Senate Bill sb2090c2
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for CS for SJR 2090
By the Committees on Education Appropriations; Education; and
Senators Lynn, Sebesta, Baker, Haridopolos, Peaden and Bennett
602-2357-05
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, and the creation of Section 26
9 of Article XII of the State Constitution to
10 prescribe a schedule for such amendment.
11
12 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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14 That the following amendment to Section 1 of Article IX
15 and the creation of Section 26 of Article XII of the State
16 Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
17 electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
18 general election or at an earlier special election
19 specifically authorized by law for that purpose:
20 ARTICLE IX
21 EDUCATION
22 SECTION 1. Public education.--
23 (a) The education of children is a fundamental value
24 of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a
25 paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the
26 education of all children residing within its borders.
27 Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform,
28 efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free
29 public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality
30 education and for the establishment, maintenance, and
31 operation of institutions of higher learning and other public
1
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for CS for SJR 2090
602-2357-05
1 education programs that the needs of the people may require.
2 To assure that children attending public schools obtain a high
3 quality education, the legislature shall make adequate
4 provision to ensure that, by the beginning of the 2007 2010
5 school year, there are a sufficient number of classrooms so
6 that:
7 (1) The district average maximum number of students
8 who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
9 school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 does not
10 exceed 18 students;
11 (2) The district average maximum number of students
12 who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
13 school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 does not exceed 22
14 students; and
15 (3) The district average maximum number of students
16 who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
17 school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 does not exceed 25
18 students.
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20 The class size requirements of this subsection do not apply to
21 extracurricular classes. Payment of the costs associated with
22 reducing class size to meet these requirements is the
23 responsibility of the state and not of local school schools
24 districts. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the
25 legislature shall provide sufficient funds to reduce the
26 district average class size number of students in each
27 classroom by at least two students per year until the district
28 average class size maximum number of students per classroom
29 does not exceed the requirements of this subsection.
30 (b) The minimum salary for each public school teacher
31 shall be provided by law but must be no less than $35,000 and
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for CS for SJR 2090
602-2357-05
1 must be higher than the national average beginning salary for
2 public school teachers.
3 (c)(b) Every four-year old child in Florida shall be
4 provided by the State a high quality prekindergarten
5 pre-kindergarten learning opportunity in the form of an early
6 childhood development and education program which shall be
7 voluntary, high quality, free, and delivered according to
8 professionally accepted standards. An early childhood
9 development and education program means an organized program
10 designed to address and enhance each child's ability to make
11 age appropriate progress in an appropriate range of settings
12 in the development of language and cognitive capabilities and
13 emotional, social, regulatory and moral capacities through
14 education in basic skills and such other skills as the
15 Legislature may determine to be appropriate.
16 (d)(c) The early childhood education and development
17 programs provided by reason of subsection (c) subparagraph (b)
18 shall be implemented no later than the beginning of the 2005
19 school year through funds generated in addition to those used
20 for existing education, health, and development programs.
21 Existing education, health, and development programs are those
22 funded by the State as of January 1, 2002, that provided for
23 child or adult education, health care, or development.
24 ARTICLE XII
25 SCHEDULE
26 SECTION 26. Maximum class size and minimum teacher
27 salary.--The amendment to Section 1 of Article IX relating to
28 public education, which provides that maximum class size
29 requirements shall be based on the district average number of
30 students who are assigned to a teacher in specified grades and
31
3
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for CS for SJR 2090
602-2357-05
1 which establishes a minimum teacher salary, shall take effect
2 July 1 following its approval by the electors.
3
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
5 placed on the ballot:
6 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
7 ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1; ARTICLE XII, SECTION 26
8 REVISING MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE REQUIREMENTS AND
9 ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY.--Proposing an amendment
10 to Section 1 of Article IX and the creation of Section 26 of
11 Article XII of the State Constitution to provide that maximum
12 class size requirements shall be based on the district average
13 number of students who are assigned to a teacher in specified
14 grades; to move forward the date for implementation of the
15 class size requirements; to require that the minimum salary
16 for each public school teacher shall be no less than $35,000
17 and shall be higher than the national average beginning salary
18 for public school teachers as provided by law; and to provide
19 for taking effect July 1 following approval by the electors.
20
21 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
22 CS for Senate Bill 2090
23
24 The committee substitute for committee substitute for SJR 2090
creates Section 26 of Article XII of the State Constitution to
25 provide that the amendment to Section 1 of Article IX of the
State Constitution shall take effect July 1 following its
26 approval by the electors.
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