The legislature finds that funding constraints require school districts to have financial flexibility to meet decreased state support. For the 2016-2017 through 2018-2019 school years, the secretary may waive requirements of the Public School Code and rules promulgated in accordance with that code pertaining to individual class load, teaching load, length of school day, staffing patterns, subject areas and purchases of instructional materials. The department shall monitor such waivers, and the secretary shall report to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee on any issues or actions of a school district that appear to adversely affect student learning.