2023 -- H 5085

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LC000549

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2)

MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Ajello, Caldwell, Shallcross Smith, and Dawson

     Date Introduced: January 12, 2023

     Referred To: House 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 by

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adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 112

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

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     16-112-1. 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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     16-112-2. 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 through

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

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

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

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unsound, or disruptive to student learning to not assign the student to an existing class of maximum

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size.

 

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     16-112-3. Courses for compliance.

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

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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 -- THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2)

MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT

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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) on or before October 1 of each school year.

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Exceptions would be made for emergencies, for temporary situations not to exceed three (3) days

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and for mid-year enrollments when it would be impractical to assign the student to any class except

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for an existing class of maximum size.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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