FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 12, 2025
Time Requested: 07:30 PM |
| Agency: |
Human Services, WV Department of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1820 |
Introduced |
HB2086 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Human Services |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
0489 - BUREAU FOR SOCIAL SERVICES-FOSTER CARE; 8722 - CONS FEDERAL FUNDS DIV HUMAN SERVICES GEN ADMN FD
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund Federal
Legislation creates:
Creates New Expense
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of this bill is to provide for the development of a plan to monitor and improve reading and math skills of children who are or have been in foster care.
The Department assumes the Department of Education and other educational online resources already provide many of these resources free of charge, and also assuming that the Department of Education would be responsible for any costs associated with the educational support and the academic services, including the online training tools, the videos with study experts, and tutoring, as well as integrating those with the school districts’ single sign-on system and rostering capabilities. The Department of Human Services assumes its role would be to work with the Department of Education to help identify foster children for the Department of Education and to help facilitate and monitor that all foster children have access to these additional tools to help provide them with a strong foundation in math and English/Language Arts and their participation in the same. Also assuming that the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services would be expected to share the cost of study guides, workbooks, math remediation tools, and print and digital assessments.
There are currently 4,042 children in state custody. If the annual costs of the newly required resources per child is assumed to be $300, the annual cost statewide for this bill would be $1,206,900. The potential exists for 50% federal match depending on the eligibility of the child and the placement.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2025
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
603,450 |
603,450 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
603,450 |
603,450 |
| 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):
There are currently 4,023 children in state custody. If the annual costs of the newly required resources per child is assumed to be $300, the annual cost statewide for this bill would be $1,206,900. If this cost is split equally between the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services, the cost to the DoHS would be $603,450. The potential exists for 50% federal match depending on the eligibility of the child and the placement.
Memorandum
The bill does not specify financial responsibility as shared between the Department and the Department of Education (DOE). It requires both departments to work together to jointly file an initial report and then an annual report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance by Dec. 31 of each year beginning 2025, regarding testing scores and educational attainment metrics of foster children relative to non-foster children.
A national comparison is required and an update on the cost of academic support services as described in the legislation, including specific items that must be made available for children: videos, study guides, workbooks, online remediation tools, printed and digital practice tests, tutoring available after school and the weekends, and online learning platforms.
The Department would have to work with the DOE to determine financial structure, confirmation as to what resources are already provided to students, estimates for resources that are not currently provided, and which agency is responsible for providing the funding for those not currently being provided. Minimally, the Departments would have to ensure that these students have laptops or tablets for virtual and online courses and sessions.
The Department may pay for tutoring as well. From a practice standpoint, case workers would have to monitor the child's progress and receive all education records.
Assumption that every school age child would have internet access at home to obtain virtual and online resources. Cost estimates do not include home internet.
The number of children in state custody of 4,042 is the number of children in state custody aged five - eighteen.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Alex J Mayer
Email Address: osafiscalnotes@wv.gov