HJR 1843

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1 of
3	Article IX and the creation of Section 26 of Article XII
4	of the State Constitution relating to public education.
5
6	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
7
8	That the amendment to Section 1 of Article IX and the
9	creation of Section 26 of Article XII of the State Constitution
10	set forth below are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
11	electors of Florida for approval or rejection at the next
12	general election or at an earlier special election specifically
13	authorized by law for that purpose:
14	ARTICLE IX
15	EDUCATION
16	SECTION 1.  Public education.--
17	(a)  The education of children is a fundamental value of
18	the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a
19	paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the
20	education of all children residing within its borders. Adequate
21	provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe,
22	secure, and high quality system of free public schools that
23	allows students to obtain a high quality education and for the
24	establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutions of
25	higher learning and other public education programs that the
26	needs of the people may require. To assure that children
27	attending public schools obtain a high quality education, the
28	legislature shall make adequate provision to ensure that, by the
29	beginning of the 2007 2010 school year, there are a sufficient
30	number of classrooms so that:
31	(1)  The district average maximum number of students who
32	are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public school
33	classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 does not exceed
34	18 students;
35	(2)  The district average maximum number of students who
36	are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public school
37	classrooms for grades 4 through 8 does not exceed 22 students;
38	and
39	(3)  The district average maximum number of students who
40	are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public school
41	classrooms for grades 9 through 12 does not exceed 25 students.
42
43	The class size requirements of this subsection do not apply to
44	extracurricular classes. Payment of the costs associated with
45	reducing class size to meet these requirements is the
46	responsibility of the state and not of local school schools
47	districts. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the
48	legislature shall provide sufficient funds to reduce the
49	district average class size number of students in each classroom
50	by at least two students per year until the district average
51	class size maximum number of students per classroom does not
52	exceed the requirements of this subsection.
53	(b)  The minimum salary for each public school teacher
54	shall be no less than $35,000 and shall be higher than the
55	national average beginning pay for public school teachers as
56	provided by law.
57	(c)(b)  Every four-year old child in Florida shall be
58	provided by the State a high quality prekindergarten pre-
59	kindergarten learning opportunity in the form of an early
60	childhood development and education program which shall be
61	voluntary, high quality, free, and delivered according to
62	professionally accepted standards. An early childhood
63	development and education program means an organized program
64	designed to address and enhance each child's ability to make age
65	appropriate progress in an appropriate range of settings in the
66	development of language and cognitive capabilities and
67	emotional, social, regulatory and moral capacities through
68	education in basic skills and such other skills as the
69	Legislature may determine to be appropriate.
70	(d)(c)  The early childhood education and development
71	programs provided by reason of subsection (c) subparagraph (b)
72	shall be implemented no later than the beginning of the 2005
73	school year through funds generated in addition to those used
74	for existing education, health, and development programs.
75	Existing education, health, and development programs are those
76	funded by the State as of January 1, 2002, that provided for
77	child or adult education, health care, or development.
78	ARTICLE XII
79	SCHEDULE
80	SECTION 26.  Maximum class size and minimum teacher
81	salary.--The amendment to Section 1 of Article IX relating to
82	public education, which provides that maximum class size
83	requirements shall be based on the district average number of
84	students who are assigned to a teacher in specified grades and
85	which establishes a minimum teacher salary, shall take effect
86	July 1 following approval by the electors.
87	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the title and substance of the
88	amendments proposed herein shall appear on the ballot as
89	follows:
90	REVISING MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE REQUIREMENTS
91	AND ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY
92	Proposes an amendment to Section 1 of Article IX and the
93	creation of Section 26 of Article XII of the State Constitution
94	to provide that maximum class size requirements shall be based
95	on the district average number of students who are assigned to a
96	teacher in specified grades; to move forward the date for
97	implementation of the class size requirements; to require that
98	the minimum salary for each public school teacher shall be no
99	less than $35,000 and shall be higher than the national average
100	beginning pay for public school teachers as provided by law; and
101	to provide for taking effect July 1 following approval by the
102	electors.

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