Honorable Dan Huberty, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3628 by Goodwin ( Relating to creating a special education certification to teach students with disabilities.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Education Code to require teachers to complete coursework in providing instruction to students with disabilities through an educator preparation program and pass an examination to receive a special education certificate.
Under current law, certified teachers may obtain a special education certificate by exam without additional coursework. To the extent that currently certified teachers would choose to complete the special education certification under the bill, this analysis assumes there may be a potential impact to alternative educator preparation programs at institutions of higher education that currently offer special education certificates. Applicable educator preparation programs would incur costs to provide the additional instruction and/or field-based experience required by the bill.
While the bill could result in an increase in higher education formula funding for instruction hours provided by institutions to teachers seeking additional certification, this analysis assumes that costs could be absorbed by utilizing the institutions' existing resources.
Local Government Impact
Local governments offering alternative educator preparation programs include school districts, charter schools, and education service centers. While these entities may incur costs to implement the additional instruction and/or field-based experience required by the bill, this analysis assumes these costs could be absorbed using existing resources.