LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 13, 2009 TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:SB1249 by Zaffirini (Relating to the creation of a pilot program to improve curricula alignment between junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions for engineering degree programs.), As Introduced Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1249, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($363,674) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 13, 2009
TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:SB1249 by Zaffirini (Relating to the creation of a pilot program to improve curricula alignment between junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions for engineering degree programs.), As Introduced
TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1249 by Zaffirini (Relating to the creation of a pilot program to improve curricula alignment between junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions for engineering degree programs.), As Introduced
Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
SB1249 by Zaffirini (Relating to the creation of a pilot program to improve curricula alignment between junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions for engineering degree programs.), As Introduced
SB1249 by Zaffirini (Relating to the creation of a pilot program to improve curricula alignment between junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions for engineering degree programs.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1249, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($363,674) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1249, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($363,674) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds 2010 ($192,855) 2011 ($170,819) 2012 ($98,819) 2013 $0 2014 $0
2010 ($192,855)
2011 ($170,819)
2012 ($98,819)
2013 $0
2014 $0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 2010 ($192,855) 2011 ($170,819) 2012 ($98,819) 2013 $0 2014 $0
Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 2010 ($192,855) 2011 ($170,819) 2012 ($98,819) 2013 $0 2014 $0
2010 ($192,855)
2011 ($170,819)
2012 ($98,819)
2013 $0
2014 $0
Fiscal Year Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009 2010 1.5 2011 1.5 2012 1.5 2013 1.5 2014 1.5 Fiscal Analysis The bill provides for a pilot program to develop and assess methods of increasing the number of students earning a baccalaureate degree in engineering. The program would require standards for achievement of disciplinary fundamentals, provide a process for transitioning from the associate's level to the baccalaureate level, and establish an orientation and advising methodology to support students choosing the engineering disciplines. The bill requires the development of a statewide articulated transfer curriculum in engineering disciplines, up to the level of the associate's degree, that would satisfy the lower-division requirements in specific engineering disciplines and reinforces the lower limit of the core curriculum sequence at 42 semester credit hours, unless otherwise approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Board for programs engaged in field-of-study curricula or other statewide articulated transfer curricula. Not later than January 1, 2011, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, with the assistance of advisory committees, would develop the statewide articulated transfer curricula and report to the legislature regarding the board's progress in developing and evaluating the program. The program shall:(1) develop levels of academic attainment, including, if feasible, standard associate's degrees: (A) for specific engineering disciplines, including biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, mechanical, nuclear, and petroleum engineering; or (B) that provide a foundation in any engineering discipline; (2) develop a well-defined process for transitioning students who earn an associate's degree or other level of academic attainment in an engineering discipline into an accredited engineering degree program at a four-year institution; and (3) establish methods to provide orientation and advising to support students in choosing an engineering discipline and in completing a baccalaureate degree in engineering. Methodology The Higher Education Coordinating Board has indicated that the bill would require the convening of nine advisory committees. One advisory committee for mechanical engineering is already being piloted. Managing the nine committees at once would require one FTE employee (program director) and 0.5 FTE admin tech employee for fiscal year 2010 through 2012. Salaries and benefits and other costs associated with these FTEs would be $120,855 in fiscal year 2010 and $98,819 in fiscal year 2011 and 2012. By the end of the fiscal year 2012, the implementation of the projects required in the bill should be completed, and only the evaluation of the projects would remain. Evaluation could be handled by existing staff.The Higher Education Coordinating Board has also estimated the travel costs associated with the advisory committees based on the following assumptions. Each committee would have 20 members and each committee would meet once each year. The average travel cost per each member per meeting would be of $400. Based on these assumptions the travel costs per year would be $72,000 (20 X 9 X 1 X $400) per year.
Fiscal Year Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009 2010 1.5 2011 1.5 2012 1.5 2013 1.5 2014 1.5
2010 1.5
2011 1.5
2012 1.5
2013 1.5
2014 1.5
Fiscal Analysis
The bill provides for a pilot program to develop and assess methods of increasing the number of students earning a baccalaureate degree in engineering. The program would require standards for achievement of disciplinary fundamentals, provide a process for transitioning from the associate's level to the baccalaureate level, and establish an orientation and advising methodology to support students choosing the engineering disciplines. The bill requires the development of a statewide articulated transfer curriculum in engineering disciplines, up to the level of the associate's degree, that would satisfy the lower-division requirements in specific engineering disciplines and reinforces the lower limit of the core curriculum sequence at 42 semester credit hours, unless otherwise approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Board for programs engaged in field-of-study curricula or other statewide articulated transfer curricula. Not later than January 1, 2011, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, with the assistance of advisory committees, would develop the statewide articulated transfer curricula and report to the legislature regarding the board's progress in developing and evaluating the program. The program shall:(1) develop levels of academic attainment, including, if feasible, standard associate's degrees: (A) for specific engineering disciplines, including biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, mechanical, nuclear, and petroleum engineering; or (B) that provide a foundation in any engineering discipline; (2) develop a well-defined process for transitioning students who earn an associate's degree or other level of academic attainment in an engineering discipline into an accredited engineering degree program at a four-year institution; and (3) establish methods to provide orientation and advising to support students in choosing an engineering discipline and in completing a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
Methodology
The Higher Education Coordinating Board has indicated that the bill would require the convening of nine advisory committees. One advisory committee for mechanical engineering is already being piloted. Managing the nine committees at once would require one FTE employee (program director) and 0.5 FTE admin tech employee for fiscal year 2010 through 2012. Salaries and benefits and other costs associated with these FTEs would be $120,855 in fiscal year 2010 and $98,819 in fiscal year 2011 and 2012. By the end of the fiscal year 2012, the implementation of the projects required in the bill should be completed, and only the evaluation of the projects would remain. Evaluation could be handled by existing staff.The Higher Education Coordinating Board has also estimated the travel costs associated with the advisory committees based on the following assumptions. Each committee would have 20 members and each committee would meet once each year. The average travel cost per each member per meeting would be of $400. Based on these assumptions the travel costs per year would be $72,000 (20 X 9 X 1 X $400) per year.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board
710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board
LBB Staff: JOB, KK, RT, GO
JOB, KK, RT, GO