Update on State Funded Distance Learning:

More State Funding Allocated to Distance Learning

Patrick Sutton

February 27, 2007

In another recent development that shows how fast distance learning initiatives are growing, the New Mexico Senate voted to create a statewide cyber academy.

"The statewide cyber academy would be responsible for establishing a delivery system for distance-learning courses, selecting regional hosts, providing technical and program support, ensuring that all courses meet performance standards and are taught by highly qualified instructors and providing a reasonable means for allocating costs."

In funding this initiative New Mexico has taken a different tact than other states: this distance learning initiative will not specifically focus on higher education or k-12 in particular, but will provide funding in order to update the technological infrastructure of the state, and develop and initiate a state-wide learning system. Funding will be allocated in two stages, $8.5 million is needed to create the cyber academy, and an additional $27 million will be needed to bring the update the infrastructure.

It is interesting to note that once the creation of the cyber academy is complete, it will be responsible for the technological deficiencies in all of the schools; similar to the “performance based funding” that we’ve seen initiated in other states, such as North Carolina, and New York, the increased funding has strings attached.

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Sources-

Rubel, Walter, “Senate votes to create cyber academy for distance learning”; Las Cruces Sun-News February 27, 2007