2015 -- H 6105

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LC002489

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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 -- MAYORAL ACADEMIES

     Introduced By: Representatives O`Grady, Fogarty, Amore, Regunberg, and O'Brien

     Date Introduced: April 17, 2015

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-77.4-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.4 entitled

"Mayoral Academies [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is

hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-77.4-5. Budgets and funding. -- (a) It is the intent of the general assembly that

funding pursuant to this chapter shall be neither a financial incentive nor a financial disincentive

to the establishment of a mayoral academy. Funding for each mayoral academy shall consist of

state revenue and municipal or district revenue in the same proportions that funding is provided

for other schools within the sending school district(s).

      (b) The amount of funding which shall be allocated to the mayoral academy by the

sending school district(s) shall be equal to a percentage of the total budgeted expenses of the

sending school district(s) which is determined by dividing the number of students enrolled in the

mayoral academy by the total resident average daily number of students in the sending school

district(s).

      (c)(1) Funding additional to that authorized from the sending school district(s) by

subsection (b) may be allocated to the mayoral academy from the sending school district(s) to the

extent that the combined percentage of students eligible for free or reduced cost lunch, students

with limited English proficiency, and students requiring special education exceed the combined

percentage of those students in the sending school district(s) as a whole. The commissioner shall

promulgate rules and regulations consistent with this section regarding the allocation of funds

from sending school districts to mayoral academies.

     (2) Funding levels below those authorized from the sending school district(s) provided

for under subsection (b) of this section may be allocated to the mayoral academy from the

sending school district(s) to the extent that the combined percentage of students eligible for free

or reduced cost lunch, students with limited English proficiency, and students requiring special

education at the mayoral academy in question is less than the combined percentage of those

students in the sending school district(s) as a whole. The commissioner shall promulgate rules

and regulations consistent with this section regarding the allocation of funds from sending school

district(s) to mayoral academies.

      (d) A mayoral academy shall be eligible to receive other aids, grants, Medicaid revenue,

and other revenue according to Rhode Island law, as though it were a school district. Federal aid

received by the state shall be used to benefit students in a mayoral academy, if the school

qualifies for the aid, as though it were a school district.

      (e) A mayoral academy may negotiate and contract directly with third parties for the

purchase of books, instructional materials, and any other goods and services which are not being

provided by the sending school district(s) pursuant to the charter.

      (f) Any career/technical charter public school enrolling special education students from

outside school districts with verifiable individual education program (IEP) designations shall

receive from the sending school district(s) the average per pupil special education cost of the

sending district(s), in accordance with standards established by the Rhode Island department of

elementary and secondary education.

     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 modify the funding levels for mayoral academies in the event that the

combined percentage of students eligible for free or reduced cost lunch, students with limited

English proficiency, and students requiring special education attending the mayoral academy in

question is less than the combined percentage of those students in the sending school district as a

whole.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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