PRINTER'S NO. 931
No. 769 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY WILLIAMS, BEBKO-JONES, BLACKWELL, CALTAGIRONE,
CRUZ, FREEMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, KIRKLAND, LEACH, MUNDY,
STURLA, SURRA, TIGUE AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 14, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 14, 2005
AN ACT
1 Providing for a grant program for class size reduction
2 activities; and imposing powers and duties on the Department
3 of Education and the Secretary of Education.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Public School
8 Class Size Reduction Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Department." The Department of Education of the
14 Commonwealth.
15 "Secretary." The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
16 Section 3. Authorization of grants.
17 Beginning with the fiscal year 2005-2006 and in each fiscal
18 year thereafter, the department shall provide grants to school
1 districts for the purpose of class size reduction activities for
2 students enrolled in kindergarten through grade three.
3 Section 4. Criteria for award of grants.
4 A school district shall be eligible for a grant award if the
5 district:
6 (1) Is participating in a federally funded program of
7 class size reduction activities.
8 (2) Has a maximum class size in the district's
9 kindergarten through grade three classrooms not in excess of
10 the maximum number per classroom necessary for participation
11 in the federally funded program of class size reduction
12 activities.
13 (3) Insures that teachers of classes qualifying under
14 paragraph (2) participate in professional development
15 activities designed to improve their abilities to teach
16 reading, writing and arithmetic.
17 (4) Adopts and implements in each school building where
18 a class size reduction program is in place a proven strategy
19 for engaging parents and other members of the community as
20 partners in the education of students.
21 Section 5. Use of grant funds.
22 Grant funds may be used for costs incurred by a school
23 district for class size reduction activities for students
24 enrolled in kindergarten through grade three if those costs:
25 (1) are not reimbursable under the federally funded
26 class size reduction program because of a lack of Federal
27 funds; or
28 (2) are not eligible for reimbursement under the
29 federally funded class size reduction program.
30 Section 6. Duties of secretary.
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1 The secretary shall contract with a consortium of
2 universities for an evaluation of the effectiveness of class
3 size reduction programs. Program effectiveness shall be
4 evaluated at both the school building level and the school
5 district level. The secretary shall annually report:
6 (1) The results of the evaluation to the General
7 Assembly.
8 (2) Recommendations for legislation or other action
9 related to class size reduction activities.
10 Section 7. Expenditure estimate.
11 By March 31 of each year the secretary shall provide to the
12 General Assembly an estimate of the total cost of class size
13 reduction programs, including an estimate of State funds
14 required for the ensuing fiscal year.
15 Section 8. Funding.
16 Funding for the grant program under this act will be provided
17 by an annual appropriation by the General Assembly.
18 Section 9. Regulations.
19 The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to
20 administer and enforce this act.
21 Section 10. Effective date.
22 This act shall take effect immediately.
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