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

SPONSOR

Smith

DATE TYPED

02-18-05

HB

SHORT TITLE

WNMU School Technology Consortium

SB 638

ANALYST

Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$185.5

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for Western New Mexico University in the General Appropriations

Act.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Response Received From

New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)

No Response Received From

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 638 – Making an Appropriation to Western New Mexico University for a School

Technology Consortium – appropriates $185,500 from the general fund to the Board of Regents

of Western New Mexico University for expenditure in FY06 for the development and implemen-

tation of a school technology consortium. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining

at the end of FY06 shall revert to the general fund.

Senate Bill 638 -- Page 2

Significant Issues

PED suggests that this legislation is related to the Bootheel Consortium and provides educators

with professional development so that they may prepare students for success in an ever-changing

technological world.

As background on the consortium, four years ago members from six school districts and the local

university in the southwest corner of the state met and began small group discussions about stu-

dents in this area not being competitive with their peers in more affluent and more populated ar-

eas. The southwest corner of the state is a large rural isolated area with limited resources, a low

economic base, and a high percentage of minorities. With these factors self evident, this group

formed the Bootheel Consortium as a means to begin seeking solutions. Members of the consor-

tium are the: Animas Public Schools, Cobre Consolidated Schools, Deming Public Schools,

Lordsburg Municipal Schools, Reserve Independent School District, Silver Consolidated

Schools, and Western New Mexico University. The goals of the consortium are to:

•

Provide ongoing training and support for the integration of technology into curricu-

lum and instruction by teachers and pre-service teachers throughout the Consortium.

•

Facilitate the sharing of information and methodologies used by Consortium teach-

ers for integrating technology into instruction.

To address these goals the consortium has established the following objectives:

•

provide facilitators for sharing with teachers information about planning technology

integration through conferencing, observing, and modeling implementation in the

teachers' classrooms;

•

provide training to consortium educators in specific technology skills and integration

activities as concluded to be necessary by survey;

•

maintain the consortium website where teachers will post lesson plans, presentations

and ideas that promote student learning and incorporate the technology skills teach-

ers learned through provided trainings;

•

maintain the Learning Lab and related facilities at Western New Mexico University,

as well as equipment distributed to member districts; and

•

continue to provide specialized and in-depth training to on-site technology aides that

provide day-to-day hardware and software support throughout the consortium.

This project is not included in CHE’s 2005-2006 Higher Education Funding Recommendation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $185,500 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

Senate Bill 638 -- Page 3

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

PED notes that, if passed, this legislation indirectly addresses the department’s core performance

measures regarding Implementation of Education Reform Initiatives including Information

Technology Reform Support and Information Technology Infrastructure Upgrade and Network

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for Western New Mexico University in the General Appropriations

Act.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

PED notes that a May 6, 2004 Education Week article entitled “Technology Counts” discusses

the fact that North American countries are making attempts to improve their educational systems

through technology. PED further observes that while the United States has made great strides in

placing technology in schools, it continues to struggle with effective use in the classroom. Lead-

ers at the national and state levels are moving towards better communication and collaboration

with neighboring countries. Collaboration between educators and those interested in educating

our youths will result in research and strategies that will help both entities to teach and learn.

BFW/lg