2016 -- H 8268

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LC006081

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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

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Diaz, Tobon, Bennett, and Amore

     Date Introduced: May 27, 2016

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.2-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.2 entitled "The

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Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-7.2-6. Categorical programs, state funded expenses. -- In addition to the foundation

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education aid provided pursuant to § 16-7.2-3 the permanent foundation education aid program

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shall provide direct state funding for:

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      (a) Excess Extraordinary costs associated with special education students. - Excess costs

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are defined when an individual special education student's cost shall be deemed to be

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"extraordinary." Extraordinary costs are those educational costs that exceed the state approved

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threshold based on an amount above greater than five (5) times the core foundation amount (total

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of core instruction amount plus student success amount). Effective fiscal year 2018, the approved

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threshold shall be based on an amount greater than four (4) times the core foundation amount.

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The department of elementary and secondary education shall prorate the funds available for

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distribution among those eligible school districts if the total approved costs for which school

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districts are seeking reimbursement exceed the amount of funding appropriated in any fiscal year;

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      (b) Career and technical education costs to help meet initial investment requirements

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needed to transform existing or create new comprehensive career and technical education

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programs and career pathways in critical and emerging industries and to help offset the higher

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than average costs associated with facilities, equipment maintenance and repair, and supplies

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necessary for maintaining the quality of highly specialized programs that are a priority for the

 

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state. The department shall recommend develop criteria for the purpose of allocating any and all

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career and technical education funds as may be determined by the general assembly on an annual

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basis, in accordance with §§16-53-3(a)(4) and 16-53-3(a)(5). The department of elementary and

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secondary education shall prorate the funds available for distribution among those eligible school

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districts if the total approved costs for which school districts are seeking reimbursement exceed

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the amount of funding available in any fiscal year;

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     (c) Beginning in FY 2017, in the event the Rhode Island board of trustees on career and

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technical education established pursuant to chapter 45.1 of title 16 assumes the care, management

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and responsibility of a career and technical school pursuant to §16-53-3, said school shall be

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eligible for up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) per year in additional state aid. The maximum

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amount of funding appropriated for this additional aid shall not exceed two million dollars

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($2,000,000) in any fiscal year.

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      (c)(d) Programs to increase access to voluntary, free, high-quality pre-kindergarten

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programs. The department shall recommend criteria for the purpose of allocating any and all early

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childhood program funds as may be determined by the general assembly;

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      (d)(e) Central Falls, Davies, and the Met Center Stabilization Fund is established to

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assure that appropriate funding is available to support the community, including their students.

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Additional support for Central Falls is needed from the community that attend the charter schools,

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Davies, and the Met Center pursuant to § 16-7.2-5, due to concerns regarding the city's capacity

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to meet the local share of education costs. This fund requires that education aid calculated

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pursuant to § 16-7.2-3 and funding for costs outside the permanent foundation education aid

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formula, including but not limited to transportation, facility maintenance, and retiree health

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benefits shall be shared between the state and the city of Central Falls. The fund shall be annually

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reviewed to determine the amount of the state and city appropriation. The state's share of this

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fund may be supported through a reallocation of current state appropriations to the Central Falls

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school district. At the end of the transition period defined in § 16-7.2-7, the municipality will

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continue its contribution pursuant to § 16-7-24 Additional support for the Davies and the Met

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Center is needed due to the costs associated with running a stand-alone high school offering both

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academic, career, and technical coursework. The department shall recommend criteria for the

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purpose of allocating any and all stabilization funds as may be determined by the general

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assembly; and

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      (e)(f) Excess costs associated with transporting students to out of district non-public

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schools and within regional school districts. (1) This fund will provide state funding for the costs

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associated with transporting students to out of district non-public schools, pursuant to title 16,

 

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Chapter 21.1. The state will assume the costs of non-public out-of-district transportation for those

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districts participating in the statewide system; and (2) This fund will provide direct state funding

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for the excess costs associated with transporting students within regional school districts,

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established pursuant to title 16, chapter 3. This fund requires that the state and regional school

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district share equally the student transportation costs net any federal sources of revenue for these

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expenditures. The department of elementary and secondary education shall prorate the funds

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available for distribution among those eligible school districts if the total approved costs for

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which school districts are seeking reimbursement exceed the amount of funding available in any

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fiscal year.

