(a) The existing school building capacity in the applicant school district or, where appropriate, in the attendance area, at the time of initial application shall be calculated pursuant to the following formula:

(1) Identify by grade level all permanent teaching stations existing in the school district or, where appropriate, the attendance area. For the purposes of this section, “teaching station” means any space that was constructed or reconstructed to serve as an area in which to provide pupil instruction, but shall not include portable buildings, except as provided in Section 17071.30.

(2) (A) The assumed capacity of each calculated teaching station pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be 25 pupils for each teaching station used for kindergarten or for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and 27 pupils for each teaching station used for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(B) On or after January 1, 2000, the board may adopt or amend regulations adjusting the assumed capacity set forth in this subparagraph as appropriate for each teaching station used for nonsevere or severe special day class purposes after considering the recommendations of the Legislative Analyst pursuant to Section 17072.15. These special day class capacity adjustments and any adjustment of existing school capacity related to changes in the assumed capacity of special day class teaching stations shall be approved by the Director of Finance prior to implementation.

(C) On or after January 1, 2001, the board may adopt regulations establishing assumed capacity standards after consideration of the recommendations developed by the Director of General Services for continuation high school, community day school, county community school, and county community day school, teaching stations pursuant to Section 17072.17. Teaching station assumed capacity adjustments pursuant to these regulations and any other adjustments of existing school capacity related to changes in the assumed capacity of continuation high school, community day school, county community school, and county community day school, teaching stations shall be approved by the Director of Finance prior to implementation.

(3) Multiply the assumed capacity of each teaching station as specified in paragraph (2) by the number of teaching stations calculated under paragraph (1).

(4) The result of this computation shall be the number of pupils housed by grade level in the existing school building capacity of the applicant school district.

(b) The existing school building capacity of the applicant school district calculated under this section shall not include, in any school operated on a year-round schedule, any teaching station that has been in continuous use during the preceding five-year period primarily for the operation of a preschool program or programs.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 858, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2000.)