SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 19

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

INTRODUCED BY

Leonard Tsosie

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO STUDY THE PROCUREMENT CODE AND OTHER APPLICABLE STATUTES TO DETERMINE HOW TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED STATE MATCH UNDER THE FEDERAL "E-RATE" PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 provides that public school districts may be eligible to receive a discount or "e-rate" for the acquisition of telecommunication services in their schools; and

     WHEREAS, eligible school districts may receive an e-rate for telecommunication services, internet access and internal connections necessary for deploying technology into the classroom; and

     WHEREAS, telecommunication services may include regular telephone lines for teachers to receive phone calls in the classroom, pagers for security officials, high bandwidth telecommunication services, satellite delivery for distance learning and coaxial cables; internet access may include email and access to worldwide web services; and internal connections may include basic installation and maintenance of a network that brings technology into the learning environment, including routers, hubs, network file servers, wireless local area networks and software needed for operation of file servers; and

     WHEREAS, school districts can qualify for an e-rate of up to ninety percent, which means that ten thousand dollars ($10,000) spent by a public school purchases one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of telecommunication services; and

     WHEREAS, school districts must have an education technology plan approved by the public education department in order to qualify for e-rate discounts and to submit an application to the federal agency administering the e-rate program; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department is currently assisting school districts in developing their technology plans tied to e-rate requirements that set district and state goals for technology and curriculum and in applying for e-rate funding;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested, in collaboration with school district personnel, to examine the Procurement Code and other applicable statutes to determine how to best provide the required state match for school districts under the federal e-rate program in order to ensure that public schools have affordable access to advanced telecommunications; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department report its findings and recommendations to the legislative education study committee by October 1, 2006; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education and the director of the legislative education study committee for appropriate distribution.

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