00                            SENATE BILL NO. 18                                                                          
01 "An Act directing school districts to set maximum class sizes; and establishing a grant                                 
02 program to support class size reduction in public elementary 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. 14.03.129. Class size and class size reduction grant program. (a) Each                                
06       school district shall adopt a policy setting the maximum class size for each grade.                               
07 (b)  The class size reduction grant program is established in the department.                                           
08 Subject to appropriation, the department may award to a school district a grant to                                      
09 provide funding for a five-year period to assist the school district in reducing class                                  
10       sizes in elementary schools to achieve a student-to-teacher ratio of not greater than 10                          
11       to one.                                                                                                           
12            (c)  The department shall                                                                                    
13                 (1)  establish an application process for participation in the program;                                 
14                 (2)  direct participating school districts to establish a policy to reduce                              

01       elementary school class size; and                                                                                 
02 (3)  determine grant amounts; in awarding grants under this section, the                                                
03 department shall give priority to school districts with the highest percentage of                                       
04 elementary schools that receive federal financial assistance under 20 U.S.C. 6301 -                                     
05       6339 and 20 U.S.C. 6571 - 6578.                                                                                   
06            (d)  A school district that receives a grant under this section                                              
07                 (1)  may use not more than three percent of grant funds for                                             
08       administrative expenses related to the program; and                                                               
09                 (2)  shall, except as provided in (e) of this section, use at least 97                                  
10 percent of grant funds to reduce class sizes in elementary schools to achieve a student-                                
11 to-teacher ratio of not greater than 10 to one, by recruiting, hiring, and training                                     
12       elementary school teachers.                                                                                       
13 (e)  If a school district that receives a grant under this section achieves a                                           
14 student-to-teacher ratio of not greater than 10 to one in all elementary school classes,                                
15 the school district may use not more than 15 percent of grant funds for each of the                                     
16       following purposes:                                                                                               
17 (1)  to provide additional classroom space by obtaining new space or                                                    
18       renovating school buildings;                                                                                      
19 (2)  to provide professional development for elementary school                                                          
20       teachers.                                                                                                         
21 (f)  For purposes of determining a student-to-teacher ratio under this section, a                                       
22       paraprofessional is counted as one-half of a teacher.                                                             
23            (g)  In this section,                                                                                        
24 (1)  "elementary school" means a school consisting of grades                                                            
25       kindergarten through eight or a combination of grades within this range;                                          
26 (2)  "program" means the class size reduction grant program                                                             
27       established under this section;                                                                                   
28 (3)  "teacher" means a person who holds a valid teacher certificate                                                     
29       under AS 14.20.