Education in New Mexico has for the last two years benefited from legislative funding increases for teacher raises and such programs as free, public pre-kindergarten.

This year, though, with capital outlay funds down significantly, the schools are scaling back their requests. And they are not expecting money from lawmakers to implement revisions to the state's school funding formula.

A legislative task force has been working for the last year and a half on revamping the formula to better apportion state aid to school districts. The task force found New Mexico schools have been underfunded by nearly 15 percent a year. The disparity equaled about $340 million in 2006.

Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, a member of the Legislative Education Study Committee and funding formula task force, said the shortfall reveals itself every year when districts, especially those in rural New Mexico, show up to ask the Legislature for more money.

A new formula would weigh four main factors in doling out money to districts: poverty, mobility and the number of special-education and English-language learners.

Although school district officials across the state crossed their fingers, hoping that this would be the year they would get some of that money, it's unlikely.

Both the Legislative Education Study Committee and the Legislative Finance Committee want the new formula to be enacted into law this year. But they disagree about when funding should start.

The Legislative Finance Committee has recommended appropriating $25 million for the first year, but other legislators think that schedule would take too long to get to full funding.

The Legislative Education Study Committee, in contrast, prefers that there be a one-year delay before putting any money into the formula so that legislators can find funding sources and districts can plan for the changes. After one year, the Legislature would then start to phase in the money over three years.

Either way, it looks as if the existing funding formula will get a significant overhaul.

Other education recommendations from the Legislative Education Study Committee include $3 million more for Kindergarten-3 Plus, a program that provides funds for an extended school year in some poor schools. Last year, the state spent $7 million on the program.

The state's pre-kindergarten program also might get new funds, but less than in previous years. Last year, legislators nearly doubled funding for pre-K, from $8 million in 2006 to $14 million.

This year, the Legislative Education Study Committee and Legislative Finance Committee are both recommending an additional $2 million for the program.

Stewart said legislators want to focus more this year on the K-3 Plus program, which is having a positive impact on student performance, and less on pre-K.

Legislators, Stewart said, also are concerned about giving public-school money to private contractors, which is what happens with half of pre-K money, without having accountability measures in place.

Another funding priority that districts and teachers pay close attention to is the money the Legislature includes for teacher raises.

After 5 percent average raises each of the last two years, this year teachers can look forward to more modest increases.

The Legislative Education Study Committee, which traditionally asks for larger raises than the Legislative Finance Committee, is recommending a 3 percent increase. The Legislative Finance Committee is recommending 2 percent. Legislators usually settle somewhere in between.

Contact John Sena at 986-3079 or jsena@sfnewmexican.com.