LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
May 10, 2001
TO: Honorable Teel Bivins, Chair, Senate Committee on
Education
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB1310 by Salinas (Relating to the Texas Teachers'
Excellence Program.), As Engrossed
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB1310, As Engrossed: negative impact of $(2,062,524) through the *
* biennium ending August 31, 2003. *
* *
* The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal *
* basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of *
* the bill. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(906,412) *
* 2003 (1,156,112) *
* 2004 (676,112) *
* 2005 (796,112) *
* 2006 (916,112) *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State *
* Year General Revenue Fund Employees from FY 2001 *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $(906,412) 0.5 *
* 2003 (1,156,112) 0.5 *
* 2004 (676,112) 0.5 *
* 2005 (796,112) 0.5 *
* 2006 (916,112) 0.5 *
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Technology Impact
The State Board for Educator Certification would implement a web-based
tracking system of national-board certification applicants in order to
administer certain provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill creates the Texas Teachers Excellence Program (TTEP) which would
provide financial awards for teachers who receive and maintain
certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
(NBPTS).
The bill directs the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) to
establish the program and to provide classroom teachers with financial
assistance to meet certification requirements, up to a limit of 100
teachers each year.
The bill would require school districts to pay stipends beyond the
minimum salary level. The stipends levels would be $4,000 annually to
each classroom teacher certified by the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards, and an additional stipend of $2,000 to each teacher
who works at least 40 hours during a school year as a mentor providing
assistance to other public school teachers attempting to earn
certification. The program, including salary stipends, be funded with
state appropriations to the State Board of Educator Certification,
federal grant funds provided to SBEC, or from gifts, grants, and
donations received for that purpose. The estimated costs are expected to
increase over time with more certifications by the national board.
Teachers earning national certification during a school year would become
eligible for the stipends in the following school year. Teachers
holding national certification before the effective date of the act would
not be entitled to receive stipends for school years occurring before
the effective date of the act.
The bill as engrossed would require the Commissioner of Education to
develop an assessment system for evaluating teachers holding national
certification. The system would be used on a three-year cycle to
determine if a nationally certified teacher should continue to receive
the stipend provided through this bill.
Methodology
As of December 2000, the NBPTS had certified a total of 36 Texas
teachers, with approximately half (19) certified in the 1999-2000 school
year. Costs to provide the maximum stipend for all teachers currently
holding certification would be $216,000, based on an annual stipend of
$6,000. Presuming an increase of 20 teachers per year, and that all
previously certified teacher maintain their status, the cost of the award
would increase by $120,000 per year.
From state funds, SBEC could provide each program participant a
scholarship of up to $1,500, or $150,000 per year, to defray other
expenses related to applying for national-board certification. SBEC could
enhance the scholarship for each participant by $1,000 from federal
funds granted for that purpose.
The SBEC would be responsible for administering the Texas Teacher's
Excellence Program and assisting the selection committee. Agency
operating expenses are estimated to be $90,412 in 2002, $70,112 in 2003
and about the same amount in each year thereafter.
As engrossed, the bill requires the commissioner of education to develop
an assessment system for evaluating teachers holding national
certification who receive stipends under this bill. The bill appears to
require the evaluation to be conducted for each affected teacher on a
three-year recurring cycle. Based on the costs incurred in developing
other teacher assessment and evaluation systems, it is estimated that
the cost of developing a system containing the criteria described in the
bill would be approximately $1.2 million over the next biennium (assumed
to be a non-recurring cost for this fiscal note).
Local Government Impact
Local school districts would be required to pay stipends beyond the
minimum salary level. The stipends levels would be $4,000 annually to
each classroom teacher who is certified by the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards, and an additional stipend of $2,000 to
each teacher who works at least 40 hours during a school year as a mentor
providing assistance to other public school teachers attempting to earn
certification. School districts would be required to evaluate each
teacher receiving a stipend at least every three years to determine if
the stipend should be renewed.
Some school districts are currently providing stipends to nationally
certified teachers. The bill would presumably alleviate some of that
burden. The bill otherwise should be relatively cost neutral to
districts, since the revenues from the state should cover the expense of
the stipends.
One element of cost to districts that is not specifically offset by state
funding is the extra leave time awarded in 21.605(b). Three days of
extra leave for application preparation will necessitate three days of
substitute teacher pay. With up to 500 teachers eligible to be in the
program, there could be a need to provide up to 1,500 days of substitute
teacher service each year. At a presumed rate of $150 per day, there
could be a cost of about $225,000 to school districts that would not be
funded directly by the state.
Districts would also incur costs associated with training staff to serve
as evaluators.
Source Agencies: 701 Texas Education Agency
LBB Staff: JK, CT, RN