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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     (1) That the student is significantly below proficient;

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

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

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

assessment requirement including the local waiver and appeal process; and

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

assessment administration protocols.

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

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

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

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

model notification on its website.

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

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

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

following information and analysis:

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

English language learner, and students with individualized education plans;

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

the state assessment and a corresponding plan for corrective action;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

programs for supplementary literacy instruction for educationally disadvantaged students in

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

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

secondary education:

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

      (2) Programs shall have performance objectives evaluated annually;

      (3) Programs must provide supplementary services;

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

education; and

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

the department of elementary and secondary education.; and

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

     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

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

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

students.

     This act would take effect on July 1, 2014.

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