Honorable Kel Seliger, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1583 by Clardy (Relating to block scheduling for certain associate degree and certificate programs at public junior colleges.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require each public junior college to establish a block schedule curriculum for at least five programs in allied health, nursing, or career technology that were previously not offered as a block schedule curriculum and publish the available block schedule curricula offered by the college prior to the beginning of the semester. The bill would require Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of block scheduling and any related recommendations before November 1, 2018.
Based on information provided by the THECB, providing block scheduling for certain programs may lead to greater enrollment in those community college programs, resulting in additional contact hours and success points. This may result in an additional cost to General Revenue due to increased formula costs for community colleges beginning in fiscal year 2018, however, the potential increase in contact hours and the resulting formula funding cost is unknown.
It is assumed that any additional costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed by THECB within existing agency resources.
Local Government Impact
Based on information provided by a sample of public junior colleges, any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.