PRINTER'S NO. 301
No. 264 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY BROWNE, BOSCOLA, RHOADES, COSTA, WASHINGTON AND FERLO, MARCH 8, 2007
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 8, 2007
AN ACT 1 Establishing a pilot program to enrich classroom instruction in 2 primary grades by increasing the teacher instructional time 3 per pupil through the placement of a teaching aide in 4 participating classrooms. 5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 6 hereby enacts as follows: 7 Section 1. Short title. 8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Primary 9 Grades Learning Enrichment Pilot Program Act. 10 Section 2. Legislative findings and purpose. 11 (a) Legislative findings.--The General Assembly declares and 12 finds that: 13 (1) National debate is taking place over the educational 14 benefits to be gained in reducing class size, particularly in 15 primary grades. The premise behind these discussions is that 16 smaller class sizes allow teachers to spend more time helping 17 individual students, thereby enhancing student performance. 18 (2) While some early studies have indicated improved
1 student performance where class sizes are reduced, other 2 studies have indicated that poor teaching by underqualified 3 staff, particularly in urban areas, nullifies any potential 4 benefits of smaller class size. 5 (3) The costs to implement traditional class size 6 reduction programs have been high. A recent study for the 7 Federal Government indicates that a nationwide push to reduce 8 class sizes in the primary grades to 18 students could cost 9 up to $6,000,000,000 per year. These costs are directly 10 related to the need to hire additional staff and to expand 11 the number of available classrooms resulting from mandatory 12 reduced class sizes. 13 (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this act is to implement a 14 Statewide pilot program which would: 15 (1) Examine whether improved academic achievement in 16 primary grades can be achieved by placing an additional 17 teaching aide in participating classrooms, thereby increasing 18 the time available for the regular classroom teacher to spend 19 with individual students. 20 (2) Avoid the negative cost impact of more traditional 21 class size reduction proposals related to the hiring of 22 additional teachers and the need to add classroom space. 23 Section 3. Definitions. 24 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 25 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 26 context clearly indicates otherwise: 27 "Department." The Department of Education of the 28 Commonwealth. 29 "Primary grades." Kindergarten through third grade. 30 "Program." The Primary Grades Learning Enrichment Pilot 20070S0264B0301 - 2 -
1 Program implemented pursuant to this act. 2 "School." An individual public elementary school building 3 designated to participate in the pilot program. 4 "Teaching aide." A full-time paraprofessional school 5 employee hired solely for the purposes of this act to assist the 6 regularly assigned teacher in the classroom. 7 Section 4. Establishment. 8 The department is authorized to establish and administer the 9 Primary Grades Learning Enrichment Pilot Program beginning in 10 the 2007-2008 school year and continuing through the 2011-2012 11 school year to increase the time available for classroom 12 teachers to spend with individual students in kindergarten 13 through third grade by assigning a full-time teaching aide to 14 each kindergarten through third grade classroom in a school 15 chosen to participate in the program. This aide shall be in 16 addition to any aides required for a student identified as 17 exceptional pursuant to 22 Pa. Code Ch. 14 (relating to special 18 education services and programs). 19 Section 5. Duties. 20 The department shall: 21 (1) Develop and publicize an application procedure for 22 school districts interested in having one of their schools 23 participate in the program. 24 (2) Select ten schools to participate in the program 25 from the list of applicant school districts. 26 The department shall assure that the schools chosen for the 27 program are representative of urban, rural and suburban 28 districts and are geographically dispersed throughout this 29 Commonwealth. At least six of the schools chosen to participate 30 in the program shall have more than 40% of low-income pupils in 20070S0264B0301 - 3 -
1 average daily membership. 2 Section 6. School district requirements. 3 (a) Eligibility.--The local board of school directors of a 4 school district may apply to have one of its schools participate 5 in the program. 6 (b) Application.--Applicants shall submit applications at a 7 time and in the manner prescribed by the department. Each school 8 district which applies to have one of its schools considered for 9 participation in the program shall agree to do all of the 10 following: 11 (1) Employ an additional classroom aide for each primary 12 grade classroom in the participating school. 13 (2) Participate in the program for four years. 14 (3) Develop an in-service program for all teaching aides 15 to acquaint them with the requirements of their position and 16 the school's current academic curriculum. 17 (4) Participate in the annual evaluation and related 18 activities conducted pursuant to section 7. 19 Section 7. Evaluation of program. 20 (a) Contract.--The department shall contract with a 21 Pennsylvania institution of higher education to conduct an 22 ongoing evaluation of the program as prescribed in subsection 23 (b). 24 (b) Requirements of evaluation.--The evaluation contracted 25 for under subsection (a) shall annually compare the academic 26 achievement of the group of primary grade students in the ten 27 schools participating in the program to a group of primary grade 28 students in comparison schools that are similar, except for 29 participation in the program. Students are to be measured 30 utilizing the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) 20070S0264B0301 - 4 -
1 test and any other evaluative measures or techniques agreed to 2 in the contract with the department. The evaluation shall be 3 used to determine the overall effectiveness of the program in 4 improving the academic achievement of kindergarten through third 5 grade students in the selected participating schools. 6 (c) Consortium.--The institution of higher education 7 contracted with under subsection (a) shall, as part of its 8 contract, agree to form a consortium of participating schools 9 and at least once per school year shall convene a meeting of 10 participating schools in order to share information and 11 suggestions regarding implementation of the program. 12 (d) Report.--Upon the conclusion of the 2010-2011 school 13 year, the contracting institution of higher education shall 14 prepare a comprehensive report outlining the three-year history 15 of academic achievement in the program schools and making 16 recommendations on the continuation, alteration or expansion of 17 the program. This final report shall be made to the Governor and 18 the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2011. 19 Section 8. Reports. 20 The department shall annually furnish to the Governor and the 21 Education Committee and the Appropriations Committee of the 22 Senate and the Education Committee and the Appropriations 23 Committee of the House of Representatives a report on the 24 program, including any evaluations or reports prepared pursuant 25 to section 7. 26 Section 9. Funding. 27 Each school district with a school participating in the 28 program shall annually receive from the department the sum of 29 $25,000 per primary grade classroom in the school to offset the 30 cost of hiring a teaching aide. 20070S0264B0301 - 5 -
1 Section 10. Additional funding. 2 Additional funding shall be provided to the department in an 3 amount to be determined by an annual appropriation by the 4 General Assembly to cover the administrative costs related to 5 this program and the cost of the contract entered into pursuant 6 to section 7. 7 Section 11. Expiration. 8 This act shall expire on July 1, 2012, unless otherwise 9 extended by act of the General Assembly. 10 Section 25. Effective date. 11 This act shall take effect immediately. A16L24MSP/20070S0264B0301 - 6 -