BILL NO. 120

(as introduced)

4th Session, 61st General Assembly
Nova Scotia
61 Elizabeth II, 2012

Private Member's Bill

Education Act
(amended)

The Honourable Karen Casey
Colchester North

First Reading: November 6, 2012

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill restricts class sizes for grades primary to two to 20 students, and for grade three to 25 students. It allows a class in grades primary to two to exceed 20 students, but not 25 students, if the Minister so orders and if an additional non-teaching adult support person is assigned to that class. It also requires that the Minister ensure that each school board receive sufficient funding so that the class size restrictions do not impair the delivery of the public school program.

64E (1) A school board shall restrict the size of classes for students in grade primary to grade two, inclusive, to not more than twenty students in each classroom.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), where a school board determines that it is necessary for a class to exceed the size limit required by subsection (1), the school board may request and the Minister may order that subsection (1) does not apply to that class for the remainder of the school academic year.

(3) Where the Minister makes an order under subsection (2), the school board shall

(a) subject to subsection (6), assign an additional non-teaching adult support person to the classroom; and

(b) restrict the size of the class to not more than twenty-five students.

(4) A school board shall restrict the size of classes for students in grade three to not more than twenty-five students in each classroom.

(5) Subject to subsection (6), the Minister shall ensure that each school board receives sufficient funding so that the size limits required by this Section do not impair the delivery of the school program.

(6) The money required for the purpose of this Section must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.