REPORT TITLE:
Class Size Reduction


DESCRIPTION:
Requires reduction of the ratio of students to teachers in
kindergarten through grade 2, to not more than 20 to 1, beginning
with the 1999-2000 fiscal year, and students in grades 3-12 to 26
to 1; appropriates $3.5 million.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.1715       
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO EDUCATION.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Hawai`i's public school system lags in meeting
 
 2 the needs of its children.  The purpose of this Act is to assist
 
 3 Hawai`i in meeting its goals for education by providing a firm
 
 4 educational base for our children in their formative years.  This
 
 5 Act reduces the student-teacher ratio to eighteen students to one
 
 6 teacher thereby improving learning opportunities.
 
 7      SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 8 amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated
 
 9 and to read as follows:
 
10      "�302A-    Class size reduction.  The ratio of students to
 
11 teachers in kindergarten through grade twelve shall not be more
 
12 than eighteen students to one teacher.  A special education
 
13 student shall be counted as one full-time student when computing
 
14 the ratio of students to teachers.  No funds appropriated for the
 
15 purpose of class size reduction shall be used for administrative
 
16 services, whether or not these services are provided to students.
 
17 Each school shall determine through a collaborative process with
 
18 teachers how funds shall be expended to reduce class size."
 
19      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.1715       
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,500,000, or so much
 
 2 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, to carry
 
 3 out the purposes of this Act.
 
 4      SECTION 4.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 5 department of education.
 
 6      SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 7      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 8 
 
 9                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________