GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1497

Short Title:  Class Size Reduction Pilot/Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Perdue.
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Referred to:  Education/Higher Education.
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May 25, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR PILOT PROGRAMS TO REDUCE CLASS SIZE IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. (a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to establish pilot programs to reduce class size to a ratio of one to fifteen in kindergarten through grade three at various schools throughout the State.
(b) A local board of education may apply for the funds for any school within the unit that has the temporary or permanent classroom space to participate in the program.  In selecting schools for pilot programs, the State Board of Education shall consider the readiness of the school to implement the program.  The State Board shall also give priority to schools at which more than thirty percent (30%) of the students receive free lunch.  The State Board shall also attempt to select schools that are located geographically throughout the State and that have different demographic profiles.
(c) Teachers in the pilot program shall not be assigned teacher assistants.  Funds appropriated by the General Assembly for teacher assistants for the average daily membership of schools participating in the pilot programs shall be used to offset the cost of the additional teacher salary funds required for the pilot programs and shall not be used for teacher assistant positions.
(d) The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee prior to April 15, 1995, on the implementation of the pilot programs.
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1994.