2014 -- S 2185 SUBSTITUTE A

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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 - THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT

INVESTMENT INITIATIVE - NOTICE PROVISIONS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Metts, Crowley, Pichardo, Jabour, and Satchell

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-7.1 of the General Laws entitled "The Paul W. Crowley Rhode

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Island Student Investment Initiative [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

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

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     16-7.1-13.1. Model notice; Notice; Reporting. -- (a) The department of education shall

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provide a model notice for all school districts to provide to parents and/or guardians of secondary

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students identified as academically at risk on any state assessment. Said notice shall be clear,

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concise and use lay person terminology. The model notice shall include the following:

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     (1) That the student is significantly below proficient;

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     (2) The support and intervention options available at the school;

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     (3) For juniors and seniors who have yet to meet any state assessment requirement for

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graduation from high school, the opportunities and process to successfully meet any state

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assessment requirement including the local waiver and appeal process; and

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     (4) Notice that students may be eligible for testing accommodations under the state

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assessment administration protocols.

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     (b) If a secondary student performs significantly below proficient on a state assessment,

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the school district shall provide the parents or guardians with a copy of the model notification

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containing the appropriate information as identified in subsection (a).

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     (c) The department of elementary and secondary education shall make available the

 

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model notification on its website.

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     (d) Beginning two (2) months after the receipt of the results of a new state assessment

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and annually thereafter, the department of education shall report to the board of education, the

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governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house a report that shall contain the

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following information and analysis:

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     (1) Aggregate student performance by grade, district, ethnicity, free and reduced lunch,

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English language learner, and students with individualized education plans;

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     (2) Identification of any systemic technical problems or issues with the administration of

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the state assessment and a corresponding plan for corrective action;

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     (3) Identification of student subpopulations with significant achievement gaps or other

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evidence of low levels of academic performance based upon the state assessment results; and

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     (4) Any other relevant information that the department deems appropriate.

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     SECTION 2. Section 16-67-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-67 entitled "Rhode

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Island Literacy and Dropout Prevention Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-67-3. Coordination with programs for special populations. -- It is required that

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programs serving special population students be coordinated with the requirements of this

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chapter. All these programs shall focus on literacy objectives to the extent appropriate for each

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special population. All coordinating efforts shall not absolve participating school districts from

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meeting all requirements of state and/or federal laws, regulations, and mandates. In particular,

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programs for supplementary literacy instruction for educationally disadvantaged students in

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kindergarten through grade twelve (12) shall meet the following criteria which shall be included

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in a plan submitted annually and reviewed and approved by the department of elementary and

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secondary education:

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      (1) Services shall be based on an annual assessment of need;

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      (2) Programs shall have performance objectives evaluated annually;

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      (3) Programs must provide supplementary services;

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      (4) Programs must be monitored by the department of elementary and secondary

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education; and

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      (5) School districts must keep records on the above and afford access to the records by

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the department of elementary and secondary education.; and

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     (6) Notice of compliance pursuant to ยง 16-7.1-13.1.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT

INVESTMENT INITIATIVE - NOTICE PROVISIONS

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     This act would require the department of elementary and secondary education to create a

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model notification for students who are identified as academically at risk on any state assessment

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and would require the school district to provide notification to the parents or guardians of said

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students.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2014.

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