2023 -- H 5085
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LC000549
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2 )
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT
Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Ajello, Caldwell, Shallcross Smith, and Dawson
Date Introduced: January 12, 2023
Referred To: House Education
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
adding thereto the following chapter: 2
CHAPTER 112 3
THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO (2) MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT. 4
16-112-1. Short title. 5
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Kindergarten Through Grade Two 6
(2) Maximum Class Size Act." 7
16-112-2. Class size maximums. 8
(a) Each year, on or before October 1, the maximum number of students assigned to each 9
teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in public school classrooms for kindergarten through 10
grade two (2) shall not exceed twenty (20) students except due to an emergency or as a result of a 11
temporary condition not to exceed three (3) days, or as provided in subsection (b) of this section. 12
(b) After October 1 of each year, the maximum number of students regularly assigned to 13
each teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in public school classrooms for kindergarten 14
through grade two (2) shall only exceed twenty (20) students if a student is first enrolled in a school 15
after October 1 and the school administrator determines that it would be impractical, educationally 16
unsound, or disruptive to student learning to not assign the student to an existing class of maximum 17
size. 18
LC000549 - Page 2 of 3
16-112-3. Courses for compliance. 1
The department of education shall identify and publish a directory of core-curricula courses 2
for the purpose of satisfying the maximum class size requirement of this chapter. 3
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 4
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE KINDERGARTEN THR OUGH GRADE TWO (2)
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT
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This act would mandate that public-school classroom size be limited to twenty (20) 1
students for kindergarten through grade two (2) on or before October 1 of each school year. 2
Exceptions would be made for emergencies, for temporary situations not to exceed three (3) days 3
and for mid-year enrollments when it would be impractical to assign the student to any class except 4
for an existing class of maximum size. 5
This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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