The legislature finds that funding constraints require school districts to have financial flexibility to meet decreased state support. For the 2016-2017 through 2018-2019 school years, the secretary may waive requirements of the Public School Code and rules promulgated in accordance with that code pertaining to individual class load, teaching load, length of school day, staffing patterns, subject areas and purchases of instructional materials. The department shall monitor such waivers, and the secretary shall report to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee on any issues or actions of a school district that appear to adversely affect student learning.

History: Laws 2010, ch. 68, § 1; 2012, ch. 51, § 1; 2013, ch. 187, § 1; 2013, ch. 203, § 1; 2016, ch. 22, § 1.

The 2016 amendment, effective May 18, 2016, allowed the secretary of the public education department to waive certain requirements of the Public School Code for the 2016-2017 through 2018-2019 school year to meet funding constraints; in the first sentence, after "flexibility to meet", deleted "increased" and added "decreased", after "state", deleted "educational requirements" and added "support"; in the second sentence, after "For the", deleted "2013-2014" and added "2016-2017 through 2018-2019", and after "school", deleted "year" and added "years".

2013 Multiple Amendments. — Laws 2013, ch. 203, § 1, effective June 14, 2013, provided flexibility to school districts to meet state fiscal solvency requirements; in the second sentence, after "2012-2013", added "2013-2014".

Laws 2013, ch. 187, § 1, effective June 14, 2013, in the first sentence, after "legislature finds that", added "funding constraints require", after "school districts", deleted "need" and added "to have financial", before "state", added "increased" and after "state", deleted "fiscal solvency" added "educational"; and in the second sentence, changed "2012-2013" to "2013-2014 and 2014-2015".

The 2012 amendment, effective May 16, 2012, permitted the secretary to waive statutory and regulatory requirements for the school year 2012-2013; and in the second sentence, after "For the", deleted "2009-2010 through 2011-2012" and added "2012-2013"; and after "school", deleted "years" and added "year".