07 HB 332/FA
House
Bill 332 (AM)
By:
Representatives Coleman of the
97th,
Millar of the
79th,
Hembree of the
67th,
Jones of the
46th,
Maxwell of the
17th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 20-2-182 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to program weights, maximum class size, and reporting requirements under the
"Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide that each local board of
education may set maximum class sizes for high school general education programs
under certain conditions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 20-2-182 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to program
weights, maximum class size, and reporting requirements under the "Quality Basic
Education Act," is amended by revising paragraph (2) of subsection (i) as
follows:
"(2)
The State Board of Education shall adopt for each instructional program
authorized pursuant to Part 3 of this article except those programs included in
paragraph (1) of this subsection the maximum number of students which may be
taught by a teacher in an instructional period. For the remedial education,
vocational laboratory, alternative education, and early intervention programs,
the State Board of Education shall provide for a system average maximum class
size that shall not exceed the funding class size by more than 20 percent,
unless specifically authorized by the State Board of Education; provided,
further, that the system average maximum class size for special education,
gifted, and English for speakers of other languages classes shall be set by the
State Board
of Education. For each instructional program covered under this
paragraph, the maximum number of students who may be taught by a
teacher in an instructional period shall not exceed the system average
maximum class size for the program by more than two students; provided,
however, that a system average maximum class size which results in a
fractional full-time equivalent shall be rounded up to the nearest whole
number;
provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to general education
programs in
mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts for grades 9 through
12. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, each local board of education
shall be allowed to exceed maximum class sizes set by the state board pursuant
to this paragraph for general education programs in mathematics, science, social
studies, and language arts for grades 9 through 12 and may establish such
maximum class sizes that shall not exceed the funding class size by more than 40
percent and shall annually report to the state board and to each school council
in its school system such class sizes
established. For a period not to exceed
seven years, beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, local school systems
shall be allowed to exceed the maximum class sizes set forth in this subsection
in a manner consistent with State Board of Education rules and subsection (k) of
this Code section, except for those programs included in paragraph (1) of this
subsection beginning with the 2006-2007 school year. The State Board of
Education shall lower the current maximum class sizes set by state board rules
in effect for the 1999-2000 school year, beginning with the 2000-2001 school
year, by an amount so that, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, State
Board of Education rules are in compliance with this subsection; provided,
however, that this shall not apply to the programs included in paragraph (1) of
this subsection beginning with the 2006-2007 school year."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.