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2000 SESSION

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SB 170 Programs designed to promote educational opportunities.

Introduced by: Linda T. (Toddy) Puller | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Programs designed to promote educational opportunities. Provides that the guidelines for the at-risk four-year-old preschool program may be differentiated according to the agency delivering the services in order to comply with various federal or state requirements and that the guidelines for the programs delivered by the public schools must require (i) one teacher for any class of nine students or less, (ii) a full-time teacher's aide assigned to the class if the average daily membership in any class exceeds nine students but does not exceed 18 students, and (iii) the maximum class size to be 18 students. Currently, the Department of Education's guidelines require a pupil/teacher ratio of 8/1 and a maximum class size of 18. Pursuant to this provision, the Department may differentiate its service criteria according to the various service providers in order to comply with any relevant federal or state requirements, e.g., Head Start requires a 9/1 ratio and limits the maximum class size to 19 students. Certain provisions of the bill are based on moneys appropriated in the Appropriation Act.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Programs designed to promote educational opportunities. Provides that the guidelines for the at-risk four-year-old preschool program may be differentiated according to the agency delivering the services in order to comply with various federal or state requirements and that the guidelines for the programs delivered by the public schools must require (i) one teacher for any class of ten students or less, (ii) if the average daily membership in any class exceeds 10 students but does not exceed 20 students, a full-time teacher's aide must be assigned to the class, and (iii) the maximum class size must be 20 students. Currently, the Department of Education's guidelines require a pupil/teacher ratio of 8/1 and a maximum class size of 18. Pursuant to this provision, the Department may differentiate its service criteria according to the various service providers in order to comply with any relevant federal or state requirements, e.g., Head Start requires a 9/1 ratio and limits the maximum class size to 19 students. Certain provisions of the bill are based on moneys appropriated in the Appropriation Act.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Programs designed to promote educational opportunities. Revises the requirements for the at-risk four-year-old preschool program when delivered by the public schools to increase the eligible population by (i) including three-year-olds as well as five-year-olds who are not eligible to attend kindergarten; (ii) increasing the percentage of children to be served from 60 percent to 80 percent of the eligible children; (iii) increasing the required pupil/teacher ratio by two children to 10/1 and the maximum class size to 20; and (iv) redefining "at-risk student" to cover children in families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Currently, the Department of Education's guidelines require a pupil/teacher ratio of 8/1 and a maximum class size of 18 and define eligible children to be from families having incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level. Pursuant to this provision, the Department may differentiate its service criteria according to the various service providers in order to comply with any relevant federal or state requirements, e.g., Head Start requires a 9/1 ratio and limits the maximum class size to 19 students.