LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 17, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 1795
          Committee on Finance                              By: Wentworth
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB1795 ( Relating 
to the taxable value of property of a school district that does 
not offer each grade level from kindergarten to 12th grade.) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB1795-As Introduced
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
negative impact of $(6,800,000) to General Revenue Related Funds 
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
         
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal 
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions 
of the bill.

         
 
Fiscal Analysis
 
The bill would amend Subchapter B, Chapter 42 of the Texas Education 
Code by adding Section 42.106 relating  to the taxable value 
of property for computing a district's local share of the Foundation 
School Program, or local fund assignment (LFA).  The new section 
would apply to districts that do not offer all 12 grade levels 
and pay tuition to other district(s) for the education of its 
students.  For these districts, the tax base for the calculation 
of the LFA would be adjusted by taking the amount of tuition 
paid into account.   The bill would take effect September 1, 
1997.
 
Methodolgy
 
The bill would reduce the local share of the Foundation School 
Program for those districts that do not offer all 12 grades 
and that pay tuition to a neighbor to educate its students. 
 In turn, this would increase the state shares for affected 
districts.  Fifty-one districts would be impacted by the bill.

In 
employing the formula provided in the bill, the 51 districts 
would have cost the state an additional $3,382,667 for tier 
I had the bill been in effect in 1994-95.  Although the bill 
does not apply to tier II directly, a reduction in property 
value could result in an increase in the measure of tax effort, 
which would increase tier II funding for qualifying districts. 
 This may be offset, however, by the limitation of the tax rate 
cap on access to tier II monies.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions 
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage 
is estimated as follows:
 
Five Year Impact:
 
Fiscal Year Probable           
            Savings/(Cost)                                                                                
            from Foundation                                                                               
            School Fund                                                                                   
            0193                                                                                           
       1998      ($3,400,000)                                                                        
       1998       (3,400,000)                                                                        
       2000       (3,400,000)                                                                        
       2001       (3,400,000)                                                                        
       2002       (3,400,000)                                                                        
 
 
         Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
 
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds 
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
 
              Fiscal Year      Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
                               General Revenue Related Funds
                                             Funds
               1998         ($3,400,000)
               1999          (3,400,000)
               2000          (3,400,000)
               2001          (3,400,000)
               2002          (3,400,000)
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
Affected local districts would receive additional state aid 
of approximately $3.4 million each year. 
          
   Source:            Agencies:   701   Texas Education Agency - Administration
                                         304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,RR ,DD