80(R) SB 553 - Introduced version

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


March 12, 2007

TO:	Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on Education

FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	SB553 by Shapleigh (Relating to a dual language education pilot project in certain school districts.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB553, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($28,880,000) 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2008	($14,440,000)
2009	($14,440,000)
2010	($14,418,000)
2011	($14,418,000)
2012	($14,468,000)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1
2008	($14,440,000)
2009	($14,440,000)
2010	($14,418,000)
2011	($14,418,000)
2012	($14,468,000)

Fiscal Year	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2007
2008	2.0
2009	2.0
2010	1.0
2011	1.0
2012	1.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would create a dual language educator certification and a dual language education pilot project. School districts participating in the pilot project would be required to participate for at least three years, with the first year being a planning year. The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program.

Methodology

No fiscal impact to the state is anticipated associated with the dual language educator certification.

The average per pupil cost of operating a dual language program is estimated at about $525 per student, with smaller programs experiencing relatively greater per pupil costs and larger programs experiencing relatively lesser per pupil costs.

Based on the $525 average per pupil costs, and assuming the pilot program would serve about 2 percent of students served in traditional bilingual or English as a Second Language programs and an equal number of native English-speaking students, the cost is estimated at about $14.3 million annually. Costs may vary according to program size.

It is estimated that 2.0 FTEs would be required at TEA to administer the pilot program in the first two years of implementation. In the subsequent years, through the August 1, 2013 expiration of the pilot period, it is estimated that 1.0 FTE would be required to administer the program. Associated administrative costs are estimated at about $140,000 annually in fiscal year 2008 and fiscal year 2009 and about $68,000 in each subsequent year through 2013.

It is assumed that the agency would contract with an independent provider for the evaluation required by the bill at an estimated cost of $200,000 allocated across the three-year period between 2011 and 2013.

Local Government Impact

School districts would be eligible to apply to participate in the dual language pilot program and would be assumed to receive funds associated with participation.