Honorable Dan Huberty, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB102 by Bernal (Relating to a school district assigning a mentor teacher to a new classroom teacher.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB102, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($4,660,465) through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
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
2020
($1,755,740)
2021
($2,904,725)
2022
($2,895,747)
2023
($2,924,247)
2024
($2,953,247)
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Probable (Cost) from Foundation School Fund 193
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2019
2020
($105,740)
($1,650,000)
1.0
2021
($126,725)
($2,778,000)
1.0
2022
($89,247)
($2,806,500)
1.0
2023
($89,247)
($2,835,000)
1.0
2024
($89,247)
($2,864,000)
1.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill modifies requirements of the mentor teacher program and creates a Foundation School Program Mentor Program Allotment, with a stipend for mentoring teachers in an amount to be determined by the Commissioner of Education. These funds could only be used for mentor stipends, scheduled release time for mentor and classroom teachers, and mentor training. The bill would require a new data collection and a modification to current mentor data collected in TSDS PEIMS. The bill would apply beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.
Methodology
The impact specified in this fiscal note to the Foundation School Program is based on an assumption by TEA that the commissioner would adopt an allotment entitlement of $500 per teacher mentored. However, actual impact to the Foundation School Program would vary depending on the actual district entitlement amount adopted by the commissioner.
There were an estimated 55,000 teachers in the first or second year of their career during the 2016-17 school year. This analysis assumes 33,000 first year teachers in the 2020 school year and ten percent participation in the mentoring program. This analysis also assumes that the total number of teachers in their first or second year would grow at an estimated one percent annually.The total anticipated impact from the allotment would be $1.65 million for the first year (3,300 participants each generating $500 of entitlement = $1.65 million). After the 2020 school year, both first year and second year teachers that participated in the mentor program in their first year would be eligible for the allotment. This analysis assumes rising costs over the course of subsequent four years attributable to the annual increase in the number of eligible teachers, reaching an estimated $2.9 million in 2024.
Note that costs will be higher to the extent that the participation rate is higher than the ten percent assumed in this analysis. For example, if fifty percent of eligible teachers participated and the commissioner adopted a $500 per participant entitlement, the estimated first year cost would be $8.25 million (16,500 participants each generating $500 of entitlement = $8.25 million).
These costs could be reduced to the extent that the commissioner adopts rules allowing a teacher mentor to have multiple teacher assignments without an increase to their entitlement. In addition, TEA estimates the bill would require one Program Specialist IV to draft rules, work through the formula allotment, and for program administration. This position, including benefits, would cost an estimated $93,247 in fiscal year 2020 and $89,247 in subsequent years.
Technology
The bill would require a new data collection and a modification to current mentor data collected in the Texas State Data System/Public Education Information Management System (TSDS PEIMS). The cost estimate to implement the requirements in the TSDS PEIMS system is $12,493 in fiscal year 2020 and $37,478 in fiscal year 2021 for an initial development effort, for a total cost of $49,971.
Local Government Impact
School districts that choose to participate in a mentoring program would absorb the costs associated with operating the program that are not covered by the allotment provided by the Foundation School Program. Allotment funding could only be used for mentor stipends, scheduled release time for mentor and classroom teachers, and mentor training.