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| SPONSOR: | Boitano | DATE TYPED: | 1-25-00 | HB | |||
| SHORT TITLE: | Study Benefits of Smaller Schools | SB | SJM 13 | ||||
| ANALYST: | Baca | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY00 | FY01 | FY00 | FY01 | ||
| See Fiscal Implication Narrative | |||||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
State Department of Public Education (SDE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Joint Memorial requests that the State Department of Education study the benefits of smaller schools as well methods to reduce school size. Findings are to be reported to the Legislative Education Study Committee by November 2000.
Significant Issues
The bill requests that the study include the cost of reaching the size of 250 students for elementary schools, 425 for middle schools and 600 for high schools.
The bill cites and the SDE analysis reiterates research that indicates a positive relationship between smaller schools and student achievement. The SDE analysis cites the use of a virtual high school as an option to smaller high schools. The analysis states that funds are needed to establish a virtual high school and references the $1,000.0 appropriation requested by the State Board of Education to initiate a statewide system for a virtual high school beginning in fiscal year 2001.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
None. SDE staff can complete the study without additional resources.
LB/gm