MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the effective date is July 1, 2026; this was included in limits_and_unknowns but moved to ensure accuracy as it is a confirmed fact rather than an unknown.

Alaska Bill HB165: Maximum Class Size Limits

This bill sets maximum class sizes for most public school grades in large Alaska districts and requires schools to share size data with parents.

What This Bill Does

• Sets a limit of 23 students per class for kindergarten through third grade.
• Sets a limit of 26 students per class for fourth through eighth grade.
• Sets a limit of 30 students per class for ninth through twelfth grade.
• Exempts art, library, music, computer science, vocational-technical, and physical education classes from these limits.
• Requires school districts to send parents notices about classroom size rules by November 30 and February 1 each year.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public schools in Alaska with more than 35,000 average daily students from the previous year.
• Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade at those large districts.
• Parents or guardians of students who receive notices about class sizes.

Terms To Know

Average Daily Membership

The count used to measure the average number of students in a school district each day, as defined by state law AS 14.17.990.

District

A public school administrative area or group of schools managed together under Alaska state law.

Limits and Unknowns

• The limits do not apply to districts with an average daily membership of 35,000 or fewer students.
• Class sizes may go over the limit if new students transfer into a school after the first day of the term.

Official Summary Text

MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE
An Act relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools; relating to the duties of school districts; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

HB0165a -1- HB 165
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0622\T

HOUSE BILL NO. 165

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES COULOMBE, Fields, Saddler

Introduced: 3/31/25
Referred: Education, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools; relating to the duties of 1
school districts; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 4
Sec. 14.03.065. Maximum classroom size. (a) Except for an art, library, 5
music, computer science, vocati onal-technical, or physical educ ation course, the 6
maximum number of students a public school may place in a class room is 23 for 7
grades kindergarten through three, 26 for grades four through e ight, and 30 for grades 8
nine through 12. This subsection does not apply to a district w ith an average daily 9
membership of 35,000 or less in the previous school year. 10
(b) A district shall, by Nove mber 30 and February 1 of each ye ar, provide 11
notice to each student's parent or guardian of 12
(1) the classroom size requirements of this section; 13
(2) the average classroom size for each grade level at each sc hool in 14
34-LS0622\T
HB 165 -2- HB0165a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

the district for the current school year; and 1
(3) the number of students in the student's classroom. 2
(c) The number of students placed in a classroom in a public s chool may 3
exceed the maximum number set out in (a) of this section if the excess is caused by 4
one or more students transferri ng to the school after the first day of the current school 5
term. 6
(d) In this section, 7
(1) "average daily membership" has the meaning given in 8
AS 14.17.990; 9
(2) "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990. 10
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 11