2015 -- H 6049

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LC002373

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - TEACHERS' TENURE

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Hearn, McNamara, Shekarchi, and Hull

     Date Introduced: April 08, 2015

     Referred To: House Labor

     (by request)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-13-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-13 entitled "Teachers'

Tenure" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-13-4. Statement of cause for dismissal -- Hearing -- Appeals -- Arbitration. -- (a)

The statement of cause for dismissal shall be given to the teacher, in writing, by the governing

body of the schools. The teacher may, within fifteen (15) days of the notification, request, in

writing, a hearing before the full board. The hearing shall be public or private, in the discretion of

the teacher. Both teacher and school board shall be entitled to be represented by counsel and to

present witnesses. The board shall keep a complete record of the hearing and shall furnish the

teacher with a copy. Any teacher aggrieved by the decision of the school board shall have the

right of appeal to the department of elementary and secondary education and shall have the right

of further appeal to the superior court. Any decisions rendered must be approved by a majority of

the full board.

      (b) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit, or at any time to have

prohibited, a school committee in a municipality or regional school district with an elected school

committee, or the chief executive officer in a municipality with an appointed school committee

from agreeing, in a collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising out of

the nonrenewal, dismissal, and/or suspension of a teacher pursuant to §§ 16-13-2, 16-13-3, and/or

16-13-5.

     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 - TEACHERS' TENURE

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     This act would amend the law so that there no longer needs to be a full board to hold a

dismissal hearing, as requested by the teacher. However, the decision must be approved by a

majority of the full board.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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