2015 -- S 0403

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LC001610

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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 - CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS

     Introduced By: Senators Pichardo, Satchell, Metts, Nesselbush, and Lynch

     Date Introduced: February 25, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-11-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-11 entitled

"Certification of Teachers [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board Of Education

Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-11-1. Certification of public school teachers required -- Deductions from state aid

for noncompliance. -- Certification of public school teachers required -- Deductions from

state aid for noncompliance – Substitute teachers. – (a) No person shall be employed to teach,

as principal or assistant, in any school supported wholly or in part by public money unless the

person shall have a certificate of qualification issued by or under the authority of the board of

regents for elementary and secondary education. Provided, however, that any person who is

employed as a part time speech and language pathologist at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf,

for a period of not less than ten (10) years prior to July 11, 1990, shall not be required to have a

certificate of qualification, and shall be exempt from the provisions of this section which require

the certificate. In case any city or town shall pay or cause to be paid any of the public money to

any person for teaching who did not, at the time of teaching, hold a certificate, except as provided

in subsection (b) of this section, then the department of elementary and secondary education shall

deduct a sum equal to the amount so paid from the amount of the state's money due, or which

may thereafter become due, to the city or town, before giving his or her order in favor of the city

or town for any of the public money under the provisions of §§ 16-1-10, 16-1-11, and 16-5-22.

     (b) An individual with two (2) or more years of a college education may serve as a

substitute teacher in that individual's subject of concentration or a closely related subject for no

more than forty (40) teaching days in any one teaching assignment during a school year,

regardless of whether the teaching days are consecutive or non-consecutive. The commissioner of

elementary and secondary education may extend this forty (40) day limitation for reasons such as

the appropriate training of the substitute teacher.

     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 - CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS

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     This act would allow individuals with two (2) or more years of a college education to

serve as substitute teachers in their field of concentration or a closely related field for no more

than forty (40) teaching days in any one assignment during a school year, whether the teaching

days are consecutive or non-consecutive. The commissioner of elementary and secondary

education would be authorized to extend this forty (40) day limitation for appropriate training.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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