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      (f)(g) Public school districts that are regionalized shall be eligible for a regionalization

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bonus as set forth below.

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      (1) As used herein, the term "regionalized" shall be deemed to refer to a regional school

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district established under the provisions of chapter 16-3 including the Chariho Regional School

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district.

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      (2) For those districts that are regionalized as of July 1, 2010, the regionalization bonus

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shall commence in FY 2012. For those districts that regionalize after July 1, 2010, the

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regionalization bonus shall commence in the first fiscal year following the establishment of a

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regionalized school district as set forth section 16-3, including the Chariho Regional School

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District.

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      (3) The regionalization bonus in the first fiscal year shall be two percent (2.0%) of the

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state's share of the foundation education aid for the regionalized district as calculated pursuant to

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§§ 16-7.2-3 and 16-7.2-4 in that fiscal year.

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      (4) The regionalization bonus in the second fiscal year shall be one percent (1.0%) of the

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state's share of the foundation education aid for the regionalized district as calculated pursuant to

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§§ 16-7.2-3 and 16-7.2-4 in that fiscal year.

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      (5) The regionalization bonus shall cease in the third fiscal year.

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      (6) The regionalization bonus for the Chariho regional school district shall be applied to

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the state share of the permanent foundation education aid for the member towns.

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      (7) The department of elementary and secondary education shall prorate the funds

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available for distribution among those eligible regionalized school districts if the total approve

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costs for which regionalized school districts are seeking a regionalization bonus exceed the

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amount of funding appropriated in any fiscal year.

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     (h) Costs associated with English learners (EL). - The amount of support for EL students

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shall be determined by multiplying an EL factor of ten percent (10%) by the core instruction per

 

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pupil amount defined in §16-7.2-3 and applying that amount to EL students identified using

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widely adopted, independent standards and assessments as determined by the commissioner. All

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categorical funds distributed pursuant to this subsection must be used to provide high-quality,

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research-based services to EL students and managed in accordance with requirements set forth by

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the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. The department of elementary and

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secondary education shall prorate the funds available for distribution among eligible recipients if

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the total calculated costs exceed the amount of funding available in any fiscal year.

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      (g)(i) Categorical programs defined in (a) through (f) shall be funded pursuant to the

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transition plan in § 16-7.2-7.

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     SECTION 2. Section 16-53-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-53 entitled "Rhode

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Island State Advisory Council for Technical Vocational Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The

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Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-53-3. Duties and responsibilities. -- (a) The board of trustees shall:

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      (1) Advise the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and the board of

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education on the development of a biannual state plan for career and technical education;

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      (2) Advise the commissioner of elementary and secondary education so that he/she may

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make reports to the governor, the business community, and general public of the state,

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concerning:

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      (i) Policies the state should pursue to strengthen career and technical education;

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      (ii) Initiatives and methods the private sector could undertake to assist in the

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modernization of career and technical education programs;

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      (iii) The distribution of spending for career and technical education in the state and on

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the availability of career and technical education activities and services within the state; and

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      (3) Furnish consultation to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and

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the board of education on the evaluation criteria and processes for career and technical education

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programs within the state as they pertain to:

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      (i) The establishment, continuation, and discontinuation of career preparation programs;

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      (ii) Incentives that promote and reward program excellence on the basis of performance;

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      (iii) Incentives that emphasize the needs of business and labor organizations;

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      (iv) Instructor preparation and qualifications in the areas of industry credentialing,

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development opportunities, and relevant field-based experiences;

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      (v) The integration of academic and technical instruction and skill attainment in career

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preparation programs; and

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      (vi) The management and distribution of state funding allocated for the express purpose

 

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of establishing or improving career preparation program model sites.

