House Bill hb0647

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 647

        By Representative Wilson






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to class size; amending s.

  3         236.687, F.S.; revising priorities for the use

  4         of funds for class size reduction; providing

  5         funds for the construction of primary learning

  6         centers; defining the term "primary learning

  7         center"; requiring that funds received for

  8         class size reduction be returned to the

  9         Department of Education under certain

10         circumstances; providing an effective date.

11

12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

13

14         Section 1.  Section 236.687, Florida Statutes, is

15  amended to read:

16         236.687  Maximum class size goals.--It shall be the

17  goal of the Legislature and each school district that each

18  elementary school in the school district beginning with

19  kindergarten through grade three class sizes not exceed 20

20  students, with a ratio of one full-time equivalent teacher per

21  20 students; except that only in the case of the 100 lowest

22  performing critically low-performing schools in the state, as

23  identified by the Commissioner of Education, the goal in

24  kindergarten through grade three shall be a ratio of one

25  full-time equivalent teacher per 15 students. For purposes of

26  any Funding provided in the General Appropriations Act to meet

27  these goals shall be utilized to reduce class size in the

28  following order of priority:,

29         (1)  First the district shall give priority shall be

30  given to identified critically low-performing schools for the

31  construction of primary learning centers in the district. As

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 647

    713-107B-01






  1  used in this section, the term "primary learning center" shall

  2  mean a stand-alone wing of kindergarten through grade 3

  3  classrooms, each of which is equipped with a restroom and can

  4  accommodate a teacher and a maximum of 20 students.

  5         (2)  Second priority for the use of any funds

  6  designated for meeting these goals shall be given to the 100

  7  lowest performing schools in the state, as identified by the

  8  commissioner.

  9         (3)  Third priority shall be given to for kindergarten

10  through grade one.

11         (4)  Fourth Third priority for the use of any funds

12  designated for meeting these goals shall be given to for

13  grades two and three.

14

15  Any district receiving funds pursuant to this section shall

16  maintain class sizes in kindergarten through grade 3 in

17  participating schools at or below the intended goal for at

18  least 3 years after such space is occupied, or refund any

19  funds received pursuant to this subsection to the Department

20  of Education.

21         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

22

23            *****************************************

24                          HOUSE SUMMARY

25
      Revises priorities for the use of funds for class size
26    reduction. Provides funds for the construction of primary
      learning centers. Defines the term "primary learning
27    center." Requires that funds received for class size
      reduction be returned to the Department of Education
28    under certain circumstances.

29

30

31

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.