2012 -- S 2356

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LC01407

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, DaPonte, Lanzi, DiPalma, and DeVall

     Date Introduced: February 14, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

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by adding thereto the following chapter:

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     CHAPTER 98

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ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT

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     16-98-1. Short title. – This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Access To

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Advanced Placement Courses For All Students Act."

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     16-98-2. Definitions. – The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall

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have the following meanings given to them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

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     (1) “Advanced placement” means a high school level preparatory course for a college

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advanced placement exam that: 

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     (i) Incorporates all topics specified by the college board on its standards syllabus for a

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given subject area; and

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     (ii) Is authorized by the college board.

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     (2) "Board of regents" means the board of regents for elementary and secondary

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education.

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     (3) "College board" means the non-profit examination board in the United States

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comprised of over four thousand five hundred (4,500) institutions of higher learning and known

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for managing standardized tests such as the advanced placement or “AP” tests.

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     (4) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary

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education.

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     (5) “Eligible teacher” means a professional employee that is certified in the subject area

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of the advanced placement course that he or she will be teaching.

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     (6) “Four core academic areas” means advanced placement courses in English,

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mathematics, science and social science.

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     (7) “Poverty level” means the percentage of students in a school district eligible for free

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and reduced lunch.

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     (8) “Program” means the advanced placement teacher training program.

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     (9) “School district” means any public school district, school unit, area-vocational-

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technical school, or charter school that composes a school district; the term also encompasses a

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single high school or multiple high schools within a school district where applicable.

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     (10) “Teacher training entities” means institutions of higher education, intermediate units

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or organizations approved/certified by the college board to train teachers to teach advanced

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placement courses.

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     (11) “Virtual learning instruction” means providing academic courses to students via the

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Internet and/or the use of technology in providing instruction to students.

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     16-98-3. Advanced placement teacher training program. – (a) Purpose – The purpose

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of the advanced placement teacher training program is to provide access to advanced placement

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courses in the four (4) core academic subjects of English, mathematics, science and social science

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for all students by training teachers in advanced placement course instruction at all high schools

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that do not presently provide advanced placement courses.

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     (b) Establishment – Subject to appropriation, the advanced placement teacher-training

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program shall be established in the department of education by the board of regents to train

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teachers in eligible school entities to teach advanced placement courses in the four (4) core

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academic areas of English, mathematics, science and social science in one or more of these

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disciplines.

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     (c) Eligible school entities – Eligible school entities are those that do not have in each of

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their high schools at least one advanced placement course in the four (4) core academic areas.

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     (1) A school district that has an advanced placement course in one or more of the four (4)

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core academic areas but not in all four (4) core academic areas is only eligible to have a teacher

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trained in those core academic areas that it does not have an advanced placement course.

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     (2) No more than one teacher per core academic area in each high school of an eligible

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school district shall be trained under this program.

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     (3) More than one eligible school district may apply jointly to the program to train a

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teacher in advanced placement course instruction if that teacher is to provide such instruction in

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more than one school district either through classroom instruction or through virtual learning

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instruction.

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     (d) Application requirements for eligible school entities – The application by an eligible

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school district seeking funding for the program shall include the following:

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     (1) The subject areas that currently have an advanced placement courses in each of its

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high schools;

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     (2) The subject areas among the four (4) core academic areas that it does not have an

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advanced placement course in each of its high schools;

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     (3) The names of the eligible teachers including the high school where they are teaching

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and the advanced placement academic subject area that each of the teachers will be providing

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instruction and whether the instruction will be in a classroom or through virtual learning

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instruction;

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     (4) The names of the eligible teacher training entities that shall be providing the training

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for teachers in providing advanced placement instruction;

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     (5) Agreement to provide the advanced placement course for high school students for at

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least three (3) years;

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     (6) Guidelines the school district will use in determining which students may be eligible

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to enroll in an advanced placement course. The school district shall not discriminate on any basis

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in enrollment of students that is illegal under applicable federal or state law;

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     (7) Agreement to annually report to the department for each of the four (4) core academic

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areas that were taught by teachers whose training was funded by this program the following

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information:

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     (i) The number of students taking advanced placement courses;

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     (ii) The number of students who took the advanced placement examinations; and

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     (iii) The number of students scoring a three (3) or higher on the advanced placement

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examinations.

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     16-98-4. Powers and duties of department. – (a) Guidelines. – The department shall

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promulgate rules, regulations and procedures necessary for the implementation of this chapter

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including, but not limited to, the following:

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     (1) In consultation with the college board, certify those teacher-training entities that are

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qualified to provide training of teachers to teach advanced placement courses in the four (4) core

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academic areas;

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     (2) In certifying teacher-training entities for this program, the department shall ensure

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that the training times and locations will be geographically accessible for teachers from eligible

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school entities to attend;

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     (3) The department, in consultation with the college board, shall ensure that training

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provided by those teacher-training entities must provide teachers of advanced placement courses

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with the necessary content knowledge and instructional skills to prepare students for success in

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advanced placement courses and examinations; and

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     (4) Starting at the end of the first year of the program, and every year thereafter, the

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department shall issue a report to the general assembly on the advanced placement teacher-

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training program that shall include, but not be limited to:

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     (i) The number of teachers receiving training in advanced placement instructions in

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school entities, school districts and high schools in each of the four (4) core academic areas.

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     (ii) The number of students taking advanced placement courses at school entities in each

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of the four (4) core academic areas.

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     (iii) The number of students scoring a three (3) or more on an advanced placement

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examination at school entities in each of the four (4) core academic areas.

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     (iv) The remaining unmet need for trained teachers in school entities that do not offer

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advanced placement courses.

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     16-98-5. Funding to teacher training entities. – To the extent funds are appropriated for

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this program, the department shall provide grants per eligible teacher to the endorsed teacher

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training entities that provide training to teachers to teach advanced placement upon completion of

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the training program.

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     16-98-6. Program funding. – (a) Funding for this program is subject to appropriation by

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the general assembly to the department for that purpose. 

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     (b) In the event that insufficient moneys are appropriated in any fiscal year to provide

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funding for all eligible school entities applying to the program, the department shall prioritize

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funding of eligible school entities based on the poverty level of the school districts that high

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school students who will be taking the advanced placement courses reside in.

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     16-98-7. Availability of advanced placement courses. – (a) Any school district offering

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advanced placement courses to students shall notify parents of their availability and the

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guidelines the school district uses in determining which students may be eligible to enroll in an

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advanced placement course.

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     (b) Any school district offering advanced placement courses to students shall publish on

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the school district’s website the names of the advanced placement courses being offered to

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students and the guidelines the school district uses in determining which students may be eligible

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to enroll in an advanced placement course.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01407

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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          This act would amend Title 16 (“Education”) by adding a new chapter 93 designed to

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promote access to advanced placement courses for all students in Rhode Island public high

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schools.

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      This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01407

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