2013 -- S 0812

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LC02148

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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 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Miller, Satchell, Crowley, and Kettle

     Date Introduced: April 04, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Legislative findings and direction. The general assembly hereby finds and

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declares as follows:

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     (1) The Rhode Island general assembly recognizes that progress has been made in

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helping students transfer credits between and across the three (3) state public post-secondary

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institutions of higher education, including the community college of Rhode Island, Rhode Island

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college, and the University of Rhode Island; and

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     (2) The general assembly also recognizes that the new website www.ritransfers.org

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further illustrates that many programs and course transfer and articulation agreements are already

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in place; and

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     (3) Directs the office of higher education to develop and implement a promotional

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campaign designed to make the information and tools available at Rhode Island transfers known

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to high school students, guidance counselors, college students, college personnel, families and

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interested citizens and continue to develop Rhode Island transfers with additional tools that will

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enable students to have the information needed for planning to meet their educational goals

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through transfer.

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     (3)(4) The board of education and/or the board of governors for higher education,

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whichever is in existence or if both are inexistence, then working jointly, shall identify existing

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barriers to transferring courses between and amongst the three (3) public post-secondary

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institutions of higher education in the state and remove such barriers when and where possible so

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as to increase the number of transferrable courses and credits and to facilitate greater ease for

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students in transferring credits between and across the said state public post-secondary

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institutions of higher education. The board of education and/or the board of governors for higher

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education, shall first report the progress of this initiative to the speaker of the house and the

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president of the senate on or before March 1, 2014, and continuing annually thereafter on or

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before March 1.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 16-97 of the General Laws entitled "The Rhode Island Board of

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Education Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     16-97-7. Best practice replication. -- The board shall require all two (2) and four (4)

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year public higher education institutions to replicate best practices in remediation and to identify

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and reduce the use of methods which have been found to be ineffective in preparing or retaining

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students or which have been found to delay students from enrollment in college-level courses.

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     In identifying and establishing the best practices in remediation to ensure that all students

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complete post-secondary higher education level work that will lead to a post-secondary credential

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of value, the board shall consider and be guided by the following principles:

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     (1) Completion of a set of gateway courses for a program of study is a critical measure of

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success toward post-secondary higher education completion;

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     (2) The content in required gateway courses should align with a student’s academic

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program of study, particularly, but not limited, in the area of mathematics;

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     (3) Enrollment in a gateway college-level course should be the default placement for

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many more students than is current practice;

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     (4) Additional academic support should be integrated with a gateway college-level course

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content as a co-requisite, and not as a prerequisite;

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     (5) Students who are significantly underprepared for college-level academic work require

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accelerated routes into programs of study;

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     (6) Multiple measures should be used to provide guidance in the placement of students in

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gateway courses and programs of study; and

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     (7) Students should enter a meta-major when they enroll in a public post-secondary

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institution of higher education and start a program of study in their first year, in order to

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maximize their prospects of earning a degree from a public post-secondary institution of higher

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education.

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     (8) Provided, that the general assembly recognizes the value of academic freedom,

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classroom creativity, and the need for flexibility in working with students. Nothing herein shall

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be construed to prevent or impair teachers from exercising such academic freedom, classroom

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creativity, or flexibility in their work with students.

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     16-97-8. Reverse transfer policy. -- (a) The board of education in consultation with the

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department of higher education shall develop a common core of general education courses which

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shall be accepted at the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the

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University of Rhode Island so as to prohibit institutions from requiring students to complete the

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same courses or their equivalent twice.

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     (b) The board is empowered and directed to develop a statewide policy to foster reverse

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transfers which would enable a student who has accumulated sufficient hours in combination

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from multiple public institutions authorized to grant an associate degree to be awarded an

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associate degree based on the completion of said hours without any adverse impact on the

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transferring student.

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     16-97-9. Progress reporting. -- The board shall include in its annual report to the

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governor and general assembly all campus-level data on student persistence and progress toward

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implementing revised remediation, transfer, and retention practices, and the feasibility of

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establishing a transferable general education program or a common educational program for all

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public post-secondary institutions of higher education.

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     16-97-10 Joint admissions agreement. -- The general assembly directs the office of

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higher education in conjunction with the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island

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College, and the University of Rhode Island to provide a joint admissions agreement designed to

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provide more education options for students. Further, the office of higher education is required to

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develop and implement a plan to promote the joint admissions agreement to current students of

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the Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island high school students, guidance

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counselors and families.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02148

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT

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     This act would require the Rhode Island board of education to implement practices

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designed to improve coordination between the state's institutions of higher learning. The act

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would set forth principles for best practices to be followed, as well as rules with regard to the

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transfer of students.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02148

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