Honorable Dennis Bonnen, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2984 by Allison (Relating to the essential knowledge and skills of the technology applications curriculum.), As Passed 2nd House
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2984, As Passed 2nd House: a negative impact of ($346,458) through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
The State Board of Education 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, the State Board of Education may, but would not be required to, implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that purpose.
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
($214,697)
2021
($131,761)
2022
($44,850)
2023
$0
2024
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2020
($214,697)
2021
($131,761)
2022
($44,850)
2023
$0
2024
$0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the State Board of Education (SBOE) to adopt certain Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards by December 31, 2020 for the technology applications curriculum for kindergarten through grade eight. This would include standards related to coding, computer programming, computational thinking, and cybersecurity. The SBOE would be required to review and revise the standards every five years as needed to ensure that the curriculum is relevant and aligned with current and emerging professions.
The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to create a computer science strategic advisory committee to develop and provide recommendations to increase computer science instruction and participation in public schools. The committee would be required to submit a report to the governor and the legislature by September 1, 2020 that includes recommended changes to state law. The bill abolishes the committee January 1, 2021.
The bill would take immediate effect if it receives a two-thirds vote in each house of the Legislature. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
According to the Texas Education Agency, the legislation would result in costs associated with reviewing the technology applications curriculum ahead of its currently scheduled review. Currently, the SBOE is not scheduled to adopt revised technology applications TEKS until 2022. The cost associated with with convening work groups to make recommendations to meet the schedule required by the bill would total $100,050 in fiscal year 2020 and $66,700 in fiscal year 2021. In fiscal year 2022, there would be a cost of $44,850 to convene state review panels to review instructional materials aligned to the revised technology applications TEKS.
According to the Texas Education Agency, it is anticipated that in fiscal year 2020 the following costs would be associated with the computer science strategic advisory committee: reimbursement for travel expenses for the committee members would total $30,960; the cost for streaming and archiving committee meetings on the TEA website would total $12,000; and costs associated to develop and submit the required report would total $50,000.
Technology
The bill would require revisions to the Texas State Data System PEIMS system to capture data from new courses that are developed as a result of the bill's requirements. These costs would total $21,687 in fiscal year 2020 and $65,061 in fiscal year 2021.
Local Government Impact
School districts and charter schools could see increased costs related to curriculum development, professional development and training, and instructional materials.