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LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
May 25, 2021
TO:
Honorable Dade Phelan, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3979 by Toth (Relating to the social studies curriculum in public schools.), As Passed 2nd House
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3979, As Passed 2nd House : a negative impact of ($14,625,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
$0
2023
($14,625,000)
2024
($14,625,000)
2025
($14,625,000)
2026
($14,625,000)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2022
$0
2023
($14,625,000)
2024
($14,625,000)
2025
($14,625,000)
2026
($14,625,000)
Fiscal Analysis
Among its provisions, the bill would require the Commissioner or Education to develop civics training for educators containing certain components established under the bill. The programs would be reviewed and approved by the State Board of Education (SBOE). Each local education agency (LEA) would be required to have at least one teacher and one campus administrator who has attended a civics training program. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) would help LEAs meet this requirement and individuals would be eligible for stipends for attending training programs. The commissioner could delay implementation of this requirement if the revision of the essential knowledge and skills for the social studies curriculum or the civics training programs was not yet available. The bill would also require that no private funding be used for curriculum development, purchase or choice of curricular materials, teacher training, or professional development pertaining to certain courses.
Methodology
According to TEA, there would be costs to the agency to develop and implement the civics training program. Based on costs to develop and implement the current reading and math academies, the agency estimates that the cost to develop and implement the training program would be approximately $14.625 million annually beginning in fiscal year fiscal year 2023. If the commissioner were to delay implementation, the costs would also be delayed.
Local Government Impact
To the extent that a local education agency relied on private funds for any of the prohibited activities, that LEA could see increased costs as a result of the bill.