LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 24, 2011

TO:	Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2380 by Shelton (Relating to employment by school districts of certain persons under probationary contracts.), As Passed 2nd House

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2380, As Passed 2nd House: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2013.

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
2012	$0
2013	$0
2014	$0
2015	$0
2016	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2011
2012	$0	$0	0.0
2013	$0	$0	0.0
2014	($783,596)	$783,596	0.0
2015	($1,016,801)	$1,016,801	2.5
2016	($1,228,605)	$1,228,605	2.5

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would create a probationary certificate for educators who are enrolled in an alternative certification program or a postbaccalaureate certification program who has not completed all certification program requirements. The probationary certificate would be valid for one year and could be renewed for to additional one-year periods.

The bill would create a non-renewable provisional certificate for educators who have not been previously certified in Texas and who successfully complete all requirements for educator certification that is valid for three years from the date of issue.

The bill would create a standard certificate to be issued upon expiration of an individual's provisional certificate or third probationary contract term created by the bill if the individual has demonstrated effectiveness and completed required continuing education. The bill would require educators seeking a standard certificate to submit copies of all appraisals to SBEC for review.

Methodology

It is estimated that provisions of the bill related to the creation of a new certificates and requirements related to appraisal review prior to the issuance of a standard certification would require 2.5 FTEs at the TEA at a cost of $197,585 in fiscal year 2015 and $173,585 in fiscal year 2016, inclusive of salary, benefits, and other operating expenses. 

The costs of modifying the educator certification system are estimated at $626,080 in fiscal year 2014 and $673,200 in fiscal year 2015 in professional fees. Additional contract costs to the Department of Information Resources contract are estimated at $146,016 annually for database services beginning in fiscal year 2014.

Technology

The cost of modifying the educator certification system are estimated at $626,080 in fiscal year 2014 and $673,200 in fiscal year 2015 in professional fees associated with 9.5 contract FTEs in fiscal year 2014 and 10.5 contract FTEs in fiscal year 2015. Additional contract costs to the Department of Information Resources contract are estimated at $146,016 annually for database services beginning in fiscal year 2013. 

Local Government Impact

The bill would address the contractual status of certain employees who are voluntarily reassigned to a new professional capacity and the contract status for the same employees upon return to the original professional capacity within the district.

Source Agencies:

701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, SD, JGM, JSp, LXH, JW, JSc