00                            SENATE BILL NO. 204                                                                         
01 "An Act imposing a maximum pupil-teacher ratio for grades one through three in                                          
02 public schools."                                                                                                        
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                  
05            Sec. 14.03.065. Maximum pupil-teacher ratio. (a) In a public school, the                                   
06       ratio of pupils to a teacher may not exceed 20 to one in a class in grades one through                            
07       three unless                                                                                                      
08                 (1)  the school employs a part-time teaching assistant for each class                                   
09       with more than 20 but less than 25 pupils; or                                                                     
10                 (2)  the school employs a full-time teaching assistant for each class                                   
11       with more than 24 pupils.                                                                                         
12            (b)  In this section,                                                                                        
13                 (1)  "teacher" means a person who is certified under AS 14.20.020 and                                   
14       is engaged in classroom teaching in a regular instructional program;                                              

01                 (2)  "teaching assistant" means a person who is employed by a school                                    
02       to provide classroom instructional services to pupils at the direction of a teacher.                              
03    * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
04 read:                                                                                                                   
05       PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO; APPLICABILITY. The requirements of AS 14.03.065,                                             
06 added by sec. 1 of this Act, shall be implemented as follows:                                                           
07            (1)  by July 1, 2007, the maximum pupil-teacher ratio must be met for grade                                  
08 one;                                                                                                                    
09            (2)  by July 1, 2008, the maximum pupil-teacher ratio must be met for grades                                 
10 one and two;                                                                                                            
11            (3)  by July 1, 2009, the maximum pupil-teacher ratio must be met for all three                              
12 grades.