House Bill hb0695
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Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 695
By Representative Sobel
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s.
3 236.687, F.S.; specifying the maximum class
4 size for kindergarten through grade three in
5 public schools; providing priorities for school
6 districts in complying with the requirements
7 for class size; specifying the maximum class
8 size for grades four through 12 in public
9 schools; requiring school districts to employ a
10 licensed social worker and a licensed
11 psychologist for each elementary and secondary
12 school; providing an appropriation; providing
13 an effective date.
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15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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17 Section 1. Section 236.687, Florida Statutes, is
18 amended to read:
19 236.687 Maximum class size goals.--
20 (1) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year and
21 thereafter, the class size for It shall be the goal of the
22 Legislature and each school district that each elementary
23 school in each the school district in beginning with
24 kindergarten through grade three may class sizes not exceed 20
25 students, with a ratio of one full-time-equivalent full-time
26 equivalent teacher per 20 students; however, except that only
27 in the case of critically low-performing schools as identified
28 by the Commissioner of Education, the goal in kindergarten
29 through grade three shall be a ratio of one full-time
30 equivalent teacher per 15 students. For purposes of any
31 funding in the General Appropriations Act to comply with this
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Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 695
710-130-02
1 subsection meet these goals, the district shall give priority
2 to identified critically low-performing schools in the
3 district. Second priority for the use of any funds designated
4 for complying with this subsection meeting these goals shall
5 be for kindergarten through grade one. Third priority for the
6 use of any funds designated for complying with this subsection
7 meeting these goals shall be for grades two and three.
8 (2) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year and
9 thereafter, the class size for each school in each school
10 district in grades four through 12 may not exceed 25 students,
11 with a ratio of one full-time-equivalent teacher per 25
12 students.
13 Section 2. School districts to employ school social
14 workers and psychologists.--Beginning with the 2002-2003
15 school year and thereafter, each school district in the state
16 shall employ a psychologist licensed under chapter 490,
17 Florida Statutes, and a social worker licensed under chapter
18 491, Florida Statutes, for each elementary and secondary
19 school in the district. The psychologist and social worker
20 shall be available to counsel students during regular school
21 hours.
22 Section 3. The sum of $_______ is appropriated from
23 the General Revenue Fund to the district school boards for the
24 purpose of carrying out this act during the 2002-2003 fiscal
25 year.
26 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
27 law.
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Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 695
710-130-02
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Requires school districts to limit classes in
kindergarten through grade three to 20 students per class
4 and to limit classes in grade four through grade 12 to 25
students per class. Requires school districts to employ a
5 licensed psychologist and a licensed social worker who
are available during regular school hours in each
6 elementary and secondary school.
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