HJR 617

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

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