HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 69

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Hector H. Balderas

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE FUNDING FORMULA STUDY TASK FORCE TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS, DISTANCE EDUCATION AND OTHER ONLINE EDUCATION PROGRAMMING IN THE FUNDING FORMULA STUDY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS; URGING LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF THIS IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, PARTICULARLY FOR RURAL AND SMALLER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

     WHEREAS, educational programs that allow students to learn any subject anytime, anywhere and at any place are known by several names, including virtual school, distance education, internet-based education, cybereducation or e-education; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department distinguishes the three major categories of online education as follows:

          (1) virtual schools are those that offer online education that replicates all of the functions carried out by traditional bricks and mortar schools, and courses may be synchronous or asynchronous;

          (2) distance education is a strategy that delivers select courses in a traditional school setting; and

          (3) internet-based education is the broadest category in that it may include instructor-led courses typically found in distance education or may include web sites specifically intended to present problem-based learning, and traditional schools often use this approach as a means of integrating technology with a curriculum by assigning research or writing tasks that rely on internet information sources; and

     WHEREAS, each category uses technology to deliver five key processes of learning, to wit, instruction, assessment, prescription, intervention and performance data management; and

     WHEREAS, these online educational tools are particularly important for students in rural areas because they are the means to provide educational opportunities by qualified instructors that a small school district may not be able to offer with current staff; and

     WHEREAS, online education can be an efficient and cost-effective way to deliver quality education and a much broader academic program to New Mexico public school students; and

     WHEREAS, the public school funding formula has not kept pace with the advances in education through online resources; and

     WHEREAS, as the funding formula study task force prepares the request for proposals for a comprehensive study of the formula, it is imperative that it include this vital educational resource in the study in order to determine adequate funding for online educational opportunities for children;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the funding formula study task force be requested to study costs and funding for online education and be urged to include funding for online education in any proposed funding formula; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature be urged to pay a portion of the costs to provide online education in rural and smaller school districts this year and next year outside the funding formula; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department be urged to support online education appropriations and assist school districts in selecting online education programming that meets or exceeds statewide academic standards and that takes into account the special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques, special methods of communication by electronic and other technology as well as the special organizational and administrative arrangements needed for a successful online educational offering; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the funding formula study task force and the public education department.

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