LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 28, 2009

TO:
Honorable Rob Eissler, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB2476 by Olivo (Relating to discipline management in public schools.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2476, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($7,900,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

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
2010 ($6,200,000)
2011 ($1,700,000)
2012 ($1,700,000)
2013 ($2,000,000)
2014 ($1,700,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
2010 ($6,200,000)
2011 ($1,700,000)
2012 ($1,700,000)
2013 ($2,000,000)
2014 ($1,700,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Commissioner of Education to develop a discipline management training program for teachers.  Teachers on campuses rated academically unacceptable due to the percentage of students assigned to disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs) would be required to attend.  The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to conduct or contract for an evaluation of the training program and to deliver a report to the legislature prior to December 1, 2014 on the results of the evaluation.

The bill would establish a parental notification requirement for school districts when a student is placed in a DAEP for conduct for which mandatory DAEP placement is required. The bill would require school districts to establish disciplinary conference oversight committees to ensure required hearings and conferences comply with state law. The bill would add a performance indicator in the state accountability system related to the percentage of students, diaggregated by specified demographic characteristics, placed in DAEPs.


Methodology

For the purpose of this estimate, it is assumed that the Texas Education Agency would provide the required training through regional education service centers and that the training would begin early in fiscal year 2011 as required under the bill.  Assuming training for 5,000 individuals per year at a cost of $300 per person, for stipends and materials, the annual cost to implement this requirement is estimated to be $1,500,000 beginning in fiscal year 2011.

Costs to develop the training and accountability framework are estimated to total $6,000,000 in fiscal year 2010.  Ongoing administrative costs to provide the training and perform prescribed annual accountability analyses are estimated to be approximately 200,000.

The bill would require a one-time comprehensive evaluation of the training program with a report to the legislature prior to December 1, 2014.  The cost for this requirement is estimated to be $300,000 in fiscal year 2013.


Local Government Impact

The bill would require that teachers on campuses rated academically unacceptable due to the percentage of students assigned to disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs) attend state-developed discipline management training. 

The bill would establish a parental notification requirement for school districts when a student is placed in a DAEP for conduct for which mandatory DAEP placement is required. The bill would require school districts to establish disciplinary conference oversight committees to ensure required hearings and conferences comply with state law. The bill would add a performance indicator in the state accountability system related to the percentage of students, diaggregated by specified demographic characteristics, placed in DAEPs.



Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
JOB, JSp, JGM, JSc