Bill Text: FL S0512 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Class Size

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2012-03-09 - Died in Education Pre-K - 12 [S0512 Detail]

Download: Florida-2012-S0512-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 512
       
       
       
       By Senator Bogdanoff
       
       
       
       
       25-00499-12                                            2012512__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to class size; amending s. 1003.03,
    3         F.S.; deleting a provision relating to the calculation
    4         of class size categorical allocations and the
    5         reduction and reallocation of funds; deleting a
    6         provision that requires the Commissioner of Education
    7         to prepare a reallocation of funds for school
    8         districts that have met the class size requirements;
    9         deleting a provision that adds remaining funds to a
   10         school district’s class size categorical allocation if
   11         the school district submits a certified plan to the
   12         commissioner; providing an effective date.
   13  
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 1003.03, Florida
   17  Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         1003.03 Maximum class size.—
   19         (4) ACCOUNTABILITY.—
   20         (a) If the department determines that the number of
   21  students assigned to any individual class exceeds the class size
   22  maximum, as required in subsection (1), based upon the October
   23  student membership survey, the department shall:
   24         1. Identify, for each grade group, the number of classes in
   25  which the number of students exceeds the maximum and the total
   26  number of students which exceeds the maximum for all classes.
   27         2. Determine the number of FTE students which exceeds the
   28  maximum for each grade group.
   29         3. Multiply the total number of FTE students which exceeds
   30  the maximum for each grade group by the district’s FTE dollar
   31  amount of the class size categorical allocation for that year
   32  and calculate the total for all three grade groups.
   33         4. Multiply the total number of FTE students which exceeds
   34  the maximum for all classes by an amount equal to 50 percent of
   35  the base student allocation adjusted by the district cost
   36  differential for the 2010-2011 fiscal year and by an amount
   37  equal to the base student allocation adjusted by the district
   38  cost differential beginning in the 2011-2012 fiscal year and
   39  thereafter.
   40         4.5. Reduce the district’s class size categorical
   41  allocation by an amount equal to the sum of the calculation
   42  calculations in subparagraph subparagraphs 3. and 4.
   43         (b) The amount of funds reduced shall be the lesser of the
   44  amount calculated in paragraph (a) or the undistributed balance
   45  of the district’s class size categorical allocation. The Florida
   46  Education Finance Program Appropriation Allocation Conference
   47  shall verify the department’s calculation in paragraph (a). The
   48  commissioner may withhold distribution of the class size
   49  categorical allocation to the extent necessary to comply with
   50  paragraph (a).
   51         (c) In lieu of the reduction calculation in paragraph (a),
   52  if the Commissioner of Education has evidence that a district
   53  was unable to meet the class size requirements despite
   54  appropriate efforts to do so or because of an extreme emergency,
   55  the commissioner may recommend by February 15, subject to
   56  approval of the Legislative Budget Commission, the reduction of
   57  an alternate amount of funds from the district’s class size
   58  categorical allocation.
   59         (d) Upon approval of the reduction calculation in
   60  paragraphs (a)-(c), the commissioner must prepare a reallocation
   61  of the funds made available for the districts that have fully
   62  met the class size requirements. The funds shall be reallocated
   63  by calculating an amount of up to 5 percent of the base student
   64  allocation multiplied by the total district FTE students. The
   65  reallocation total may not exceed 25 percent of the total funds
   66  reduced.
   67         (d)(e) Each district that has not complied with the
   68  requirements in subsection (1) shall submit to the commissioner
   69  by February 15 a plan certified by the district school board
   70  which that describes the specific actions the district will take
   71  in order to fully comply with the requirements in subsection (1)
   72  by October of the following school year. If a district submits
   73  the certified plan by the required deadline, the funds remaining
   74  after the reallocation calculation in paragraph (d) shall be
   75  added back to the district’s class size categorical allocation
   76  based on each qualifying district’s proportion of the total
   77  reduction for all qualifying districts for which a reduction was
   78  calculated in paragraphs (a)-(c). However, no district shall
   79  have an amount added back that is greater than the amount that
   80  was reduced.
   81         (e)(f) The department shall adjust school district class
   82  size reduction categorical allocation distributions based on the
   83  calculations in paragraphs (a)-(d) (a)-(e).
   84         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.