LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 16, 2009

TO:
Honorable Rob Eissler, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB4294 by Branch (relating to textbooks, electronic textbooks, instructional material, and technological equipment in public schools. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Commissioner of Education to adopt a list of instructional materials and electronic textbooks that meet certain requirements regarding content. 

The bill would allow districts to select instructional materials and electronic textbooks from a list adopted by the Commissioner in addition to traditional textbooks for foundation or enrichment courses.
 
The bill would permit school districts to purchase instructional materials and electronic textbooks with funds provided from a supplement to the technology allotment.  The bill would allow expenditure of any funds received through a supplement to the technology allotment or for the purchase of electronic textbooks for technological equipment to be used to provide access to approved instructional materials and electronic textbooks. The bill does not provide for a supplement to the technology allotment.
 
The bill would require school districts to purchase at a minimum a classroom set of textbooks for courses in the foundation curriculum.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) estimates that 2.5 FTEs would be required to implement the provisions of the bill, primarily for the purpose of implementing structural changes to the current textbook review and adoption process.  In addtion, TEA would need to modify the Educational Materials Management System (EMAT) system to implement the provisions of the bill.  Associated costs are not anticipated to be significant.


Local Government Impact

School districts and open-enrollment charter schools could adopt instructional materials or electronic textbooks for foundation or enrichment courses and would be authorized to use a supplement to the technology allotment to pay costs for these materials. School districts would be permitted to purchase technology needed to allow the use of electronic and online materials from a supplement to the technology allotment or from state textbook funds.
 
School districts and open-enrollment charter schools would be required to purchase a classroom set of SBOE-approved textbooks for a subject and grade level in the foundation curriculum. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools may or may not currently use classroom sets.


Source Agencies:
701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff:
JOB, JSp, JGM, JSc