A. The state department of public education [public education department] shall contract with a nonprofit corporation to administer the statewide educational technology opportunity program. The department shall select a contractor that has a program in place to build and rehabilitate computers for New Mexico classrooms using a combination of donated, surplus and purchased equipment. In administering the statewide educational technology opportunity program, the contractor, in coordination with the department, shall:

(1) solicit and accept applications for computer assistance from local school teachers through the local school principals;

(2) establish criteria for evaluating applications for computer assistance. The criteria shall include requirements for an established technology plan and an established network infrastructure;

(3) establish a review process involving public and private entities to evaluate each application, determine the amount of computer assistance needed and allocate the available computers to ensure that computer assistance is distributed equitably; and

(4) submit an annual report to the state board [department] of education, the governor and the legislature on the progress of the program, showing the regional distribution of the program, the number of computers distributed and the cost of each computer.

B. Upon the approval of an application for computer assistance, the contractor shall distribute the allocated computers directly to the classroom and teacher. Pursuant to the contract and upon the receipt of an invoice, the state department of public education shall reimburse the contractor for the state portion of the cost of the computer assistance granted.

C. The state department of public education [public education department], after consulting with private industry, local school districts and other interested parties, shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement the statewide educational technology opportunity program.

History: Laws 1999, ch. 234, § 2.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Laws 2004, ch. 25, § 27, provided that all references to the superintendent of public instruction shall be deemed references to the secretary of public education and all references to the former state board of education or state department of education shall be deemed references to the public education department. See 9-24-15 NMSA 1978.