The 30-year-old school funding formula, which is used to distribute state funds to local districts, is poised for an overhaul that could inject millions of dollars into New Mexico schools.

But some school officials are worried that a mechanism in the proposed legislation for ensuring the money is spent effectively is asking too much of them.

A legislative task force found recently that New Mexico schools are underfunded by as much as 15 percent, or about $350 million a year.

The new formula would take into account several additional factors in deciding how much money districts get from the state, including poverty, the percentage of English Language Learners and special-education students, and students' mobility rates. It would also factor in the composition of grades and the scale of operations.

Santa Fe schools, for example, could get up to $8 million more, or about 11 percent of its current budget.

In return, the new legislation calls for districts to develop an Educational Plan for Student Success that would show how the school or the district plans to improve student achievement. The plan would be monitored by the Public Education Department to verify that the appropriate instruction programs are provided.

School officials point out that every district and school in New Mexico is already required to file an EPSS showing how they intend to address math and reading achievement, as well as some aspect of student wellness.

In its EPSS, each school — and each district — sets its own goals, whether they are increasing the percentage of students proficient in math or improving attendance rates.

Under the proposed legislation, the EPSS would also include bilingual and multicultural education, physical education, career-technical education, visual and performing arts, gifted education, advanced-placement and honors programs, as well as special-education and distance-education programs.

The amount of work it could take to provide such detail has made some school officials skeptical about using an EPSS to monitor the money.

Jim Anderson, superintendent of Los Alamos schools, said he understands the need for accountability, especially when some districts could receive as much as 25 percent more as a result of funding changes. But, he said, "Maybe there needs to be another document."

Anderson said an EPSS allows district officials to focus on what they believe are the most important issues for their schools. But having to provide so much detail will force districts to be too broad in their goals, he said.

Some school officials said they are willing to change the way they use an EPSS if it means getting more money.

"We've been struggling for a number of years with unfunded mandates," said Santa Fe school Superintendent Leslie Carpenter. She cited examples such as the lack of funding for nurses and counselors.

While creating a more detailed document might require more effort and time from school boards and school staff, Carpenter said, it would be worth it if the school gets more money. "Certainly, what's on my mind right now isn't a worry about more work," she said.

The House Education Committee, at the behest of Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia, added language to the bill that would create a task force to further study the question of accountability and report back in a year. The bill already calls for a yearlong delay before putting any money into the new formula.

"It will allow us time to talk through it," Garcia said.

The EPSS could evolve into a budget document, she said, or the task force might come up with a completely new document.

But, Garcia said, "If in fact there isn't revenue identified, it makes the bill irrelevant."

The funding formula bill (HB 241) received a do pass recommendation from the House Education Committee last week.

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