(a) The program weights, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay at least the beginning salaries of all teachers needed to provide essential classroom instruction in order to ensure a Quality Basic Education Program for all enrolled students, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.

(b) The program weights for the primary, primary grades early intervention, upper elementary, upper elementary grades early intervention, middle grades, and middle school programs, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay at least the beginning salaries of specialists qualified to teach art, music, foreign language, and physical education, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.

(c) The program weights for the kindergarten, kindergarten early intervention, primary, primary grades early intervention, upper elementary, upper elementary grades early intervention, middle grades, middle school, and alternative education programs and the program weights for the high school programs authorized pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-151, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay the beginning salaries for guidance counselors needed to provide essential guidance services to students and whose duties and responsibilities shall be established by the state board to require a minimum of five of the six full-time equivalent program count segments of the counselor's time to be spent counseling or advising students or parents.

(c.1) The program weights for the kindergarten and the kindergarten early intervention programs, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay the salaries for instructional aides.

(d) All program weights, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay the beginning salaries for technology specialists needed to provide essential technology services.

(e) The program weights for the high school programs authorized pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-151, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to provide teachers with a preparation period free of assigned students.

(f) Reserved.

(g) All program weights, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay the cost of sick and personal leave for teachers, the employer's portion of costs for membership in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia and health insurance programs authorized by law, the cost of essential instructional materials and equipment needed to operate effectively such instructional programs, and the cost of travel required of personnel in order to deliver educational services to enrolled students, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.

(h) All program weights, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect, whenever they are revised pursuant to subsection (f) of Code Section 20-2-161, an amount of funds for the purpose of providing staff and professional development to certificated and classified personnel and local school board members which shall be at least equivalent to 1.5 percent of salaries of all certificated professional personnel used in the development of each respective program weight, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. Funds used for professional or staff development purposes may be used throughout the fiscal year, including days when students are not present at school, to meet professional or staff development needs in the order of priority determined by the local board of education within the comprehensive professional and staff development program plan approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Code Section 20-2-232. Such professional and staff development program plan shall address deficiencies of certificated personnel as identified by evaluations required under Code Section 20-2-210. Where possible, professional and staff development funds shall be used for activities that enhance the skills of certificated personnel and directly relate to student achievement. Subsequent certificated personnel evaluations shall include an assessment of an employee's professional and staff development activities and their effect on identified deficiencies and student achievement. Funds for professional development purposes may be used for activities occurring at any time during the fiscal year outside of an employee's normal contract hours.

(i) The State Board of Education shall adopt for each instructional program authorized pursuant to Part 3 of this article and the middle school program provided for in Code Section 20-2-290 the maximum number of students which may be taught by a teacher in an instructional period. Such maximum class sizes shall be equal to or greater than the teacher-student ratios used in the calculation of the program weights as set forth in subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-161 but shall not exceed the funding class size by more than 20 percent, unless specifically authorized by the State Board of Education; provided, however, that in no case shall the 20 percent maximum be exceeded for mathematics, science, social studies, or English classes; provided, further, that the maximum class size for kindergarten and grades one through three shall not exceed 20 percent over the funding ratio except for art, music, or physical education classes; provided, further, that the maximum class size for special education, gifted, and English for speakers of other languages classes shall be set by the State Board of Education. For a period not to exceed four years, beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, local school systems shall be allowed to exceed the maximum class sizes set forth in this subsection in a manner consistent with State Board of Education rules. The State Board of Education shall lower the current maximum class sizes set by state board rules in effect for the 1999-2000 school year, beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, by a proportional amount each school year so that, beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, State Board of Education rules are in compliance with this subsection. An aide may be used in programs to increase class size as allowed by State Board of Education rule, except that an aide shall not be used to increase the maximum class size in kindergarten or grades one through three. The maximum class size for the kindergarten and primary grades programs is defined as the number of students in a physical classroom. Maximum class sizes that result in a fractional full-time equivalent shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number as needed. The middle school program shall use the teacher-student ratio of the middle grades program for the purpose of this subsection. The number of students taught by a teacher at any time after the first 15 school days of a school year may not exceed the maximum such number unless authorization for a specific larger number is requested of the state board, along with the educational justification for granting the requested exemption, and the state board has approved said request. The state board shall not reduce class sizes without the authorization of the General Assembly, if this reduction necessitates added costs for facilities, personnel, and other program needs. Local boards of education may reduce class sizes, build additional facilities, and provide other resources at local cost if such actions are in the best interest of the local school systems' programs as determined by the local boards of education.