Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB742 by Huberty (relating to eliminating the state-required assessment instrument in social studies administered to public school students in eighth grade.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB742, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a positive impact of $2,500,000 through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
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
2016
$1,250,000
2017
$1,250,000
2018
$1,250,000
2019
$1,250,000
2020
$1,250,000
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016
$1,250,000
2017
$1,250,000
2018
$1,250,000
2019
$1,250,000
2020
$1,250,000
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would eliminate the social studies assessment instrument in grade eight. The bill would take effect September 1, 2015, or immediately if passed with the necessary voting margins, and would apply beginning in school year 2015-16.
Methodology
Reducing the number of assessments would result in savings of $1.25 million annually, based on the costs of the current state assessment contract which expires August 31, 2015.
Based on information provided by the Texas Education Agency, the estimated savings of eliminating the grade eight social studies assessment would be $1.25 million per fiscal year. This analysis assumes savings based on the per assessment costs of the current state assessment contract. To the extent that assessment costs change with a new contract, savings may vary.
Local Government Impact
School districts may experience varying savings from administering a reduced number of assessments.