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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
study committee on class sizes
Purpose
Establishes the Study Committee on Class Sizes (Study Committee) and prescribes Study Committee responsibilities and membership.
Background
Class size reduction is any maintenance and operations expenditure that is designed to reduce the ratio of pupils to classroom teachers, including the use of persons who serve as aides to classroom teachers (A.R.S. § 15-977).
Current statute designates monies that school districts and charter schools may spend on class size reduction. The Classroom Site Fund (CSF) provides funding to public schools from K‑12 endowment earnings and Proposition 301. Of the monies distributed to public schools from the CSF, 40 percent must be used for maintenance and operation purposes, including on class size reduction (A.R.S. § 15-977). Additionally, the Instructional Improvement Fund (IIF) provides funds to school districts and charter schools from the Tribal-State Gaming Compact. Each public school may spend up to 50 percent of monies distributed from the IIF on class size reduction and teacher compensation increases (A.R.S. § 15-979).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Study Committee for the following purposes:
a) determining appropriate class sizes;
b) identifying methods of reducing class sizes;
c) determining the costs of the methods of reducing class sizes; and
d) identifying how existing school facilities and available class space are conducive to reducing class sizes.
2. Requires the Study Committee to consist of the following members:
a) the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) or their designee;
b) 1 member of the majority party of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate (President);
c) 1 member of the majority party of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Speaker);
d) 1 member of the minority party of both the Senate and the House of Representatives appointed by the minority leader of each body; and
e) the following 10 members appointed by the SPI with consideration to geographic and demographic diversity:
i. a school district superintendent;
ii. a charter school teacher of any grade;
iii. a chairperson of a school district governing board;
iv. a board member of a parent organization;
v. a teacher of a kindergarten program or of any grades 1 through 5;
vi. a teacher of any grades 6 through 8;
vii. a teacher of any grades 9 through 12;
viii. a teacher bargaining representative leader;
ix. a member of an organization for school business officials; and
x. a member of an organization for school administrators.
3. Requires that at least 3 of the SPI-appointed Study Committee members must have experience working for a Title I school.
4. Requires the Study Committee to submit, by December 31, 2021, a report of its findings, conclusions and recommendations to the Governor, SPI, Speaker and President, with a copy submitted to the Secretary of State.
5. Repeals the Study Committee on June 1, 2022.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 22, 2021
JO/JP/gs