2019 -- H 5047

========

LC000191

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- ESTABLISHING A CLASS SIZE MAXIMUM FOR

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2)

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Millea, O'Brien, Amore, Hawkins, and Williams

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2019

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

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

2

by adding thereto the following chapter:

3

CHAPTER 110

4

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

5

     16-110-1. Short title.

6

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

7

(2) Maximum Class Size Act.

8

     16-110-2. Class size maximums.

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

this section.

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

 

1

class of maximum size.

2

     16-110-3. Courses for compliance.

3

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

4

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

5

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC000191

========

 

LC000191 - Page 2 of 3

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)

***

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC000191

========

 

LC000191 - Page 3 of 3