Bill Text: NY A04889 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to delaying the implementation of class size reduction plans and including additional exemptions to class size targets; provides such plans shall begin in September 2029 and be achieved by September 2034; adds gifted and talented schools and programs, screened admissions schools and programs, portfolio and specialized high schools and advanced placement classes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to education [A04889 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A04889-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4889

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 24, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. CHANG -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Education

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to delaying the implemen-
          tation  of  class  size  reduction  plans  and  including   additional
          exemptions to class size targets

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Clauses (A) and (B) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph b  of
     2  subdivision 2 of section 211-d of the education law, as amended by chap-
     3  ter 556 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
     4    (A)  In  a  city  school district in a city having a population of one
     5  million or more inhabitants such contract shall  also  include  a  plan,
     6  which shall be developed in collaboration with the collective bargaining
     7  units  representing teachers and the principals and signed off on by the
     8  chancellor and the presidents of each bargaining unit, to reduce  actual
     9  class  sizes,  beginning September two thousand [twenty-two] twenty-nine
    10  and to be achieved by September two thousand [twenty-seven]  thirty-four
    11  for all classes, with the exception of physical education and performing
    12  groups,  as follows:   (1) kindergarten-third grade to have no more than
    13  twenty students per class; (2) fourth-eighth grade to have no more  than
    14  twenty-three  students  per  class;  and (3) high school to have no more
    15  than twenty-five students per class. Physical education  and  performing
    16  groups  shall  have no more than forty students per class at all levels.
    17  Each year of the plan, an additional twenty percent of the classrooms in
    18  the city school district, excluding special education classes, shall  be
    19  in  compliance  with  the  class  size targets such that the city school
    20  district is in full compliance by two  thousand  [twenty-seven]  thirty-
    21  four  and  all  classes should maintain the target class size. The class
    22  size reduction plan shall prioritize schools  serving  populations  with
    23  higher poverty levels.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09370-01-3
        A. 4889                             2

     1    (B)  The class size reduction plan shall include any exemptions to the
     2  class size targets. These exemptions shall be limited to: (1) space; (2)
     3  over-enrolled students; (3) license area  shortages;  [and]  (4)  severe
     4  economic  distress;  (5)  gifted  and talented schools and programs; (6)
     5  screened  admissions schools and programs; (7) portfolio and specialized
     6  high schools; and (8) advanced placement classes.   Any such  exemptions
     7  shall be approved by the chancellor and the presidents of the collective
     8  bargaining units representing the teachers and the principals as part of
     9  the  class size reduction plan. Should the chancellor and the presidents
    10  of the collective bargaining units representing  the  teachers  and  the
    11  principals  be  unable to reach agreement on the exemptions after thirty
    12  days, the issue shall be determined by an arbitrator. In  addition,  any
    13  exemption  based  on  available  space  shall include a reference to the
    14  capital budget to demonstrate that the budget is aligned with  resolving
    15  the  exemption status. Exempted classes, for the years in which they are
    16  exempt, and special education classes shall not count toward the  twenty
    17  percent target.
    18    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.