Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB2094 by Taylor (relating to the assessment of public school students, the establishment of a strong foundations grant program, and providing accelerated instruction for students who fail to achieve satisfactory performance on certain assessment instruments.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB2094, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted : a negative impact of ($146,860,972) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
($73,315,243)
2023
($73,545,729)
2024
($73,200,000)
2025
($73,200,000)
2026
($73,200,000)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2022
($73,315,243)
2023
($73,545,729)
2024
($73,200,000)
2025
($73,200,000)
2026
($73,200,000)
Fiscal Analysis
This bill would create the Strong Foundations Grant Program. The commissioner would be required to adopt components that program participants must implement under the program including the use of high-quality instructional materials, curricula, and curricular tools; aligned professional supports; and a measure of the fidelity of implementation of the program.
The bill would remove grade promotion requirements tied to grades 5 and 8 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) and would establish accelerated learning committees and instruction for students who do not perform satisfactorily on grades three, five, and eight reading and math and end-of-course STAAR.
The bill repeals Section 28.0211(b) of the Education Code which requires districts to provide a student with two additional opportunities to take a state assessment after initially failing and provide an alternative assessment if they fail the other two opportunities.
The bill repeals Section 39.0238 which requires the agency to adopt or develop postsecondary readiness assessment instruments for Algebra II and English III.
Methodology
TEA estimates that Strong Foundations Grant Program would cost $75 million in funding per year.
According to TEA, repealing Section 28.0211(b) would save the state $1.5 million annually as a result of eliminating retest opportunities.
Based on information provided by TEA, repealing Section 39.0238 would save the state $300,000 annually by eliminating the Algebra II and English III tests.
Technology
The bill would require TEA to modify various TEA technology systems.
Total costs to implement changes to the TEA IT systems are $115,243 in fiscal year 2022 and $345,729 in fiscal year 2023 for initial development efforts.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.