LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 10, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Paul Sadler, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 623
          Committee on Public Education                              By: Hernandez
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB623 ( Relating 
to certification of public school educators.) this office has 
detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB623-As Introduced
         
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
         

         
 
          
The fiscal implications to units of local government are described 
below.

Bill Summary

The bill relates to certification 
of public school educators.  It would amend Subchapter B, Chapter 
21, Education Code, by adding section 21.056.

Subsection 
(a) of this bill would require additional certification of certified 
teachers that teach at a grade level or subject areas other 
than those covered by the teacher's original certificate.  Additional 
certification is contingent upon two factors:  satisfactory 
performance on any examinations set by the state board concerning 
teaching the additional grade level or subject areas; and completion 
of a one-year internship under the supervision of an experienced 
certified educator in that grade level or subject areas.

Subsection 
(b) would exempt a secondary level educator that holds a secondary 
certificate from the internship requirement if that educator 
is seeking to teach in an additional secondary level subject 
area.

Administrative Costs to Local Government

No fiscal 
implication to units of local government is anticipated.  Certified 
educators that seek to teach at a different grade level or in 
different subject areas could incur personal costs, however. 
 According to the Texas Education Agency, teachers applying 
for additional certification would bear the costs of additional 
testing.  The State Board for Educator Certification estimates 
that the cost of a single test is approximately $75, although 
costs may vary by region, grade level, and subject area.

          
   Source:            Agencies:   701   Texas Education Agency - Administration
                                         SBE    State Board for Educator Certification
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,DH ,GJ