2014 -- H 7495

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LC003503

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MAYORAL ACADEMIES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Blazejewski, Tanzi, Ajello, Valencia, and Walsh

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2014

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-77.4 of the General Laws entitled "Mayoral Academies" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     16-77.4-3.1. Legislative findings. – (a) It is the intention of the general assembly, in

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enacting this legislation, to ensure that all eligible public school students have equal access and

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equal opportunity to attend mayoral academies.

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     (b) The department of education, public school districts, and mayoral academies shall

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develop policies and procedures to allow all students attending public schools in districts

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containing students eligible to attend a mayoral academy ("eligible public school students") to be

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eligible for a random lottery to attend the mayoral academy.

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     (c) In selecting students for enrollment in a mayoral academy, said mayoral academies

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shall make randomized offers to public school students utilizing a confidential process set forth

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herein.

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     (d) The department of education and public schools shall coordinate with the mayoral

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academy so that all eligible public school students are assigned a number, and the mayoral

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academy shall select eligible public school students according to numbers. The name and identity

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of the students shall not be provided to the mayoral academy. The mayoral academy shall utilize

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a process that randomly selects eligible public school students, and inform the applicable public

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school of the selection. The mayoral academy shall issue invitations to said students to enroll in

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the mayoral academy, and these invitations shall be forwarded to the public school, which school

 

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shall then forward the invitations to the students. A student may choose to accept the offer, or

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reject said invitation. In the event a student rejects the invitation to enroll, another student shall be

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selected utilizing the same process, until all available slots for students are filled; provided, that

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mayoral academies shall offer an equal number of enrollments to students from urban and non-

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urban communities.

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     (e) The parent and/or guardian of a student may inform the public school that they do not

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want their child considered for placement in a mayoral academy. In such event, the public school

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shall inform the mayoral academy of the parent or guardian’s decision, and said student shall not

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be included in the selection process.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MAYORAL ACADEMIES

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     This act would require mayoral academies to use a random selection process to select

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eligible public school students who would be invited to attend the mayoral academy.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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