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

SPONSOR Balderas

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/2/06

HB 466

SHORT TITLE Raton Distance & Virtual School

SB

ANALYST Aguilar

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$305.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB 284, HB 306, HB 391, SB 481

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY06

FY07

FY08 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

$5.7

$5.7

$11.4 Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 466 appropriates $305 thousand from the general fund to the public education de-

partment to implement a distance learning and virtual learning alternative school curriculum in

the Raton public schools that complies with the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and

accommodates the needs of specific student populations identified by the Raton board of educa-

tion.

House Bill 466 – Page 2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $305 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall

revert to the general fund.

PED notes it would need to complete a JPA or MOU with Raton schools or prepare an RFP for

an outside contract. This will require review by the State CIO. The estimated fiscal impact on

PED for RFP development, contract oversight, monitoring of approvals and implementation

would require 200 hours of staff time per year.

Distance learning has been identified as a crucial element to the survival of rural schools. With-

out the means to deliver a complete range of courses, students encounter significant obstacles to

pursuing curriculum that implements recommendations of the High School Initiative and

Math/Science Town Halls.

PA/nt