2016 -- H 7066

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LC003420

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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 - CHARTER SCHOOLS

     

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

     Date Introduced: January 07, 2016

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-77.2-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.2 entitled "District

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Charter School [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

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amended to read as follows:

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     16-77.2-3. Process for consideration of proposed charter. -- (a) If the commissioner or

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the school committee of the district where the district charter school is to be located finds the

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proposed charter to be incomplete, further information may be requested and required. The

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commissioner shall develop regulations for amending an approved charter, consistent with the

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provisions of this chapter.

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      (b) After having received a satisfactory proposed charter, the commissioner will provide

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for a public comment period of not less than sixty (60) days, during which they will hold at least

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two (2) public hearings on the proposed charter. These hearings will be held in the district where

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the proposed district charter school is to be located. Any person may file with the committee

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and/or the commissioner comments, recommendations, and/or objections relevant to the granting

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of a charter.

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      (c) A copy of the proposed charter for a district charter school at an existing public

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school shall be provided to the collective bargaining agent for the teachers in the school district

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where the district charter school is to be located at the time that it is filed with the school

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committee of the district where the district charter school is to be located and the commissioner.

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The teachers through their collective bargaining agent shall be afforded the opportunity to present

 

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their analysis of and recommendations regarding the proposed charter to the school committee of

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the district where the district charter school is to be located and the board of regents council on

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elementary and secondary education (hereinafter the "council") prior to any determination by

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those entities. If the teachers' union objects to the proposed charter or to any provision of it, it

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shall set forth the reasons for those objections in detail. These objections and recommendations

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shall be considered and responded to by the school committee of the district where the district

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charter school is to be located and the commissioner before making any recommendation to the

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board of regents council, and by the board of regents council prior to its determination.

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      (d) The commissioner or the school committee of the district where the district charter

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school is to be located will each decide on whether or not to recommend the granting of the

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charter to the board of regents council within ninety (90) days after the conclusion of the public

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comment period.

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      (e) The commissioner or the school committee of the district where the district charter

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school is to be located may recommend to the board of regents council the granting of a revocable

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charter for a district charter school upon receiving a proposed charter.

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      (f) If the commissioner or the school committee of the district where the district charter

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school is to be located recommends the granting of the proposed charter, the matter shall be

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referred to the board of regents council for a decision on whether to grant a charter. Provided, if

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the council is asked to approve an application for a new district charter school or the expansion of

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seats in an existing district charter school, the council shall, prior to granting any such approval,

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make an affirmative finding that the proposed school or the proposed expansion shall not have a

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detrimental effect on the finances and/or the academic performance of the sending districts

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affected by the new school or the expansion. Provided further, any charter school already

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approved by the council, and any charter school seeking to expand up to, and including, its

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maximum capacity as set forth in the school's original charter which has been approved, prior to

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the effective date of this act, shall not be limited or prohibited by this section. The board of

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regents council may grant a charter for a period of up to five (5) years. The decision of the board

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of regents council, complete with reasons and conditions, shall be made available to the public

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and to the applicant. Charter public school approval for establishment or continuation shall be for

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up to a five (5) year period. At the conclusion of each five (5) year period, the board of regents

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council may conduct a subsequent review of the district charter school's charter. If the board of

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regents council does not conduct such a review, the charter shall renew for another five (5) year

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period. The commissioner, with approval of the board of regents council, shall promulgate rules

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and regulations for these five (5) year reviews.

 

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      (g) The commissioner, with the approval of the board of regents council, may grant a

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variance to any provision of title 16 other than those enumerated in section 16-77.1, and to any

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department of education regulation and to any school district regulation which does not affect the

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health and safety or civil rights of pupils in district charter schools.

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      (h) All proposed charters shall be matters of public record and will be provided to

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members of the public upon request.

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     SECTION 2. Section 16-77.3-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.3 entitled

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"Independent Charter Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education

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Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-77.3-3. Process for consideration of proposed charter. -- (a) If the commissioner

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finds the proposed charter to be incomplete, further information may be requested and required.

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The commissioner shall develop regulations for amending an approved charter, consistent with

13

the provisions of this chapter.

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      (b) After having received a satisfactory proposed charter, the commissioner will provide

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for a public comment period of not less than sixty (60) days, during which they will hold at least

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two (2) public hearings on the proposed charter. These hearings will be held in the district where

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the proposed independent charter school is to be located. Any person may file with the

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commissioner comments, recommendations, and/or objections relevant to the granting of a

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charter.

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      (c) The commissioner will decide on whether or not to recommend the granting of the

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charter to the board of regents council on elementary and secondary education (hereinafter the

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"council") within ninety (90) days after the conclusion of the public comment period.

