Report Title:
Class Size Reduction; 20:1 Student-to-Teacher Ratio
Description:
Requires the DOE, subject to the availability of funds, to reduce the ratio of students to teachers in kindergarten to grade 6 to not more than 20 students to 1 teacher, over a period of years.
|
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1525 |
|
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001 |
||
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
||
|
|
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to class size reduction.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A- Class size reduction. (a) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the legislature and allotted by the governor, the department:
(1) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in kindergarten to not more than twenty students to one teacher;
(2) Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in grade one to not more than twenty students to one teacher;
(3) Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in grade two to not more than twenty students to one teacher;
(4) Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in grade three to not more than twenty students to one teacher;
(5) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in grade four to not more than twenty students to one teacher;
(6) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in grade five to not more than twenty students to one teacher; and
(7) Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, shall reduce the ratio of students to teachers in grade six to not more than twenty students to one teacher.
If the department fails to attain or maintain, or both, the ratio of students to teachers, and makes the report required by subsection (d), then the department may delay the implementation of subsections (a)(1) to (a)(3) for up to one school year each, or may delay the implementation of subsections (a)(4) to (a)(7) for up to five school years each, but not both.
(b) The department shall not include any students or teachers in categorical programs when computing the ratio of students to teachers specified in subsection (a). The exemption in subsection (a) shall not apply to the availability of funds allocated by the department.
(c) If a school will not have the classrooms needed to accommodate the additional classes created by the reduction of the student to teacher ratio as specified in subsection (a), the governor may reallocate the unexpendable operating funds to supplement any capital investment funds that may or may not have been appropriated by the legislature to construct permanent or portable classrooms at the school, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary.
(d) The department shall report the failure to attain or maintain, or both, the ratio of students to teachers, including the reasons therefor, to the legislature. The report shall contain a discussion of all planning, programming, and budgeting decisions contributing to the failure, and shall be submitted to the legislature not less than twenty days prior to the convening of any regular or special session.
(e) This section shall apply only to elementary schools, and those portions of multi-level or comprehensive schools utilizing elementary school pedagogics.
(f) In the event of a conflict between this section and any other law, this section shall control."
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, and the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003, to carry out the purposes of this Act. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education.
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.
|
INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |