CS/HJR 919

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1 of
3	Article IX and the creation of Section 31 of Article XII
4	of the State Constitution to revise class size
5	requirements for public schools and to provide an
6	effective date.
7
8	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	That the following amendment to Section 1 of Article IX and
11	the creation of Section 31 of Article XII of the State
12	Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
13	electors of this state for approval or rejection at the general
14	election to be held in November 2010:
15	ARTICLE IX
16	EDUCATION
17	SECTION 1.  Public education.--
18	(a)  The education of children is a fundamental value of
19	the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a
20	paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the
21	education of all children residing within its borders. Adequate
22	provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe,
23	secure, and high quality system of free public schools that
24	allows students to obtain a high quality education and for the
25	establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutions of
26	higher learning and other public education programs that the
27	needs of the people may require. To assure that children
28	attending public schools obtain a high quality education, the
29	legislature shall make adequate provision to ensure that, by the
30	beginning of the 2010-2011 2010 school year and for each school
31	year thereafter, there are a sufficient number of classrooms so
32	that:
33	(1)  The average maximum number of students at the school
34	level who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
35	school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 does not
36	exceed 18 students and the maximum number of students assigned
37	to each teacher in an individual classroom does not exceed 21
38	students;
39	(2)  The average maximum number of students at the school
40	level who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
41	school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 does not exceed 22
42	students and the maximum number of students assigned to each
43	teacher in an individual classroom does not exceed 27 students;
44	and
45	(3)  The average maximum number of students at the school
46	level who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public
47	school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 does not exceed 25
48	students and the maximum number of students assigned to each
49	teacher in an individual classroom does not exceed 30 students.
50
51	The class size requirements of this subsection do not apply to
52	extracurricular or virtual classes. Payment of the costs
53	associated with reducing class size to meet these requirements
54	is the responsibility of the state and not of local school
55	schools districts. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, The
56	legislature shall provide sufficient funds to maintain reduce
57	the average number of students required by in each classroom by
58	at least two students per year until the maximum number of
59	students per classroom does not exceed the requirements of this
60	subsection.
61	(b)  Every four-year old child in Florida shall be provided
62	by the State a high quality prekindergarten pre-kindergarten
63	learning opportunity in the form of an early childhood
64	development and education program which shall be voluntary, high
65	quality, free, and delivered according to professionally
66	accepted standards. An early childhood development and education
67	program means an organized program designed to address and
68	enhance each child's ability to make age appropriate progress in
69	an appropriate range of settings in the development of language
70	and cognitive capabilities and emotional, social, regulatory,
71	and moral capacities through education in basic skills and such
72	other skills as the Legislature may determine to be appropriate.
73	(c)  The early childhood education and development programs
74	provided by reason of subsection subparagraph (b) shall be
75	implemented no later than the beginning of the 2005 school year
76	through funds generated in addition to those used for existing
77	education, health, and development programs. Existing education,
78	health, and development programs are those funded by the State
79	as of January 1, 2002, that provided for child or adult
80	education, health care, or development.
81	ARTICLE XII
82	SCHEDULE
83	SECTION 31.  Class size requirements for public
84	schools.--The amendment to Section 1 of Article IX, which
85	requires that the class size requirements for public schools
86	shall be based on the average number of students at the school
87	level who are assigned to a teacher in specified grades, and
88	this section, if submitted to the electors of this state for
89	approval or rejection at the next general election, shall take
90	effect upon approval by the electors and shall operate
91	retroactively to the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
92	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
93	placed on the ballot:
94	CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
95	ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1
96	ARTICLE XII, SECTION 31
97	REVISION OF THE CLASS SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC
98	SCHOOLS.--Proposes amendment of the State Constitution to
99	require that the class size requirements for public schools
100	shall remain at the current limits but be based on the average
101	number of students at the school level, rather than on the
102	maximum number of students, who are assigned to each teacher who
103	is teaching in public school classrooms in specified grades. For
104	public school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3,
105	for grades 4 through 8, and for grades 9 through 12, limits the
106	maximum number of students who may be assigned to each teacher
107	in an individual classroom. Provides that class size
108	requirements do not apply to virtual classes. Modifies
109	requirements for funding to require that the Legislature provide
110	sufficient funds to maintain the average number of students
111	required at the school level. Clarifies that these class size
112	requirements apply by the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year
113	and for each school year thereafter. Schedules these revisions
114	to take effect upon approval by the electors of this state and
115	to operate retroactively to the beginning of the 2010-2011
116	school year.

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