Florida Senate - 2009 SJR 232
By Senator Wilson
33-00063-09 2009232__
1 Senate Joint Resolution
2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1
3 of Article IX of the State Constitution to establish
4 minimum salaries for full-time public school teachers.
5
6 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
7
8 That the following amendment to Section 1 of Article IX of
9 the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
10 the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
11 general election or at an earlier special election specifically
12 authorized by law for that purpose:
13 ARTICLE IX
14 EDUCATION
15 SECTION 1. Public education.—
16 (a) The education of children is a fundamental value of the
17 people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount
18 duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education
19 of all children residing within its borders. Adequate provision
20 shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and
21 high quality system of free public schools that allows students
22 to obtain a high quality education and for the establishment,
23 maintenance, and operation of institutions of higher learning
24 and other public education programs that the needs of the people
25 may require. To assure that children attending public schools
26 obtain a high quality education, the legislature shall make
27 adequate provision to ensure that, by the beginning of the 2010
28 school year, there are a sufficient number of classrooms so
29 that:
30 (1) The maximum number of students who are assigned to each
31 teacher who is teaching in public school classrooms for
32 prekindergarten through grade 3 does not exceed 18 students;
33 (2) The maximum number of students who are assigned to each
34 teacher who is teaching in public school classrooms for grades 4
35 through 8 does not exceed 22 students; and
36 (3) The maximum number of students who are assigned to each
37 teacher who is teaching in public school classrooms for grades 9
38 through 12 does not exceed 25 students.
39 The class size requirements of this subsection do not apply to
40 extracurricular classes. Payment of the costs associated with
41 reducing class size to meet these requirements is the
42 responsibility of the state and not of local schools districts.
43 Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the legislature shall
44 provide sufficient funds to reduce the average number of
45 students in each classroom by at least two students per year
46 until the maximum number of students per classroom does not
47 exceed the requirements of this subsection.
48 (b) By 2012, the salary of a new full-time public school
49 teacher shall be no less than the national average salary for
50 new full-time public school teachers, as provided by law. By
51 2012, the average salary for experienced full-time public school
52 teachers shall be no less than the national average salary for
53 full-time public school teachers, as provided by law. Any
54 increase in the beginning and the average full-time public
55 school teacher salaries shall be independent of employee
56 benefits and shall not alter, jeopardize, or decrease existing
57 employee benefits. The state, rather than school districts, must
58 fund any salary increase required by this section. Nothing in
59 this subsection shall impair collective bargaining.
60 (c)(b) Every four-year old child in Florida shall be
61 provided by the State a high quality pre-kindergarten learning
62 opportunity in the form of an early childhood development and
63 education program which shall be voluntary, high quality, free,
64 and delivered according to professionally accepted standards. An
65 early childhood development and education program means an
66 organized program designed to address and enhance each child's
67 ability to make age appropriate progress in an appropriate range
68 of settings in the development of language and cognitive
69 capabilities and emotional, social, regulatory and moral
70 capacities through education in basic skills and such other
71 skills as the Legislature may determine to be appropriate.
72 (c) The early childhood education and development programs
73 provided by reason of subparagraph (b) shall be implemented no
74 later than the beginning of the 2005 school year through funds
75 generated in addition to those used for existing education,
76 health, and development programs. Existing education, health,
77 and development programs are those funded by the State as of
78 January 1, 2002 that provided for child or adult education,
79 health care, or development.
80 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
81 placed on the ballot:
82 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
83 ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1
84 MINIMUM SALARIES FOR NEW AND EXPERIENCED PUBLIC SCHOOL
85 TEACHERS.—This amendment to the State Constitution sets minimum
86 salaries for new and experienced full-time public school
87 teachers, commencing in 2012. The minimum salary for a new
88 school teacher must be the national average salary for new
89 school teachers. The average salary for experienced teachers
90 must be no less than the national average salary for public
91 school teachers. The salary adjustments required by this
92 amendment may not result in decreased benefits. The state,
93 rather than school districts, must fund any required salary
94 increases.