HB 290 – AS INTRODUCED
2011 SESSION
04/10
HOUSE BILL 290
AN ACT relative to staffing exceptions for small schools.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf 5; Rep. Boehm, Hills 27; Rep. Weber, Ches 2; Rep. Fleck, Carr 5
This bill establishes a definition of a small school and implements a procedure for such schools to petition the department of education for approval of an alternative staffing plan.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11-0622
04/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to staffing exceptions for small schools.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; School Boards; Small Schools. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 24 the following new section:
189:24-a Small Schools.
I. A small school is a school which is comprised of kindergarten through grade 6 with an average daily membership in attendance of less than 92 pupils, or any school comprised of kindergarten through grade 8 with an average daily membership in attendance of less than 120 pupils, or any school comprised of grades 9 through 12 with an average daily membership in attendance of less than 60 pupils, or meets one of the following configurations:
(a) Kindergarten through grade 2 with an average daily membership in residence of 12 pupils or less per grade; or
(b) A school comprised of grades 3 through 8 with an average daily membership in residence of 14 pupils or less per grade; or
(c) A school comprised of grades 9 through 12 with an average daily membership in residence of 15 pupils or less per grade.
II. Upon written request from the school board of a school district, the commissioner of the department of education shall approve a school as a small school provided the school meets the definition set forth in paragraph I. The commissioner shall render a decision within 30 days of receiving a written request. Approval as a small school shall remain valid until the commissioner determines the school no longer meets the definition set forth in paragraph I.
III. The school board of a small school may develop a staffing plan that best supports the school’s unique learning environment with:
(a) Quality teachers who can serve as generalists.
(b) Class sizes that comply with minimum standards for public school approval as adopted by the state board of education and the department of education.
(c) The services of a certified principal.
(d) Other instructional services to include library, media services, and reading from the classroom teacher or non-certified staff supervised by a certified staff member;
(e) Art, music, health, and physical education instruction from the classroom teacher generalist or non-certified staff supervised by a certified staff member.
(f) Guidance counselor service as determined necessary by school administration and school board.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.