LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 20, 2009

TO:	Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB568 by Lucio (Relating to the employment of certified counselors by school districts.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB568, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($297,073,869) 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010	($147,066,272)
2011	($150,007,597)
2012	($153,007,749)
2013	($156,067,904)
2014	($159,189,262)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from Foundation School Fund 193
2010	($147,066,272)
2011	($150,007,597)
2012	($153,007,749)
2013	($156,067,904)
2014	($159,189,262)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require a school district with 350 or more students enrolled to hire a certified counselor for each school in the district. School districts would be required to maintain a ratio of at least one counselor for every 350 students.
 
The bill would require a school district with fewer than 350 enrolled students to hire a part-time certified counselor, or a part-time teacher certified as a counselor, or enter into a shared services arrangement agreement to share a certified counselor with other school districts.
 
Under the provisions of the bill, school districts would be entitled to state aid in an amount sufficient to assist in employing the number of certified counselors required by the bill. 

The provisions of this bill apply beginning with the 2009–2010 school year.

Methodology

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) estimates that 412 school districts would need to add a total of 2,482 counselors to comply with the provisions of the bill.  Based on the 2008-09 average salary for a counselor of $58,098 and a 2 percent annual growth rate, additional costs in state aid entitlement to fully fund the provisions of the bill are estimated by TEA at $147 million in FY2010, increasing to $159 million by FY2014.

Local Government Impact

School districts would be required to maintain certain ratios of counselors to students and would be entitled to additional state aid to comply with the provisions of the bill.

Source Agencies:

701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, JSp, JGM, JSc