LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 16, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Paul Sadler, Chair, House Committee on Public
               Education
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB605  by George (Relating to prekindergarten programs
               for public school students.), As Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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The bill allows school districts to charge tuition for students currently
ineligible for state-funded pre-kindergarten programs.  The district
could only charge as much tuition as is necessary to fund the program.
Children currently eligible for pre-kindergarten services could not be
charged tuition.
  
Local Government Impact
  
Implementation of the programs authorized in the bill are assumed to be
cost-neutral to school districts, as the bill stipulates that tuition
may only be charged in an amount necessary to offset the cost of
operating the program.  An estimated 4,600 students statewide meet the
age but not other eligibility requirements under current law for
pre-kindergarten enrollment.
  
  
Source Agencies:   701   Texas Education Agency
LBB Staff:         JK, CT, PF, UP