Honorable Dan Huberty, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3718 by Parker (Relating to a trauma-informed care policy for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools and training regarding the policy for district and school employees.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3718, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($900,428) 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
($402,214)
2021
($498,214)
2022
($498,214)
2023
($498,214)
2024
($498,214)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2019
2020
($402,214)
1.0
2021
($498,214)
1.0
2022
($498,214)
1.0
2023
($498,214)
1.0
2024
($498,214)
1.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Education Code to require school districts and charter schools to adopt a policy requiring the integration of trauma-informed practices in each school environment. The policy would be required to include an evidence-based, evidence-informed, or promising practices training program approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). All new district or charter school educators and coaches would be required to complete the training. The bill would allow existing school district and charter school educators and coaches to receive the training on a schedule recommended by the TEA commissioner by rule.
The bill would amend current continuing education requirements for classroom teachers on how grief and trauma affect student learning and behavior. The bill would require the continuing education training to be approved by the TEA commissioner and comply with the requirements for the evidence-based, evidence-informed, or promising practices training program created by the bill.
If a district or charter school did not have sufficient resources to implement the training, the district or school would be required to make reasonable efforts to collaborate with a community organization to provide the training at no cost to the district or school.
Methodology
This analysis assumes TEA would require $900,428 and 1.0 FTE in the 2020-21 biennium to implement the bill. TEA assumes it would require 1.0 Program Specialist VI to identify the best practice standards in research, rate the training relative to the research and statutory language, gather expert stakeholder input, develop training materials, and implement rulemaking requirements. This analysis assumes the FTE would cost $102,214 in fiscal year 2020 and $98,214 per fiscal year thereafter for salary, benefits, and initial operating costs.
TEA assumes it would require $300,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $400,000 per fiscal year thereafter to make training content and resources available to educators through an online learning management system. TEA assumes it would provide only required trainings for new educators and coaches in fiscal year 2020 and would begin providing continuing education courses in fiscal year 2021.
Technology
TEA assumes it would contract with a vendor in fiscal year 2020 to make 3.0 hours of content accessible for a cost of $300,000. Beginning in fiscal year 2021 TEA would also offer continuing education courses for an additional $100,000 per year.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.