Colorado Legislative Council Staff

REVISED NO FISCAL IMPACT

(replaces fiscal impact dated February 4, 1999)

TITLE:            CONCERNING TEACHERS.

Summary of Assessment

            The bill, as amended by the House Education Committee, February 8, 1999, includes the following provisions:

            •   requires an applicant for a provisional teacher license, having three or more years of teaching experience in another state or country, to be licensed without having to demonstrate professional competencies if such person meets all other qualifications for a provisional teacher license or a professional teacher license; and

            •   provides immunity from civil liability for a teacher acting in good faith and in compliance with school district policy, unless the teacher is acting willfully and wantonly.

            As amended by the House Education Committee, language requiring the State Board of Education to recognize prior teaching experience, other relevant work experience, or academic performance for teacher's license applicants who are within ten percentage points of achieving a passing score on the professional competency tests; and language requiring the State Board to adopt rules establishing a reasonable bonus point program recognizing prior teaching experience, work experience, or academic performance was struck from the bill. It was this language in the bill as introduced that created a fiscal impact of $50,000 General Fund. As amended, the bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.

            The bill is effective upon signature of the Governor.

            Section 22-60.5-201 — Although the bill is assessed as having no state or local fiscal impact, it may result in savings to applicants from other states and countries. Current applicants are required to complete four tests (basic skills, liberal arts and sciences, content area, and professional knowledge). The cost of the four tests is approximately $275 per applicant. In FY 1997-98, the Department of Education issued 2,336 licenses to applicants from other states and countries. Based on a sampling of 300 licensing applications (approximately 13%) for FY 1997-98, 57 percent of the applicants had three or more years of teaching experience. Thus, it can be assumed that approximately 1,332 applicants would be exempt from the tests under this provision, saving the applicants approximately $366,300 in total. Savings to the applicants would be a loss of revenue to the current test contractor (all testing fees are paid directly to the contractor). The Department of Education indicates that testing fees have not increased since 1994, due in part to the stability of the number of applicants taking the test annually. If the number of tests is reduced significantly, the contractor may need to increase fees charged to all remaining in-state and out-of-state applicants.

Departments Contacted

            Education