2014 -- S 2208 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 - FUNDING OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

     Introduced By: Senators Doyle, Nesselbush, and DiPalma

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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

     16-77.1-5. Facilities support for charter public schools. – (a) A public school district

or districts District charter schools, as defined in § 16-77-2.1(1) and independent charter schools

as defined in § 16-77-2.1(2) may access apply on the basis of a demonstrated need for state aid

for reimbursement of school housing costs for district sponsored charter public schools pursuant

to sections 16-7-35 through 16-7-47. Effective July 1, 2014, the state aid for district charter or

independent charter school housing costs shall be calculated annually using a three (3) year

weighted average of the state aid percentages calculated pursuant to § 16-7-39 for the

communities sending students to the district charter or independent charter school on the basis of

the reference year as defined in § 16-7-36(4). However, if the three (3) year weighted average

described above exceeds the percentage of school housing costs reimbursed with state aid for the

municipality where the district charter or independent charter public school is located, then the

percentage of a district charter or independent charter school's housing costs reimbursed with

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

municipality where the district charter or independent charter school is located. This provision

shall apply only to school housing projects completed after May 1, 2015. Before a district charter

or independent charter school becomes eligible to access state aid for reimbursement of school

housing costs, it must first certify to the Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary

education that it has attempted to utilize vacant school property within the municipality where the

district charter or independent charter school is located, or within a reasonable distance

therefrom, and that the use of such property would not be possible or practicable for the district

charter or independent charter school.

     (b) Public charter schools not sponsored by a public school district or districts Mayoral

academies, as defined in § 16-77-2.1(3), may apply for thirty percent (30%) reimbursement of

school housing cost on the basis of demonstrated need.

     (c) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall

promulgate regulations to implement this section subsections (a) and (b) of this section consistent

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

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

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

     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 - FUNDING OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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     This act would provide that the percentage of school housing costs for district and

independent charter schools reimbursed with state aid would be based on the average of the state

aid provided to the communities sending students to the district or independent charter school,

and such aid is not greater than the percentage of school housing costs reimbursed with state aid

for the municipality where the district or independent charter school is located. The act would

also provide that before a district or independent charter school would be eligible to access such

state aid for reimbursement, the school would need to certify that it had first attempted to utilize

vacant school property within the municipality where or within a reasonable distance from the

district or independent charter school is located.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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