PURPOSE: This rule establishes procedwes for the orderly administration of the Pupil/Teacher Ratio Reduction Incentiue Program authorized by section I7 of the Outstanding Schools Act.

1. (1) Terms used in this rule are defined as follows:

   1. (A) Pupil/teacher ratio-the dividend obtained bydividingthe totalnumberofpupils enrolled in a grade(s) by the total full-time equivalent number of regular cia~sroom teachers engaged in regular instruction assigned to the grade.
   2. (B) Regular classroom teacher-a teacher who is assigned fullor p&time to providing direct, regular classroom instruction in language arts, mathematics, science or social studies or a combination of those subjects, and who holds a current, valid Missouri teaching -\ certificate for his/her assignments; and
   3. (C) Teacher-a teacher holding a currently valid Missouri teaching certificate who is assigned fullor part-time to providing classroom instruction in any subject available to all students in any grade, kindergarten through eight (K-8).
2. (2) To receive an award during the first year of the program, school districts must have twenty-six (26) or more students enrolled in any grade level, kindergarten through three (K-3), and achieve a district wide pupil/ teacher ratio of twenty-five to one (25:l) or less in one (1) or more of those grades.
3. (3) To receive an award during the second and third years of the program, school districts must have twenty-six (26) or more students enrolled in any grade level, kindergarten through three (K-3) and must employ additional regular classroom teachers to achieve a pupil/teacher ratio of twenty-five to one (251) or less in one (1) or more of those grades; or employ additional regular classroom teachers to further reduce the pupil/teacher ratio in one
4. (1) or more of those grades for which a pupil/ teacher ratio of twenty-five to one (251) or less has been previously achieved.

5. (4) School districts will be disqualified from receiving awards if they- /

   1. (A) Are under a court order to reduce class sizes or pupil/teacher ratios in grades kindergarten through eight (K-8);

      SB~wa‘Y Of state 5 CSR 50-360 , m

      as being most effective in small classes and the

   2. (B) Reduce the number of teachers in grades amount of funds allocated under the district’s kindergarten through three (K-3) without a Professional Development Plan for the corresponding reduction in enrollment; inservice education.
   3. (C) Reduce the number of regular classroom teachers in any grade for which the district Auth: section 160.550, RSMo (Cum. previously received an incentive award with- Supp. 1993).* Original rule filed Nov. 2, out a corresponding reduction in enrollment; 1993, effectiue June 6,1994.
   4. (D) Fail to maintain a ratio of pupils to regular classroom teachers of twenty-five to *Original authority 1993. one (25~) or less in any grade level for which the district previously received an incentive award;
   5. (E) Fail to maintain a ratio of pupils to regular classroom teachers of twenty-seven to one (271) or less in qualifying grades in every attendance center; or
   6. (F) Reduce the number of classroom teachers in grades four through eight (4-8) in the district.

6. (5) Each eligible and qualifying school district will receive an amount calculated by multiplying the base teacher salary for the district by the number of additional regular classroom teachers employed to achieve a pupil/teacher ratio of twenty-five to one (2511) or to further reduce the pupil/teacher ratio in a grade level at which a pupil/teacherratio oftwenty-five to one (25~1) or less has previously been achieved. Each district’s amount will first be ratably increased or reduced based upon the availabil. ity of appropriations; and second, adjusted to reflect the district’s relative wealth as measured by equalized assessed valuation per student in accordance with thefollowingtable:

   Percent of Ratably

District Wealth Reduced Amount First Quartile 100% 90% Second Quartile Third Quartile 80% Fourth Quartile 10%

1. (6) For the first year of the program only, the number of additional regular classroom teachers upon which a district’s amount is based shall be computed by subtracting the number obtained by dividing the enrollment in the qualifying grades by twenty-six (26) from the current number of regular classroom teachers in the qualifying grades.
2. (7) Each eligible school district which intends to participate in the program shall annually, file an application with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education containing the information the department determines is essential to administering this rule. Each application must contain an assurance that the district has or will provide teachers in the qualifying grades with inservice education to assist them in using instructional methods identified by research