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

SPONSOR Ryan

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-13-2007

HB

SHORT TITLE Rio Rancho Cyber Academy Courses

SB 352

ANALYST Dearing

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$500.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates House Bill 435

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 352 appropriates $500 thousand from the general fund for expenditure in FY08 to the

Public Education department for expansion of *synchronous

1

course offerings at the Rio Rancho

cyber academy in the Rio Rancho public schools district.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500 thousand contained in Senate Bill 352 is a recurring expense to the

General Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall

revert to the General Fund.

The LFC remains concerned with funding initiatives outside of the funding formula as it tends to

disequalize school funding and diverts funding away from core educational needs.

1

Synchronous refers to the courses being offered in real-time, as opposed to stored, continuously available content.

Senate Bill 352 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Rio Rancho Academy is now in its second year of operation. The department states that the

appropriation is necessary to increase in-state educators’ ability to provide these real-time

services. The program currently relies on out-of-state vendors to provide content for these

classes.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The implementation of the provisions of this legislation would PED’s goal of increasing access

to, and application of, technology for student learning.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

No significant administrative implications for the Public Education department.

DUPLICATION

Senate Bill 352 duplicates House Bill 435

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Under the executive’s IDEAL-NM initiative name RRCA will become an Instructional Resource

Center. The executive’s Higher Education FY08 budget recommendation includes $2.25 million

for the IDEAL-NM program. As outlined in the IDEAL-NM brochure, the future expansion is to

grow the delivery of online courses as a collaborative venture. The IDEAL-NM purpose would

be that of implementing a shared e-Learning technology infrastructure, deployed statewide.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The Rio Rancho Cyber academy will rely on current sources and levels of funding.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Will there be any cost advantages available from creating all the necessary content in the State,

versus purchasing the content from an established vendor.

PD/csd