FISCAL NOTE



FUND(S):



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 amend and reenact ยง18-5-18a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to limiting the student-to-teacher ratio in preschool through twelfth grades and adding additional pay to aides in classrooms over the maximum class size.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2014
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2015
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 0 88,663,632 88,663,632
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 88,663,632 88,663,632
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 0 0


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):


The change in the teacher-pupil ratios will not result in increased costs to the State, as WVC 18-5-18a indicates that all additional compensation for exceeding the maximum ratios is paid exclusively from county funds. Further, this bill does not increase the limits under the Public School Support Program. The estimated 2014-15 cost to the county boards of education is $88,663,632. The cost estimate includes increased salary, fringe benefits, retirement and PEIA costs. For the increase in teacher-related costs, the estimate includes both additional pay for teachers in classrooms with 3 or fewer pupils in excess of the new proposed limits, as well as an increase in the overall number of teachers required for the current classrooms with four or more students in excess of the new proposed limits. For the increase in aide-related costs, the estimate includes additional pupil pay for kindergarten classrooms only. The higher grade levels are not required to have classroom aides and it was assumed that special education classrooms with aides would be less than the maximum teacher-pupil ratio. There is insufficient data to try to match aides employed to specific classrooms. Because pre-kindergarten classrooms are currently prohibited from having greater than 20 students per classroom, there is insufficient data to project a future cost for additional pay for pre-kindergarten teachers and aides. The proposed legislation would allow for exceptions to the 20 student maximum, which would result in increased costs for pre-kindergarten teachers and aides if counties did in fact have pre-kindergarten classrooms with more than 20 students. Any increased cost would be borne by the county boards of education. The 20 limit class size maximum is the national benchmark for early childhood education, which is currently met for WV Universal Pre-K. Approximately 74% of WV Universal Pre-K classrooms are in partnership with community programs, such as Child Care and Head Start, which require a maximum class size of 20. By allowing exceptions to the class size max, this proposal would lower the current standards for pre-kindergarten below federal and state partners. Further, county boards of education employ 64% of the Universal Pre-K teachers and about 54% of the assistant teachers/aides. The proposed legislation would create inequality in the Universal Pre-K system by having different standards for teachers employed by the county boards of education and those employed by the community partners.



Memorandum






    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Brenda Freed
    Email Address: bfreed@access.k12.wv.us