Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1599 by King, Ken (Relating to grants for school districts and campuses providing blended and individualized learning staff development activities.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1599, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($4,680,725) 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
($2,399,589)
2017
($2,281,136)
2018
($2,281,136)
2019
($2,281,136)
2020
($2,281,136)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016
($2,399,589)
2017
($2,281,136)
2018
($2,281,136)
2019
($2,281,136)
2020
($2,281,136)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Commissioner of Education to establish by rule a grant program for school districts and campuses to provide staff development activities to prepare educators to implement blended learning and individualized learning initiatives.
The bill would require the Commissioner to develop rules for the grant. The bill specifies that the rules adopted must require advance approval from the Commissioner for the specific staff development activities to be provided using grant funds, and the rules must allow grant funds to be used to pay incidental costs related to travel and lodging associated with an educator's participation in an approved staff development activity.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2015.
Methodology
Providing blended learning staff development grants is expected to result in a cost of $2.4 million in fiscal year 2016 and $2.3 million in subsequent years. This analysis assumes costs based on anticipated program participation and a hypothetical funding level per eligible district. However, actual program costs will be limited to amounts appropriated for that purpose.
Although no grant time period is specified by the bill, this estimate assumes the Commissioner would issue grant awards to eligible school districts and open-enrollment charter schools for a one-year time period. This estimate assumes grants would be awarded to 25 school districts and charter schools with grant amounts varying based on district size. Under these assumptions, 10 school districts with 1,600 or fewer students would receive grant awards of $20,000; 10 school districts with 1,601-5,000 students would receive grant awards of $100,000; and 5 school districts with 5,000 or more students would receive grant awards of $200,000, totaling $2.2 million in grant awards each fiscal year.
This analysis estimates that one FTE would be required to administer the blended learning grant and provide grant oversight and technical assistance. The estimated cost of the FTE, including salary, benefits, and other operating expenses, would be $89,136 in fiscal year 2016 and $81,136 in subsequent years.
Technology
Based on information provided by TEA, the estimated cost to update the eGrants online system would be $110,453 in fiscal year 2016.
Local Government Impact
School districts and open-enrollment charter schools could incur costs to apply for and report on the grant. These costs would be voluntary and would be offset by grant funding.