Honorable Kent Grusendorf, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB426 by Shapleigh (Relating to the health of school-age children.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would create a variety of programs related to student health and physical activity.
Section 2 of the bill would direct the Texas Education Agency to conduct a study and provide recommendations concerning possible incentives for school districts to adopt rules or to otherwise provide community access to school campuses after regular school hours for indoor and outdoor recreational activities. It is assumed that the study would be conducted on a contract basis at a cost of approximately $50,000 in fiscal 2006.
Section 6 of the bill would direct the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to establish the pilot Texas Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program during the 2006-07 school year consisting of two school districts that meet certain criteria. The bill specifies that as part of the program students would be provided free fruits and vegetables three times a day. The bill further requires TDA to evaluate the effectiveness of the program taking into account criteria mentioned in the bill and produce a report to the state leadership no later than January 1, 2009.
TDA proposes that the pilot programs be at a middle school in Brownsville with an enrollment of 976 students and a middle school in Fort Worth with an enrollment of 1,150 students. Assuming a cost of approximately 5 cents per day, $9.45 per child per year, TDA estimates the cost of the program to total $20,091 for both schools. In order to administer the program, TDA anticipates the need for one temporary nutritionist and one temporary research specialist at a cost of $28,800 in fiscal year 2007. TDA also anticipates $3,600 in travel costs. The total cost to TDA to implement the pilot program is $52,491 in fiscal year 2007.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
701 Central Education Agency, 551 Department of Agriculture, 537 Department of State Health Services