Senate Bill sb2090
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Florida Senate - 2005 SJR 2090
By Senator Lynn
7-1164A-05
1 Senate Joint Resolution No. ____
2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to
3 Section 1 of Article IX of the State
4 Constitution, relating to public education, to
5 amend the class-size requirements for students
6 in grades prekindergarten through 12 and to
7 prescribe minimum salary standards for public
8 school teachers.
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10 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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12 That the following amendment to Section 1 of Article IX
13 of the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted
14 to the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the
15 next general election or at an earlier special election
16 specifically authorized by law for that purpose:
17 ARTICLE IX
18 EDUCATION
19 SECTION 1. Public education.--
20 (a) The education of children is a fundamental value
21 of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a
22 paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the
23 education of all children residing within its borders.
24 Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform,
25 efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free
26 public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality
27 education and for the establishment, maintenance, and
28 operation of institutions of higher learning and other public
29 education programs that the needs of the people may require.
30 To assure that children attending public schools obtain a high
31 quality education, the legislature shall make adequate
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Florida Senate - 2005 SJR 2090
7-1164A-05
1 provision to ensure that, by the beginning of the 2007 2010
2 school year, there are a sufficient number of classrooms so
3 that:
4 (1) The district average maximum number of students
5 who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
6 school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 does not
7 exceed 18 students;
8 (2) The district average maximum number of students
9 who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
10 school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 does not exceed 22
11 students; and
12 (3) The district average maximum number of students
13 who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
14 school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 does not exceed 25
15 students.
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17 The class size requirements of this subsection do not apply to
18 extracurricular classes. Payment of the costs associated with
19 reducing class size to meet these requirements is the
20 responsibility of the state and not of local schools
21 districts. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the
22 legislature shall provide sufficient funds to reduce the
23 district average class size number of students in each
24 classroom by at least two students per year until the maximum
25 class size number of students per classroom does not exceed
26 the requirements of this subsection.
27 (b) The minimum salary for each teacher who is
28 teaching in a public school classroom shall be provided by law
29 and must be no less than $35,000 and must be higher than the
30 national average starting pay.
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Florida Senate - 2005 SJR 2090
7-1164A-05
1 (c)(b) Every four-year old child in Florida shall be
2 provided by the State a high quality pre-kindergarten learning
3 opportunity in the form of an early childhood development and
4 education program which shall be voluntary, high quality,
5 free, and delivered according to professionally accepted
6 standards. An early childhood development and education
7 program means an organized program designed to address and
8 enhance each child's ability to make age appropriate progress
9 in an appropriate range of settings in the development of
10 language and cognitive capabilities and emotional, social,
11 regulatory and moral capacities through education in basic
12 skills and such other skills as the Legislature may determine
13 to be appropriate.
14 (d)(c) The early childhood education and development
15 programs provided by reason of subparagraph (c) (b) shall be
16 implemented no later than the beginning of the 2005 school
17 year through funds generated in addition to those used for
18 existing education, health, and development programs. Existing
19 education, health, and development programs are those funded
20 by the State as of January 1, 2002 that provided for child or
21 adult education, health care, or development.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
23 placed on the ballot:
24 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
25 ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1
26 MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE; MINIMUM TEACHER
27 SALARIES.--Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to
28 amend the maximum class sizes in public school classrooms, to
29 move up the implementation date, to require that public school
30 teachers receive a minimum salary of $35,000, and to require
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Florida Senate - 2005 SJR 2090
7-1164A-05
1 that minimum salaries be higher than the national average
2 starting pay.
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