee the vendor

selection process, develop a contract for services and monitor the performance of the selected

contractor.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to House Bill 487, and duplicates House Bill 670

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Although the legislation addresses the alignment of curricula in reading, writing, language arts,

algebra, mathematics and English language learner programs, it is unclear to what extent other

content standards and benchmarks will be included in the learning system.

RS/lg