LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 24, 2021 TO: Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1171 by Taylor (Relating to the electronic administration of assessment instruments in public schools and to certain measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments.), As Introduced Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1171, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($30,216,702) 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 toGeneral Revenue Related Funds2022($17,110,351)2023($13,106,351)2024$02025$02026$0All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 Change in Number of State Employees from FY 20212022($17,110,351)1.02023($13,106,351)1.02024$00.02025$00.02026$00.0 Fiscal AnalysisThe bill would add services, equipment, and infrastructure necessary to ensure Internet connectivity to the list of allowable local education agency (LEA) expenditures of funds from the Instructional Materials and Technology Allotment. The bill would also authorize the Commissioner of Education to establish a matching grant program to ensure that all LEAs have the necessary infrastructure to administer assessment instruments electronically. The grant program would expire at the end of the 2023 fiscal year. LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 24, 2021 TO: Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1171 by Taylor (Relating to the electronic administration of assessment instruments in public schools and to certain measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments.), As Introduced TO: Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1171 by Taylor (Relating to the electronic administration of assessment instruments in public schools and to certain measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments.), As Introduced Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board SB1171 by Taylor (Relating to the electronic administration of assessment instruments in public schools and to certain measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments.), As Introduced SB1171 by Taylor (Relating to the electronic administration of assessment instruments in public schools and to certain measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments.), As Introduced Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1171, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($30,216,702) 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. Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1171, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($30,216,702) 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. 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: 2022 ($17,110,351) 2023 ($13,106,351) 2024 $0 2025 $0 2026 $0 All Funds, Five-Year Impact: 2022 ($17,110,351) 1.0 2023 ($13,106,351) 1.0 2024 $0 0.0 2025 $0 0.0 2026 $0 0.0 Fiscal Analysis The bill would add services, equipment, and infrastructure necessary to ensure Internet connectivity to the list of allowable local education agency (LEA) expenditures of funds from the Instructional Materials and Technology Allotment. The bill would also authorize the Commissioner of Education to establish a matching grant program to ensure that all LEAs have the necessary infrastructure to administer assessment instruments electronically. The grant program would expire at the end of the 2023 fiscal year. Methodology The Texas Education Agency estimates that there would be a $4.0 million cost associated with one-time network infrastructure upgrades for LEAs in fiscal year 2022 and a $13.1 million cost associated with increased bandwidth and personnel costs. While the network infrastructure upgrades would only exist in fiscal year 2022, the other costs would occur in fiscal years 2022 and 2023.The agency estimates that one FTE would be required to administer the grant program in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Local Government Impact According to the Texas Education Agency, LEAs may see additional costs to prepare for the administration of online assessments, although those costs could be partially offset by the matching grant program and through the broadened use of Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment funds. Source Agencies: b > td > 701 Texas Education Agency 701 Texas Education Agency LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, SL, AH, THO JMc, SL, AH, THO