AB 304 — Revises requirements relating to class sizes in public schools. (BDR 34-930)

(ReprintedAssembly withBill amendmentsNo. adopted on April 22, 2019) FIRST REPRINT A.B.

304304–Assemblymen AMiller, SSEMBLYFumo, BAssefa, ILLNBilbray-Axelrod, O.Carrillo;

304–ABackus, SSEMBLYMENBenitez-Thompson, MCarlton, ILLER,Daly, FUMODuran, ,Flores, ASSEFAGorelow, ,Jauregui, BILBRAYMonroe- -AMoreno, XELRODMunk, ,Nguyen, CARRILLOPeters, ;Swank, Torres and Yeager CHAPTER..........

B ACKUS , BENITEZ - THOMPSON , CARLTON , DALY, DURAN , FLORES , GORELOW , JAUREGUI , M ONROE -M ORENO , MUNK , N GUYEN , PETERS , SWANK , ORRES AND Y EAGER M ARCH 18, 2019 ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises requirements relating to class sizes in public schools.

(BDR 34-930) FISCAL NOTE:

Effect on Local Government:

May have Fiscal Impact.

Effect on the State:

Yes.

~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

LegislativeLegExisting Counsel’slaw: Digest:

Existing(1) law:prescribes maximum ratios of pupils per class in kindergarten through third grade;

(1)and prescribes(2) maximumauthorizes ratiosa ofschool pupilsdistrict perto classrequest ina kindergartenvariance from those maximum prescribed ratios from the State Board of Education.

(NRSvariance(NRS from 388.700) Section 4 of this bill requires each such request to include a plan of actions that the school district will take to reduce the ratio of pupils per class.

Existing law requires the State Board to develop nonbinding recommendations for the ratio of pupils per licensed teacher in the public schools of this State.

The nonbinding recommendations are required to be based on evidence-based national whostandards; are English learners.

(NRSand 388.890)take Sectioninto 5.5account of this bill additionallyg pupils requires the Stateunique Boardneeds toof developcertain nonbindingpupils, recommendationsincluding for the ratio of pupils perwho counselorare orEnglish licensedlearners. social worker in the public schools of this State.

(NRS 388.890) Section 5.5 of this bill additionally requires the State Board to develop nonbinding recommendations for the ratio of Section 5.5 also requires the board of trustees of each school district to annually post on an Internet website maintained by the school district the ratio of pupils per licensed teacher that has been approved for each class in the district.

-EXPLANATION *AB304_R1* – 2Matter –in THEbolded PEOPLEitalics OFis THEnew; STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Sectionmatter 1.between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Sections 1-3.

2.

(Deleted by amendment.) Sec.

3.

(Deleted by amendment.) Sec.

or (b)- If80th aSession plan(2019) is– approved2 pursuant– to subsection 3 of NRS 388.720, must not exceed the ratio set forth in that plan for the grade levels specified in the plan.

3.schools which exceed the ratio of pupils per class during any quarter of a school year, as reported to the Department pursuant to NRS 388.725:

Each school district that includes one or more elementary of a school year, as reported to the Department pursuant tony quarter NRS 388.725:

or (c) Defined by a legislatively approved alternative class-size reduction plan, if applicable to that school district,  must request a variance for each such school for the next quarter of the current school year if a quarter remains in that school year or for the next quarter of the succeeding school year, as applicable, from the State Board by providing a written statement that includes the reasons for the request , [and] the justification for exceeding the applicable prescribed ratio of pupils per class [.] and a plan of - *AB304_R1* – 3 – actions that the school district will take to reduce the ratio of pupilspup4. per class.

4.

The State Board shall, on a quarterly basis, submit a report to the Interim Finance Committee on each variance requested by a school district pursuant to subsection 4 during the preceding quarter and, if a variance was granted, an identification of each elementary school- for80th whichSession a(2019) variance– was3 granted– and the specific justification for the variance.

granted and the specific 6.

The Department shall, on or before November 15 of each year, report to the Chief of the Budget Division of the Office of Finance and the Fiscal Analysis Division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau:Bur(a) The number of teachers employed;

(a) The number of teachers employed;

(Deleted by amendment.) -388.890 *AB304_R1*1. – 4 – Sec.

5.5.The State Board shall develop nonbindingfollows:

NRSrecommendations 388.890for isthe herebyratio amendedof topupils readper aslicensed follows:teacher , counselor and licensed social worker in the public schools of this State for kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

388.890 1.