LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 30, 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 certain required assessment instruments, measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments, and the adoption and administration of certain optional interim assessment instruments.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1171, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted : a negative impact of ($4,000,000) 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 toGeneral Revenue Related Funds2022($4,000,000)2023$02024$02025$02026$0All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund12022($4,000,000)2023$02024$02025$02026$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 bill would require the commissioner to prioritize applicants seeking funding for one-time investments in broadband network infrastructure. If funds are available after grants are awarded to each eligible applicant the commissioner would be authorized to award grants to applicants seeking funding for annual bandwidth and personnel costs associated with electronic administration of assessment instruments. The grant program would expire at the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 30, 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 certain required assessment instruments, measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments, and the adoption and administration of certain optional interim assessment instruments.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
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 certain required assessment instruments, measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments, and the adoption and administration of certain optional interim assessment instruments.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
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 certain required assessment instruments, measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments, and the adoption and administration of certain optional interim assessment instruments.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
SB1171 by Taylor (relating to the electronic administration of certain required assessment instruments, measures to support Internet connectivity for purposes of those assessment instruments, and the adoption and administration of certain optional interim assessment instruments.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1171, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted : a negative impact of ($4,000,000) 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.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1171, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted : a negative impact of ($4,000,000) 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.
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 ($4,000,000)
2023 $0
2024 $0
2025 $0
2026 $0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
2022 ($4,000,000)
2023 $0
2024 $0
2025 $0
2026 $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 bill would require the commissioner to prioritize applicants seeking funding for one-time investments in broadband network infrastructure. If funds are available after grants are awarded to each eligible applicant the commissioner would be authorized to award grants to applicants seeking funding for annual bandwidth and personnel costs associated with electronic administration of assessment instruments. The grant program would expire at the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
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 bill would require the commissioner to prioritize applicants seeking funding for one-time investments in broadband network infrastructure. If funds are available after grants are awarded to each eligible applicant the commissioner would be authorized to award grants to applicants seeking funding for annual bandwidth and personnel costs associated with electronic administration of assessment instruments.
The grant program would expire at the end of the 2025 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. Aside from costs associated with the grant program itself, this analysis assumes that TEA could implement the bill using existing resources.
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