2016 -- H 7055

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LC003240

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

     Introduced By: Representatives Lombardi, Amore, Regunberg, Handy, and Tanzi

     Date Introduced: January 07, 2016

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-96 of the General Laws entitled "The College and Career

Success for All Students Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-96-4.1. Professional development related to reading disabilities. – (a) The

department of education shall provide professional development opportunities related to reading

disabilities, including dyslexia, to school district personnel. The professional development shall

be made available to general education, special education, basic skills and English as a second

language teachers, instruction support staff, administrators, supervisors, child study team

members, and speech-language specialists. The professional development opportunities shall be

designed to account for the various manners in which different school district personnel interact

with, or develop instructional programs for, students with reading disabilities.

     (b) The Rhode Island board of education shall require certain teaching staff members to

annually complete at least two (2) hours of professional development instruction on the screening,

intervention, accommodation, and use of technology for students with reading disabilities,

including dyslexia. The professional development requirement shall apply to general education

teachers employed in grades kindergarten through grade three (3), special education, basic skills,

and English as a second language teachers, reading specialists, learning disabilities teacher

consultants, and speech-language specialists. The board of education may make the professional

development opportunities available to other instruction or support staff as the board deems

appropriate.

     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 - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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     This act would provide for professional development opportunities relating to reading

disabilities and would require two (2) hours of professional development instruction pertaining to

reading disabilities for certain general education teachers.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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