83(R) SB 1775 - Introduced version

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


April 1, 2013

TO:	Honorable Dan Patrick, Chair, Senate Committee on Education

FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	SB1775 by West (Relating to student eligibility to attend public school districts and charter schools, student transfers, and the Public Education Grant Program.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1775, 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

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)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

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)

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 that match identified performance and program offerings 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 require the Commissioner of Education to adopt rules which would require the board of trustees of a school district, or a designated person, to transfer a student from one school facility or classroom to another within its jurisdiction.

The bill would allow any child, other than a high school graduate, who is younger than 21 years of age and eligible for enrollment on September 1 at any school to transfer to another district in this state if the applicant's parent or guardian or person having lawful control of the child requests the transfer in writing.

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

Based on information provided by TEA, the estimated cost to develop the required website and any required updates to the Public Education Information Management System 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.

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.