LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 22, 2013

TO:
Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB2980 by Rodriguez, Eddie (Relating to student transfers and to the maintenance and dissemination of certain school-related information.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2980, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,200,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2015.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2014 ($1,000,000)
2015 ($200,000)
2016 ($200,000)
2017 ($200,000)
2018 ($200,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
2014 ($1,000,000)
2015 ($200,000)
2016 ($200,000)
2017 ($200,000)
2018 ($200,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require each school district, open-enrollment charter school, or regional education service center to display on its website certain information about each campus. 

The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to contract with one or more third-party contractors to develop, implement, maintain, and publicize a website that enables the public to identify by zip code campuses of school districts and open-enrollment charter schools located within the student's district of residence and contiguous districts and include the step-by-step process by which a student may enroll in a campus outside the student's assigned attendance zone.

The bill would allow any student, other than a high school graduate, who is younger than 21 years of age and eligible for enrollment on September 1 of any school to transfer from one school facility or classroom to another within the student's school district of residence or from the student's school district of residence to a specified school in another district if the student's parent or guardian or person having lawful control of the student requests the transfer in writing.

The bill would require a lottery for the districts that have more applicants for attendance than available positions.


Methodology

Based on information provided by TEA, the estimated cost to develop the required website would be $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $200,000 in subsequent years.

TEA indicates that the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact to the Foundation School Program.


Technology

Based on information provided by TEA, the estimated cost to develop the required website would be $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $200,000 in subsequent years.

Local Government Impact

School districts and open-enrollment charter schools could incur administrative costs to gather and post the required information on each campus and to process and document student transfers. Any costs would vary depending on the size of a district or open-enrollment charter school and the number of requests for transfers received.


Source Agencies:
701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff:
UP, JBi, JSc, AH