Senate Bill sb0646
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Florida Senate - 2001 SJR 646
By Senator Meek
36-353E-01
1 Senate Joint Resolution No. ____
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 Senate - 2001 SJR 646
36-353E-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 Senate - 2001 SJR 646
36-353E-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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