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      (4) Provide advice and consent on the policy principles, and goals and programs that

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govern the distribution of financial assistance furnished under this chapter, particularly with the

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analysis of the distribution of financial assistance between secondary career and technical

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education programs and postsecondary career and technical education programs;

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     (5) Provide advice and consent on the allocation of any and all career and technical

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education funds that may be appropriated by the general assembly on an annual basis pursuant to

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§16-7.2-6(b).

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      (5)(6) Report annually to the board of education on topics that include:

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      (i) Recommended procedures to ensure and enhance the participation of the public in the

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provision of career and technical education at the local level within the state, particularly the

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participation of local employers and local labor organizations; and

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      (ii) The extent to which the individuals described in former § 201(b) of United States

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Public Law 98-524, 20 U.S.C. § 2331(b), are provided with equal access to quality career and

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technical education programs;

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      (6)(7) Furnish consultation to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education

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to evaluate, at least once every two (2) years, the career and technical education program delivery

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systems assisted under this chapter, and make recommendations to stakeholders on the adequacy

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and effectiveness of the coordination between career and technical education and the workforce

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demands of the Rhode Island economy and post-secondary workforce development;

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      (7)(8) Comply with all federal statutes, requirements, regulations, and guidelines, and in

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particular, United States Public Law 98-524 and any amendments to it;

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      (8)(9) Establish, support, and expand private-sector participation programs that enhance

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career and technical education at the local level within the state, particularly the participation of

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local employers and local labor organizations in providing funding, equipment, training,

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apprenticeships, work-study programs, and other services that will enhance student experiences.

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      (9)(10) [Effective January 1, 2016.]Subject to the approval of the board of education,

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assume management and jurisdiction of state-owned-and-operated career and technical schools, at

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the request of the governing body of the school with a consultation from the executive director of

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the state-owned school, and assume management of such other career and technical schools as

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agreed to by local education districts and with a recommendation from the superintendent of

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schools.

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      (b) [Effective January 1, 2016.]In the event that the governing board of a state-owned-

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and-operated career and technical school, or a local education agency in accordance with § 16-53-

 

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3(a)(8)§16-53-3, requests the board of trustees to assume management and jurisdiction of its

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career and technical school, then the board of education may shall assign the care management

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and responsibility of career and technical facilities to the board of trustees for the express purpose

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of providing coordinated career and technical educational services. Prior to the assignment of the

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care, management, and responsibility of the school, the trustees shall prepare a plan that shall

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examine and make recommendations over the:

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      (1) Management of the career and technical school, including, but not limited to:

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      (i) Including how the conversion from a separate school facility to a statewide system

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will impact:

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      (A) Personnel;

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      (B) Labor agreements, including existing, collective bargaining agreements;

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      (C) Contractual obligations outside of labor agreements;

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      (D) Management structure;

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      (E) Program offerings;

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      (F) Admission policies;

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      (G) Facilities; and

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      (H) Other items as requested by RIDE or the board of education.

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      (2) Management of other state-owned facilities for the sole purpose of offering career

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and technical programs; and

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      (3) Method of assuming ownership and management of career and technical facilities

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within the state that were transferred, including the integration of programs, curriculum,

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offerings, and the relationship of matching academic requirements to career and technical

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education to enhance student outcomes.

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      (c) [Effective January 1, 2016.]In the event the board of trustees assumes responsibility

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pursuant to § 16-53-3(b) §16-53-3, the board of trustees shall act with the same authority as a

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local school committee.

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      (d) [Effective January 1, 2016.]In the event the board of trustees assumes responsibility

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pursuant to § 16-53-3(a)(8) §16-53-3, the board of trustees shall recognize the collective

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bargaining representatives of all affected employees in each collective bargaining unit and shall

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recognize the collective bargaining agreements in effect for all affected employees.

 

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     SECTION 3. 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

***

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     This act would increase the authority of the board of trustees on career and technical

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education over career and technical education schools while modifying the formula for state

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financial aid to them.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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