Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1480 by VanDeaver (Relating to assessment of public school students, providing accelerated instruction, appropriately crediting certain student performance, and eliminating requirements based on performance on certain assessment instruments.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1480, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted: a positive impact of $2,500,000 through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, TEA may, but is not required to, implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that purpose.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2020
($750,000)
2021
$3,250,000
2022
$2,250,000
2023
$3,250,000
2024
$3,250,000
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Foundation School Fund 193
2020
($750,000)
2021
$3,250,000
2022
$2,250,000
2023
$3,250,000
2024
$3,250,000
Fiscal Analysis
Current law requires students in grades 5 and 8 to pass grade level assessments in mathematics and reading to be promoted to the next grade as part of the Student Success Initiative (SSI). When students are unsuccessful on these assessments, schools are required to provide accelerated instruction and opportunities for retesting. This bill would eliminate the assessment requirements for promotion for these grades and create accelerated learning committees to help students attain successful grade level performance.
The bill would add the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment to the assessment instruments that can award credit based on satisfactory performance.
The bill would require the commissioner to determine a method for appropriately crediting a student for growth on an alternative approved assessment. The bill requires implementation for the 2019-2020 accountability rating period.
Methodology
The agency estimates the cost to develop performance standards and complete necessary psychometric analysis including alignment and linking studies to determine growth would be $4,000,000 in fiscal year 2020.
The agency estimates the cost to develop performance standards and complete necessary psychometric analysis including alignment and linking studies to determine growth for the TSI would be $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2022.
The agency estimates the elimination of the two retesting opportunities for mathematics and reading in grades 5 and 8 would result in an approximate annual savings of $2,500,000, and the elimination of the optional Algebra II and English III tests would result in a $750,000 annual savings.
The total annual cost anticipated to result from this bill in fiscal year 2020 is $750,000 ($4,000,000-$2,500,000-$750,000), a savings of $3.25 million (-$2,500,000-$750,000) in fiscal year 2021, a savings of $2.25 million ($1,000,000-$2,500,000-$750,000) in fiscal year 2022, and a savings of $3.25 million (-$2,500,000-$750,000) in subsequent years.
Technology
No estimated technology impact.
Local Government Impact
Districts would be required to establish accelerated learning committees for students who do not perform satisfactorily on the third grade, fifth grade, or eighth grade mathematics or reading assessments. An accelerated learning committee would be required to develop an educational plan that provides the necessary accelerated instruction to enable the student to perform at the appropriate grade level by the conclusion of the subsequent school year and to provide other assistance to the student in accordance with local policy that prescribes the role of accelerated learning committees in the district. There may be additional costs to districts and charters to implement these new requirements, including costs associated with staff time and materials. Districts and charters may also incur costs associated with rearranging test days and school calendars to comply with any shifts in the testing schedule, specifically due to the elimination of the allowance for an early administration of the English I and English II EOC assessments; however, these costs are not expected to be significant.