2013 -- S 0191 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC00570/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - FUNDING OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

     Introduced By: Senators Doyle, Nesselbush, and DiPalma

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-77.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.1 entitled

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"Funding of Charter Public Schools" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-77.1-5. Facilities support for charter public schools. -- A charter public school

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district or districts may access state aid for reimbursement of school housing costs for district

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sponsored charter public schools pursuant to sections 16-7-35 through 16-7-47. Effective July 1,

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2013, the percentage of a charter public school's housing costs reimbursed with state aid shall be

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equal to the percentage of school housing costs reimbursed with state aid for the municipality

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where the charter public school is located. This provision shall apply only to school housing

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projects completed after June 30, 2013. Public charter schools not sponsored by a public school

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district or districts may apply for thirty percent (30%) reimbursement of school housing cost on

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the basis of demonstrated need. Before a charter public school becomes eligible to access state aid

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for reimbursement of school housing costs, it must first certify to the Rhode Island department of

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elementary and secondary education that it has attempted to utilize vacant school property within

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the municipality where the charter public school is located, and that the use of such property

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would not be possible or practicable for the charter public school. The Rhode Island department

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of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate regulations to implement this section

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consistent with the purposes and procedures of the existing school housing aid program pursuant

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to sections 16-7-35 through 16-7-47. For purposes of this section only, "facilities support, the

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urban collaborative accelerated program" will be defined as a charter school.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00570/SUB A

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - FUNDING OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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     This act would provide that the percentage of a charter public school's housing costs

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reimbursed with state aid would be equal to the percentage of school housing costs reimbursed

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with state aid for the municipality where the charter public school is located. The act would also

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provide that before a charter public school would be eligible to access such state aid for

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reimbursement, the school would need to certify that it had first attempted to utilize vacant school

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property within the municipality where the charter public school is located.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00570/SUB A

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