LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 6, 2009

TO:	Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB2083 by Shapiro (Relating to surveys concerning school district and open-enrollment charter school special education programs and grants to districts, campuses, and open-enrollment charter schools that perform well on the surveys and on other indicators.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB2083, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($5,347,464) 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	($3,032,706)
2011	($2,314,758)
2012	($2,352,318)
2013	($2,352,318)
2014	($2,352,318)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010	($3,032,706)	2.5
2011	($2,314,758)	2.5
2012	($2,352,318)	2.5
2013	($2,352,318)	2.5
2014	($2,352,318)	2.5

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop an Internet-based data collection platform to survey current and former special education students and their parents.  TEA would be required to develop a survey instrument regarding specified topics related to special education services.  School districts would be required to administer the survey to current students in special education programs once per school year, to graduates who were served by special education programs one year and five years after graduation, and to students served by special education services who withdrew from the district or the program one year after their withdrawal. 
 
TEA would be required to publish current and historical survey results on the Internet and to rank school districts, campuses, and schools among peers in the state and nation based on student accomplishments and satisfaction with special education services and other indicators determined appropriate by the agency.
 
TEA would be required to develop a special education report card that school districts and charter schools would be required to provide to parents of all students participating in special education programs.
 
The bill would create the special education success grant program which would provide funding to school districts and charter schools with high rankings in the ranking system established by the bill.  Receipt of a grant award would require the grantee to submit a written description of the special education program and aspects of the program tied to student success.  TEA would be required to publish the descriptions on the Internet.
 
The bill would require TEA to perform statistical analysis on the results of surveys required by the bill.
 
School districts and charter schools would be required to begin conducting surveys not later than June 15, 2010.

Methodology

TEA estimates technology costs of $591,534 in FY2010, $37,560 in FY2011, and $75,120 in each subsequent year.  These costs include professional services for programming, the purchase of software tools, and data center services costs.

TEA estimates technical professional costs to perform statistical analyses required by the bill at $139,201 in FY2010 and $46,354 in each subsequent year.  TEA estimates technology costs associated with developing the report card at $139,201 in FY2010 and $46,354 in each subsequent year.

TEA assumes that $2 million in grants would be awarded annually under the provisions of the bill.

TEA estimates it would require 2.5 additional FTEs to implement the provisions of the bill at a cost of $200,491 in FY2010 and $184,491 in each subsequent year inclusive of salary, benefits, and other operating expenses.

Technology

TEA estimates technology costs of $591,534 in FY2010, $37,560 in FY2011, and $75,120 in each subsequent year.  These costs include professional services for programming, the purchase of software tools, and data center services costs.

TEA estimates technical professional costs to perform statistical analyses required by the bill at $139,201 in FY2010 and $46,354 in each subsequent year.  TEA estimates technology costs associated with developing the report card at $139,201 in FY2010 and $46,354 in each subsequent year.

Local Government Impact

School districts would be required to administer surveys to current students in special education programs once per school year, to graduates who were served by special education programs one year and five years after graduation, and to students served by special education services who withdrew from the district or the program one year after their withdrawal.  Costs associated with administering services could be incurred and would vary.

School districts with high rankings related to special education services could be eligible to receive grants under the provisions of the bill.

Source Agencies:

701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, JSp, JGM, JSc