An Act relating to the combination of grades that constitute junior high, middle, or secondary school.

Senate Bill 95 amends the current definition of secondary school student to include the grade 6 to 8 middle school concept. Currently only junior high school students in grades 7 to 9 are considered secondary students.

Many junior high schools statewide have been converted to middle schools for instructional purposes. All Anchorage junior high schools have been converted to middle schools. This change seeks to expand Department of Education regulations in a manner that conforms with the middle school concept chosen by many local school boards.

Inclusion of sixth grade in the middle school configuration also has an impact on facilities planning. All students in the middle school program require the same facilities and space allocation. Changing this definition allows 6th grade students enrolled in a middle school program to be counted at the secondary school allowance of 150 square feet per student rather than the 106 square feet per student allowance.

The current elementary square foot allowance for sixth grade students hinders a local school board's ability to properly plan and design a middle school facility to meet the educational needs of the students it serves.