LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note On: SB 216 SLS 21RS 386
Bill Text Version: ENROLLED
Opp. Chamb. Action:
Proposed Amd.:
Sub. Bill For.:
Date: May 31, 2021 2:21 PM Author: MILLS, ROBERT
Dept./Agy.: Education
Subject: Early Literacy Professional Development Analyst: Garrett Ordner
TEACHERS EN INCREASE EX See Note Page 1 of 1
Requires early literacy professional development for certain teachers. (gov sig)
Proposed legislation requires K-3 teachers, principals, and assistant principals to complete a literacy skills instruction course
approved by the Department of Education (LDE). Requires LDE to develop a list of approved courses. Requires teachers and
administrators to provide documentation of completion of an approved course before the beginning of the 2023-24 school
year or to provide documentation of completion of an approved course in the five years prior to 2023. Requires any teacher
or administrator hired after August 1, 2023, to provide documentation of completion of an approved course within two years
of the date of employment. Requires annual reports from school boards to LDE on the number and percentage of teachers
and administrators who successfully completed an approved course. Requires the completion data to be included in school
progress profiles. Provides that the proposed legislation is subject to the appropriation of funds. Provides that no state funds
or obligated federal funds shall be used to implement the provisions of the proposed legislation. Effective upon governor's
signature.
EXPENDITURES 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 5 -YEAR TOTAL
State Gen. Fd. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Agy. Self-Gen. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Ded./Other $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Federal Funds INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE $0 $0 $0
Local Funds SEE BELOW SEE BELOW SEE BELOW SEE BELOW SEE BELOW
Annual Total
REVENUES 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 5 -YEAR TOTAL
State Gen. Fd. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Agy. Self-Gen. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Ded./Other $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Federal Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Local Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Annual Total $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
EXPENDITURE EXPLANATION
There will be an increase in federal expenditures to provide approved literacy skills instruction courses to K-3 teachers and
administrators. Proposed law limits program implementation to the appropriation of funds. LDE reports the initial cost at
implementation is expected to range from $9 M to $11.9 M to provide the requisite training to existing employees, and $5 M
to develop a course for future hires. There will be additional costs to compensate employees for the time spent on
professional development coursework. These costs are indeterminable.
Note: No state funds or obligated federal funds may be used to implement the proposed legislation. The Department of
Education (LDE) plans to utilize federal funds from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund to
implement the proposed legislation. To the extent LDE is able to utilize ESSER funds, it will be limited to the State Education
Agency (SEA) reservation of no more than 10% of LA’s ESSER allocation.
LDE has provided a list of three potential literacy courses ranging in cost from $550 to $724 per person, and estimates that
16,371 employees will be required to take the course, equaling an estimated initial cost ranging from $9 M to $11.9 M. The
proposed legislation also requires newly hired K-3 teachers and administrators to provide documentation of the completion
of an approved course. This will require indeterminable ongoing expenditures. While this training is being provided, LDE
plans to spend $5 M developing a course for future use by teachers as they are hired.
Depending on the length of the course, there may be costs to school districts to compensate employees for the time spent
completing a professional development course. For example, the AIM Pathways to Proficient Reading course includes 9.5
hours of virtual meetings in addition to independent coursework. LDE has previously estimated that teachers are
compensated at $286.48 per day (or $35.81 per hour). If all 16,371 employees were paid this rate, compensation for the
meetings alone would cost $5.6 M. To the extent these additional hours may be absorbable into existing professional
development hours provided to school employees, this cost potential may be somewhat mitigated. The total expenditure
impact is unknown and may vary between districts.
REVENUE EXPLANATION
There is no anticipated direct material effect on governmental revenues as a result of this measure.
Senate Dual Referral Rules House
x 13.5.1 >= $100,000 Annual Fiscal Cost {S & H} 6.8(F)(1) >= $100,000 SGF Fiscal Cost {H & S}
13.5.2 >= $500,000 Annual Tax or Fee Alan M. Boxberger
6.8(G) >= $500,000 Tax or Fee Increase
Change {S & H} or a Net Fee Decrease {S} Staff Director