Honorable Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair, Senate Committee on International Relations & Trade
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1287 by Chisum (Relating to public school elective courses providing academic study of the Bible.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1287, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($750,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2008
($250,000)
2009
($500,000)
2010
($50,000)
2011
($50,000)
2012
($50,000)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1
2008
($250,000)
2009
($500,000)
2010
($50,000)
2011
($50,000)
2012
($50,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the commissioner of education to develop and make available, through access to in-service training, materials and other resources for training teachers to teach elective Bible courses, in consultation with institutions of higher education.Training would include developing expertise in the appropriate curriculum, an understanding of law and how Bible courses are taught objectively as part of a secular program, understanding of how to present the Bible objectively and academically, proficiency in instructional approaches, and expertise in how to avoid devotional content or proselytizing. The commissioner would use funds appropriated for this purpose to implement the provision.
Methodology
It is estimated that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) would need to develop training materials in FY2008 and implement training in FY2009 in order for school districts to offer the course beginning in the 2009-10 school year. In FY2008, TEA estimates that the cost of developing the content for the training would be $250,000. In FY2009, TEA anticipates that the training of teachers would be outsourced to a regional education service center for an estimated 1,700 teachers, 1 for each high school in the state, for an estimated total of $500,000. In FY2010 and beyond, additional training would be needed for new teachers and teacher turnover.Estimated training costs in these years, assuming 10% or 170 teachers would be trained annually, would be $50,000.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.