FISCAL NOTE
FUND(S):
HB2827 CORRECTED AMENDMENT
Sources of Revenue:
Other Fund N/A
Legislation creates:
Neither Program nor Fund
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of this bill is to is to make changes to the requirements for school counselors and nurses and to develop an incentive for county boards of education to participate in a circuit court juvenile probation truancy program.
For school counselors, the bill changes the amount of time spent in a direct counseling relationship with students from at least 75% to at least 90% and also limits the remaining 10% of time to counselor-related administrative and other counseling duties. The legislation requires county boards to employe full-time at least one school counselor for every 350 students (Pre-K through 12th grade). The counselors may be allocated among the schools as the county's see appropriate, but no school counselor can have a caseload of more than 500 students. For school nurses, the county boards are now required to employ full-time at least one school nurse for every 1500 students (Pre-K through 12th grade). The funding under Step 5 of the Public School Support Program is changed accordingly. Counselors are funded at a maximum ratio of 350:1 and nurses at a ratio of 1500:1. If a county does not qualify for the maximum funding allowance, the county is eligible for a growth rate in professional personnel in any one year not to exceed 25% of its total potential increase in personnel to achieve the maximum. The number of growth positions shall not be less than 5 until the maximum allowance for personnel is reached.
The bill also requires county boards to develop a profile of health of their students and establish a comprehensive policy on healthy
schools. The bill requires the State Board to report at least biennially to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability on county comprehensive healthy school policies and concurrent trends in student health and academic achievement, with the first report being for the 2013-14 school year.
The bill also adds playgrounds to the definition of "cost of project" under the School Building Authority and indicates that the term facility includes school playgrounds and play areas to promote student health.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2013
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2014
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
6,714,468 |
8,450,722 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
6,714,468 |
8,450,722 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
The total estimated cost to the State for the proposed legislation is an estimated $6,714,468 for FY14 and an estimated $8,450,722 for FY15.
The FY14 estimated cost to the State for the proposed changes to the foundation allowance under Step 5 of the Public School Support Program (PSSP) for counselors and nurses is an estimated at $6,485,968. This includes the additional costs under Step 5 (salaries), Step 3 (fixed charges), Step 6 (current expense/substitutes), retirement and PEIA. The estimate factors in 115.19 growth counselor positions and 9.63 growth nurse positions.
The FY14 estimated cost for the incentive for county board participation in a circuit court juvenile probation truancy program is $228,500. Based on a poll of the county boards of education, there are currently 10 county boards with circuit court agreements. Of those counties, two county boards are not charged by the circuit courts. The estimated annual charge for the 8 counties who pay is $457,000, so half of that cost would be paid to the counties as an incentive - $228,500.
The FY15 estimated cost to the State for the proposed changes to the foundation allowance under Step 5 of the Public School Support Program (PSSP) for counselors and nurses is an estimated at $7,650,972. This includes the additional costs under Step 5 (salaries), Step 3 (fixed charges), Step 6 (current expense/substitutes), retirement and PEIA. The estimate assumes that the counties filled all growth positions from FY14 and allows for an additional 17.79 growth counselor positions and no additional growth school nurse positions.
The FY15 estimated cost for the incentive for county board participation in a circuit court juvenile probation truancy program is $799,750. Based on a poll of the county boards of education, twenty additional county boards expressed interest in such a program if the program received funding from the Legislature. Using the average cost per county and assuming a total of 30 county boards, the estimated annual cost to the county boards is $1,599,500, so half of that cost would be paid to the counties as an incentive - $799,750.
Please note that a few counties indicated that their circuit courts hear the cases currently without charge and no formal agreement with the county board of education. One county indicated their agreement was with the Supreme Court of Appeals of the State of WV. The annual cost for that agreement would not be covered by this proposed legislation.
Memorandum
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Brenda Freed
Email Address: bfreed@access.k12.wv.us