LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 1, 2013 TO: Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education FROM: Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:HB2836 by Ratliff (Relating to state assessment instruments administered in grades three through eight in public schools.), As Introduced Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2836, As Introduced: a positive impact of $16,870,000 through the biennium ending August 31, 2015. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 1, 2013
TO: Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education FROM: Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:HB2836 by Ratliff (Relating to state assessment instruments administered in grades three through eight in public schools.), As Introduced
TO: Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM: Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2836 by Ratliff (Relating to state assessment instruments administered in grades three through eight in public schools.), As Introduced
Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
Honorable Jimmie Don Aycock, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
HB2836 by Ratliff (Relating to state assessment instruments administered in grades three through eight in public schools.), As Introduced
HB2836 by Ratliff (Relating to state assessment instruments administered in grades three through eight in public schools.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2836, As Introduced: a positive impact of $16,870,000 through the biennium ending August 31, 2015. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2836, As Introduced: a positive impact of $16,870,000 through the biennium ending August 31, 2015.
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 2014 $9,140,000 2015 $7,730,000 2016 $7,730,000 2017 $9,230,000 2018 $9,230,000
2014 $9,140,000
2015 $7,730,000
2016 $7,730,000
2017 $9,230,000
2018 $9,230,000
All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 Probable Savings/(Cost) fromFoundation School Fund193 2014 ($110,000) $9,250,000 2015 ($1,520,000) $9,250,000 2016 ($1,520,000) $9,250,000 2017 ($20,000) $9,250,000 2018 ($20,000) $9,250,000
Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 Probable Savings/(Cost) fromFoundation School Fund193 2014 ($110,000) $9,250,000 2015 ($1,520,000) $9,250,000 2016 ($1,520,000) $9,250,000 2017 ($20,000) $9,250,000 2018 ($20,000) $9,250,000
2014 ($110,000) $9,250,000
2015 ($1,520,000) $9,250,000
2016 ($1,520,000) $9,250,000
2017 ($20,000) $9,250,000
2018 ($20,000) $9,250,000
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require any criterion-referenced assessment instruments to be established empirically to be valid and reliable by an entity that is independent of the test developer and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The bill would eliminate writing assessments in grades four and seven and social studies assessment in grade eight. The bill would require criterion-referenced assessment instruments to be designed to measure only readiness standards, defined to mean only those standards that are essential for success in the current grade or course. The bill would require assessments in grades three through five to be designed such that 85 percent of students complete the assessment within 120 minutes; assessments in grades six through eight shall be designed such that 85 percent of students complete the assessment within 180 minutes; and the maximum time allowed for an assessment is eight hours, to be completed in one calendar day.
The bill would require any criterion-referenced assessment instruments to be established empirically to be valid and reliable by an entity that is independent of the test developer and the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The bill would eliminate writing assessments in grades four and seven and social studies assessment in grade eight.
The bill would require criterion-referenced assessment instruments to be designed to measure only readiness standards, defined to mean only those standards that are essential for success in the current grade or course.
The bill would require assessments in grades three through five to be designed such that 85 percent of students complete the assessment within 120 minutes; assessments in grades six through eight shall be designed such that 85 percent of students complete the assessment within 180 minutes; and the maximum time allowed for an assessment is eight hours, to be completed in one calendar day.
Methodology
Based on information provided by TEA, the savings estimated from the elimination of the assessments would be $9.3 million, including $4.4 million to eliminate the grade 4 writing assessment, $3.6 million to eliminate the grade 7 writing assessment, and $1.3 million to eliminate the grade 8 social studies assessment. Based on information provided by TEA, it would cost $20,000 per fiscal year to contract with an entity to review the assessment instruments to determine whether they are established empirically to be valid and reliable. The estimated cost to develop the readiness standards would be $1.5 million in fiscal year 2015 and $1.5 million in fiscal year 2016. Based on information provided by TEA, the requirement that assessments should fit within certain time limits would require a study in fiscal year 2014 at an estimated cost of $90,000. Based on the results of the study, there could be additional costs to redevelop certain assessments in fiscal years 2015 and beyond to modify the identified assessments to fit within the prescribed time limits.
Based on information provided by TEA, the savings estimated from the elimination of the assessments would be $9.3 million, including $4.4 million to eliminate the grade 4 writing assessment, $3.6 million to eliminate the grade 7 writing assessment, and $1.3 million to eliminate the grade 8 social studies assessment.
Based on information provided by TEA, it would cost $20,000 per fiscal year to contract with an entity to review the assessment instruments to determine whether they are established empirically to be valid and reliable.
The estimated cost to develop the readiness standards would be $1.5 million in fiscal year 2015 and $1.5 million in fiscal year 2016.
Based on information provided by TEA, the requirement that assessments should fit within certain time limits would require a study in fiscal year 2014 at an estimated cost of $90,000. Based on the results of the study, there could be additional costs to redevelop certain assessments in fiscal years 2015 and beyond to modify the identified assessments to fit within the prescribed time limits.
Local Government Impact
School districts and open-enrollment charter schools would no longer be required to proctor the writing assessments in grades four and seven and the social studies assessment in grade eight.
Source Agencies: 701 Central Education Agency
701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff: UP, JBi, JSc, AH
UP, JBi, JSc, AH