2019 -- S 0199

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LC001056

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- ESTABLISHING A CLASS SIZE MAXIMUM FOR

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2)

     

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Satchell, Sheehan, Seveney, and Pearson

     Date Introduced: January 31, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

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by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 110

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THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2) MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT.

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     16-110-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as The Kindergarten through Grade Two

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(2) Maximum Class Size Act.

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     16-110-2. Class size maximums.

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     (a) Each year, on or before October 1, the maximum number of students assigned to each

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teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in public school classrooms for kindergarten

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through grade two (2) shall not exceed twenty (20) students except due to an emergency or as a

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result of a temporary condition not to exceed three (3) days, or as provided in subsection (b) of

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this section.

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     (b) After October 1 of each year the maximum number of students regularly assigned to

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each teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in public school classrooms for kindergarten

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through grade two (2) shall only exceed twenty (20) students if a student is first enrolled in a

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school after October 1 and the school administrator determines that it would be impractical,

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educationally unsound, or disruptive to student learning to not assign the student to an existing

 

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class of maximum size.

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     16-110-3. Courses for compliance.

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     The department of education shall identify and publish a directory of core-curricula

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courses for the purpose of satisfying the maximum class size requirement of this chapter.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- ESTABLISHING A CLASS SIZE MAXIMUM FOR

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2)

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     This act would mandate that public school classroom size be limited to twenty (20)

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students for kindergarten through grade two (2). Exceptions are made for emergencies and

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temporary situation not to exceed three (3) days and for mid-year enrollments when it would be

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impractical to assign the student any class but an existing class of maximum size.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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