Senate Bill sb2090c1
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SJR 2090
By the Committee on Education; and Senators Lynn, Sebesta,
Baker, Haridopolos and Peaden
581-2042-05
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 CS for SJR 2090
581-2042-05
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 school 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 district
25 average class size maximum number of students per classroom
26 does not exceed the requirements of this subsection.
27 (b) The minimum salary for each public school teacher
28 shall be provided by law but must be no less than $35,000 and
29 must be higher than the national average beginning salary for
30 public school teachers.
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SJR 2090
581-2042-05
1 (c)(b) Every four-year old child in Florida shall be
2 provided by the State a high quality prekindergarten
3 pre-kindergarten learning opportunity in the form of an early
4 childhood development and education program which shall be
5 voluntary, high quality, free, and delivered according to
6 professionally accepted standards. An early childhood
7 development and education program means an organized program
8 designed to address and enhance each child's ability to make
9 age appropriate progress in an appropriate range of settings
10 in the development of language and cognitive capabilities and
11 emotional, social, regulatory and moral capacities through
12 education in basic skills and such other skills as the
13 Legislature may determine to be appropriate.
14 (d)(c) The early childhood education and development
15 programs provided by reason of subsection (c) subparagraph (b)
16 shall be implemented no later than the beginning of the 2005
17 school year through funds generated in addition to those used
18 for existing education, health, and development programs.
19 Existing education, health, and development programs are those
20 funded by the State as of January 1, 2002, that provided for
21 child or 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 CS for SJR 2090
581-2042-05
1 that minimum salaries be higher than the national average
2 beginning salary for public school teachers.
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4 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
5 Senate Bill 2090
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7 The committee substitute requires a public school teacher's
salary to be higher than the national average beginning salary
8 for public school teachers.
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