House Bill 5689
Sponsor: Rep. Bob Emerson
House Bill 5690
Sponsor: Rep. James Agee
Committee: Appropriations
Complete to 6-28-98
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5689 AND 5690 AS INTRODUCED 3-12-98
House Bills 5689 and 5690 would require that public school class sizes in grades K-3 be reduced over a period of five years, beginning in the 2000-2001 school year, and provide funding for class size reduction. The bills are tie-barred to each other.
House Bill 5689 would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1290) to require that the average class size in grades K-3 be not more than 17 pupils per class, with not more than 19 pupils in any particular class, in a school building operated by a school district, local act school district, or public school academy. During the first four years of the five-year phase-in, the bill would apply to schools in which a specified percentage of pupils actually enrolled is eligible for free lunch: in 2000-2001 at least 50 percent; in 2001-2002 at least 35 percent; in 2002-2003 at least 20 percent; and, in 2003-2004 at least 10 percent. During the fifth year the K-3 class size would apply to all schools.
House Bill 5689 specifies that free lunch eligibility would be determined under the National School Lunch Act, and reported to the Department of Education not later than October 31 and adjusted not later than December 31 of the immediately preceding school year.
House Bill 5690 would amend the State School Aid Act of 1979 (MCL 388.1631c) to state that it is the intent of the legislature to appropriate funds beginning in 2000-2001 to assist districts to meet the class size requirements of the Revised School Code. The bill would project those amounts to be $119 million for 2000-2001, $305 million for 2001-2002, $539,300,000 for 2002-2003, $740,200,000 for 2003-2004, and $991,900,000 for 2004-2005.
Analyst: J. Hunault