Amends TCA Title 49.

Present law generally establishes the following average and maximum class size limits for public schools: (1) Kindergarten through grade three the average pupil/teacher ratio is 20/1 and the maximum class size is 25 students; (2) Grade four through grade six the average pupil/teacher ratio is 25/1 and the maximum class size is 30 students; (3) Grade seven through grade 12 the average pupil/teacher ratio is 30/1 and the maximum class size is 35 students; and (4) Career and Technical Education the average pupil/teacher ratio is 20/1 and the maximum class size is 25 students. In no school building may the average size of any grade level unit exceed the stated average, though any individual class within that unit may exceed the average; provided, that no class may exceed the maximum class size. Present law prohibits any LEA operating a virtual school or virtual education program from exceeding the teacher/pupil ratio for virtual schools set by the state board of education. This bill changes the requirements for class size limits for virtual schools. This bill generally prohibits an LEA operating a virtual school or virtual education program from exceeding the limits described in (1)-(4); provided, that a virtual school will be authorized to exceed the maximum class sizes by up to 30 percent. This bill requires virtual schools to comply with the class size and caseload requirements for special education established by the state board of education and imposes certain duties on the chief administrator of a virtual school to ensure such compliance. This bill also requires virtual schools to maintain accurate records and monitor compliance with maximum class size requirements.