LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 19, 2003

TO:	Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1470 by West (Relating to eligibility to participate in a high school equivalency program operated by a school district or open-enrollment charter school.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill continues the existing high school equivalency program by removing the subsection that repeals its authorization at the end of 2003.  It also provides clarifying language to the definition of eligibility for participation in such programs, and raises the maximum progress that students may have completed toward a high school diploma in order to be eligible.  The change would allow students that have accumulated up to half the credits necessary for graduation to participate in the equivalency program.  Current law limits participation to those students with no more than one quarter of the necessary credits.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Those districts operating high school equivalency programs could experience some change in the population being served as a result of the change to eligibility.  However, the overall impact of that change and the choices made by students to enter high school equivalency programs is not expected to change revenues significantly.

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