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      (d) If the commissioner recommends the granting of the proposed charter, the matter

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shall be referred to the board of regents council for a decision on whether to grant a revocable

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charter. Provided, if the council is asked to approve an application for a new independent charter

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school or the expansion of seats in an existing independent charter school, the council shall, prior

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to granting any such approval, make an affirmative finding that the proposed school or the

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proposed expansion shall not have a detrimental effect on the finances and/or the academic

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performance of the sending districts affected by the new school or the expansion. Provided

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further, any independent charter school already approved by the council, and any independent

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charter school seeking to expand up, to and including, its maximum capacity as set forth in the

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school's original charter which has been approved, prior to the effective date of this act, shall not

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be limited or prohibited by this section. The board of regents council may grant a charter for a

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period of up to five (5) years. The decision of the board of regents council, complete with reasons

 

LC003420 - Page 3 of 6

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and conditions, shall be made available to the public and to the applicant. Charter public school

2

approval for establishment or continuation shall be for up to a five (5) year period. At the

3

conclusion of each five (5) year period, the board of regents council may conduct a subsequent

4

review of the independent charter school's charter. If the board of regents council does not

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conduct such a review, the charter shall renew for another five (5) year period. The

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commissioner, with approval of the board of regents council, shall promulgate rules and

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regulations for these five (5) year reviews.

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      (e) The commissioner, with the approval of the board of regents council, may grant a

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variance to any provision of title 16 other than those enumerated in § 16-77.3-7 and to any

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department of education regulation and to any school district regulation which does not affect the

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health and safety or civil rights of pupils in independent charter schools.

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      (f) All proposed charters shall be matters of public record and will be provided to

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members of the public upon request.

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     SECTION 3. Section 16-77.4-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.4 entitled

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

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-77.4-3. Process for consideration of proposed charter. -- (a) If the commissioner

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finds the proposed charter to be incomplete, further information may be requested and required.

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The commissioner shall develop regulations for amending an approved charter, consistent with

20

the provisions of this chapter.

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      (b) After having received a satisfactory proposed charter, the commissioner will provide

22

for a public comment period of not less than sixty (60) days, during which they will hold at least

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two (2) public hearings on the proposed charter. These hearings will be held in the district where

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the proposed mayoral academy is to be located. Any person may file with the committee and/or

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the commissioner comments, recommendations, and/or objections relevant to the granting of a

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charter.

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      (c) The commissioner will decide whether to recommend the granting of the charter to

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the board of regents council on elementary and secondary education (hereinafter the "council")

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within ninety (90) days after the conclusion of the public comment period.

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      (d) If the commissioner recommends the granting of the proposed charter, the matter

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shall be referred to the board of regents council for a decision on whether to grant a charter.

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Provided, if the council is asked to approve an application for a new mayoral academy or the

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expansion of seats in an existing mayoral academy, the council shall, prior to granting any such

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approval, make an affirmative finding that the proposed school or the proposed expansion shall

 

LC003420 - Page 4 of 6

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not have a detrimental effect on the finances and/or the academic performance of the sending

2

districts affected by the new school or the expansion. Provided further, any mayoral academy

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already approved by the council, and any mayoral academy seeking to expand up to, and

4

including, its maximum capacity as set forth in the school's original charter which has been

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approved, prior to the effective date of this act, shall not be limited or prohibited by this section.

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     The board of regents council may grant a charter for a period of up to five (5) years. The

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decision of the board of regents council, complete with reasons and conditions, shall be made

8

available to the public and to the applicant. Charter public school approval for establishment or

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continuation shall be for up to a five (5) year period. At the conclusion of each five (5) year

10

period, the board of regents council may conduct a subsequent review of the mayoral academy's

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charter. If the board of regents council does not conduct such a review, the charter shall renew for

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another five (5) year period. The commissioner, with approval of the board of regents council,

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shall promulgate rules and regulations for these five (5) year reviews.

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      (e) The commissioner, with the approval of the board of regents council, may grant a

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variance to any provision of title 16 other than those enumerated in § 16-77.4-7 and to any

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department of education regulation and to any school district regulation which does not affect the

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health and safety or civil rights of pupils in a mayoral academy.

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      (f) All proposed charters shall be matters of public record and will be provided to

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members of the public upon request.

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     SECTION 4. 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 - CHARTER SCHOOLS

***

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     This act would require the council on elementary and secondary education, prior to

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granting approval for either a new charter school, mayoral academy, or the expansion of an

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existing charter school, mayoral academy, to first make an affirmative finding that the proposed

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school or the proposed expansion would not have a detrimental effect on the finances and/or the

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academic performance of the sending districts affected by the new school or the expansion.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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