LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 28, 2003

TO:
Honorable Kent Grusendorf, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB3101 by Garza (Relating to use of certain public school funds for dual language immersion programs.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3101, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($9,800,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2005.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004 ($4,900,000)
2005 ($4,900,000)
2006 ($7,350,000)
2007 ($7,350,000)
2008 ($9,800,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
FOUNDATION SCHOOL FUND
193
2004 ($4,900,000)
2005 ($4,900,000)
2006 ($7,350,000)
2007 ($7,350,000)
2008 ($9,800,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Section 42.153, Education Code to provide weighted funding under the Foundation School Program for each student in average daily attendance in a dual language proficiency program. 

Dual language proficiency programs enroll native English speaking students as well as students with limited English proficiency (LEP) and both groups learn in two languages.  Dual language immersion programs, also called two-way bi-lingual education programs, are currently implemented in approximately 938 classrooms, in 166 schools, in 61 districts in Texas.  It is estimated that 20,000 students are enrolled in these programs. All programs in Texas are Spanish/English and most are implemented in the early grades.  Although these programs are implemented in 14 of the 20 Education Service Center Regions, Region 1 (Edinburg), Region 4 (Houston), and Region 19 (El Paso) have the largest percentage.  

Under current law, districts receive funding for the average daily attendance generated only by students with limited English proficiency enrolled in dual language programs.  No additional funding is received for the native English speaking students.  Furthermore, as LEP students learn English and meet LEP exit criteria, they are reclassified as non-LEP but remain in the dual language program without weighted funding.


Methodology

For the purpose of this cost estimate, it is assumed that approximately 50% of the 20,000 students currently estimated to be enrolled in dual language programs do not presently generate weighted funding under the bilingual education allotment.  It is further assumed under this bill that the LEP students who do currently generate weighted funding would continue to generate funding for an average of two years after meeting LEP exit criteria. Program growth is assumed to be minimal due to the shortage of bilingual teachers.  The additional funding weight of 0.1 would yield roughly $480 to $500 per ADA on average.

The application of the funding weight to previously ineligible students would create an initial increase in cost to the Foundation School Program estimated to be about $4.9 million increasing to $9.8 million as LEP students served in the program meet exit criteria but continue enrollment in dual language programs.


Local Government Impact

The increase to student entitlements would result in increased revenues for local school districts.


Source Agencies:
701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff:
JK, JO, CT, UP, PQ