(a) For any project application filed or amended on or after January 1, 1993, the area of adequate school construction existing in the applicant school district or, where appropriate, in the attendance area, at the time of application shall be calculated pursuant to the following formula:

(1) Identify by grade level all teaching stations existing in the school district or, where appropriate, the attendance area, as of January 1, 1993. For the purposes of this section, “teaching station” means any space that was constructed or reconstructed to serve as an area in which to provide pupil instruction.

(2) Determine the maximum pupil loading figure for each grade level pursuant to the district pupil loading standards in effect on January 1, 1993. For the purposes of this section, the “district pupil loading standards” are those pupil loading standards in effect in a school district on July 1, 1992, as a result of actions including, but not necessarily limited to, the execution of a collective bargaining agreement or the adoption of a district policy by the governing board of the school district. In no event may this figure be more than the maximum pupil loading standards established by the board, or less than three pupil units lower than those maximum pupil loading standards.

(3) Multiply the figure determined under paragraph (2) for each grade level by the number of teaching stations for the particular grade level, as determined under paragraph (1).

(4) Multiply the product determined under paragraph (3) by the maximum area allowance established for that grade level under this article.

(5) The sum of these computations for each grade level, as determined under paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, shall be the total area of adequate school construction existing in the district or attendance area pursuant to this formula.

(b) For purposes of this section, a school district that is participating in a class size reduction program set forth in this code, other than the Class Size Reduction Program (Ch. 6.10 (commencing with Section 52120) of Part 28), shall use the pupil loading standard established pursuant to that program.

(c) The area of existing adequate school construction calculated under this section shall not include, in any school operated on a year-round schedule, any teaching station that has been in continuous use during the preceding five-year period primarily for the operation of a preschool program or programs.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 893, Sec. 88. Effective January 1, 1998.)