House Bill hb0429

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HJR 429

        By Representative Bendross-Mindingall






  1                      House Joint Resolution

  2         A joint resolution proposing the amendment of

  3         Section 1 of Article IX of the State

  4         Constitution, relating to education, to

  5         prescribe a maximum number of students in

  6         public school classrooms for various grade

  7         levels.

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  9  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         That the following amendment of Section 1 of Article IX

12  of the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted

13  to the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the

14  next general election or at an earlier special election

15  specifically authorized by law for that purpose:

16                            ARTICLE IX

17                            EDUCATION

18         SECTION 1.  Public education.--

19         (a)  The education of children is a fundamental value

20  of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a

21  paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the

22  education of all children residing within its borders.

23         (b)  Adequate provision shall be made by law for a

24  uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of

25  free public schools that allows students to obtain a high

26  quality education. The legislature shall make adequate

27  provisions to ensure that, by the beginning of the 2010 school

28  year, there are a sufficient number of classrooms so that:

29         1.  The maximum number of students who are assigned to

30  each certified classroom teacher who is teaching in his or her

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HJR 429

    749-106-01






  1  field in public school classrooms for prekindergarten through

  2  grade 3 does not exceed 16 students;

  3         2.  The maximum number of students who are assigned to

  4  each certified classroom teacher who is teaching in his or her

  5  field in public school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 does

  6  not exceed 20 students; and

  7         3.  The maximum number of students who are assigned to

  8  each certified classroom teacher who is teaching in his or her

  9  field in public school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 does

10  not exceed 25 students.

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12  The limitations in this subsection do not apply to

13  extracurricular classes. Payment of the costs associated with

14  reducing classroom size to achieve these limitations is the

15  responsibility of the state and not of the local school

16  districts. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the

17  legislature shall provide each year sufficient funds to reduce

18  the average number of students in each classroom by at least

19  one student per year until the maximum number of students per

20  classroom does not exceed the limitations prescribed in this

21  subsection.

22         (c)  Adequate provision shall be made by law and for

23  the establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutions

24  of higher learning and other public education programs that

25  the needs of the people may require.

26         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be

27  placed on the ballot:

28                     CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

29                      ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1

30         CLASSROOM SIZE LIMITATIONS; STATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR

31  COSTS.--Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HJR 429

    749-106-01






  1  require the Legislature to ensure that there are enough

  2  classrooms to keep the maximum number of students in public

  3  school classrooms for grades prekindergarten through 12th

  4  grade from exceeding specified maximum numbers, and to require

  5  the state, not the school districts, to pay the associated

  6  costs.

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