2015 -- S 0314

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LC001274

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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 -- FUNDING OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Doyle, DiPalma, and Nesselbush

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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"Funding of Charter Public Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

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Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

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district or districts may access apply on the basis of a demonstrated need for state aid for

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

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§§ 16-7-35 through 16-7-47. Effective July 1, 2015, the state aid for charter public school housing

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costs shall be calculated annually using a three (3) year weighted average of the state aid

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percentages calculated pursuant to § 16-7-39 for the communities sending students to the charter

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public school on the basis of the reference years as defined in § 16-7-36(4). However, if the three

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(3) year weighted average described above exceeds the percentage of school housing costs

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reimbursed with state aid for the municipality where the charter public school is located, then the

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percentage of a charter public school's housing costs reimbursed with state aid shall be equal to

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the percentage of school housing costs reimbursed with state aid for the municipality where the

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charter public school is located. This provision shall apply only to school housing projects

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completed after June 30, 2015. Before a charter public school becomes eligible to access state aid

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for reimbursement of school housing costs, it must first certify to the Rhode Island department of

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elementary and secondary education that it has attempted to utilize vacant school property within

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the municipality where the charter public school is located, and that the use of such property

 

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would not be possible or practicable for the charter public school. Public charter schools not

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sponsored by a public school district or districts may apply for thirty percent (30%)

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reimbursement of school housing cost on the basis of demonstrated need. The Rhode Island

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department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate regulations to implement

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this section consistent with the purposes and procedures of the existing school housing aid

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program pursuant to §§ 16-7-35 through 16-7-47. For purposes of this section only, "facilities

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support, the urban collaborative accelerated program" will be defined as a charter school.

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

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promulgate regulations to implement subsection (a) of this section consistent with the purposes

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and procedures of the existing school housing aid program pursuant to §§ 16-7-35 through 16-7-

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47.

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     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 amend the provisions by which charter public schools apply for state aid

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for reimbursement of school housing costs and would further amend the calculation method of

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housing costs under this section.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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