Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB668 by Shapleigh (Relating to the establishment of a student mentorship pilot program at certain institutions of higher education.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB668, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,768,422) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010
($889,621)
2011
($878,801)
2012
$0
2013
$0
2014
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2010
($889,621)
2011
($878,801)
2012
$0
2013
$0
2014
$0
Fiscal Year
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010
0.5
2011
0.5
2012
0.0
2013
0.0
2014
0.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill establishes a student mentorship pilot program at certain institutions of higher education. Under provisions of the bill, the Higher Education Coordinating Board shall select not more than five institutions of higher education to participate in the program and shall adopt rules that provide for student training and minimum pay guidelines, and institutional selection and program funding. The pilot program could be funded by legislative appropriations or gifts, grants and donations. Not later than December 1, 2010, the Board would submit a report to the legislature on: (1) the progress of and level of participation in the pilot program; and (2) the impact of the pilot program on the retention and success of students receiving mentoring under the program. Provisions of the bill would expire on September 1, 2011.
Methodology
The Higher Education Coordinating Board has indicated that they would have to create and distribute Requests for Application, review and score those submitted, and also coordinate the pilot program with the five institutions selected. They indicate an additional 1/2 FTE would be needed to oversee the pilot programs at a cost of $49,601 in fiscal year 2010 and $38,801 in fiscal year 2011 for salaries and benefits.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board has indicated that the five institutions for the pilot programs would be located in target areas of the state that would assist the CB in achieving the goals of Closing the Gap: the Metroplex (3), South Texas (1), and Gulf Coast (1). They estimate that each institution would be required to have 20 senior students as mentors, with each mentor having 10 first-generation freshman students as mentees. The estimated cost for a pilot program at one institution is as follows; 20 mentors paid $10/hour for 20 hours per week for 42 weeks. Based on these assumptions a pilot program at one institution would cost $168,000 per year. The cost for the pilot programs at 5 institutions is estimated at $840,000 annually.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board