2016 -- S 2493

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LC005175

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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 -- BOARD OF REGENTS FOR ELEMENTARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, and Crowley

     Date Introduced: February 25, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-60-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-60 entitled "Board of

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Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island

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

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     16-60-4. Council on elementary and secondary education -- Powers and duties. --

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The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education shall have in addition to those enumerated

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in § 16-60-1, the following powers and duties:

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      (1) To approve a systematic program of information gathering, processing, and analysis

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addressed to every aspect of elementary and secondary education in this state especially as that

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information relates to current and future educational needs so that current needs may be met with

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reasonable promptness and plans formulated to meet future needs as they arise in the most

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efficient and economical manner possible.

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      (2) To approve a master plan implementing the broad goals and objectives for

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elementary and secondary education in the state that have been established by the board of

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education. These goals and objectives shall be expressed in terms of what men and women should

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know and be able to do as a result of their educational experience. The council on elementary and

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secondary education shall continually evaluate the efforts and results of education in the light of

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these objectives.

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      (3) To adopt standards and require enforcement and to exercise general supervision over

 

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all elementary and secondary public and nonpublic education in the state as provided in

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subdivision (8) of this section. The council on elementary and secondary education shall not

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engage in the operation or administration of any subordinate committee, local school district,

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school, school service, or school program, except its own department of elementary and

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secondary education, and except as specifically authorized by an act of the general assembly. The

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adoption and submittal of the budget and the allocation of appropriations, the acquisition,

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holding, disposition, and general management of property shall not be construed to come within

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the purview of the preceding prohibition. The council on elementary and secondary education

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shall communicate with and seek the advice of the commissioner of elementary and secondary

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education and all those concerned with and affected by its determinations as a regular procedure

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in arriving at its conclusions and in setting its policy.

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      (4) To allocate and coordinate the various educational functions among the educational

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agencies of the state and local school districts and to promote cooperation among them so that

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maximum efficiency and economy shall be achieved.

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      (5) (i) To prepare with the assistance of the commissioner of elementary and secondary

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education and to present annually to the state budget officer, in accordance with § 35-3-4, a total

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educational budget for the elementary and secondary sector which shall include, but not be

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limited to, the budgets of the department of elementary and secondary education, subordinate

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boards and agencies, and state aid to local school districts. Prior to submitting the budget as

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required by the budget office instructions and this subsection the council shall present the budget

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to the board of education for review and approval.

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      (ii) In the preparation of the budget, the council on elementary and secondary education

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shall implement the priorities established by the board of education of expenditures for

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elementary and secondary education purposes of state revenues and other public resources made

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available for the support of public elementary and secondary education among the various

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education agencies of the state. Nothing contained in this section shall authorize any individual or

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group of individuals to reallocate resources in a manner other than that prescribed in the budget as

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appropriations by the general assembly.

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      (6) To maintain a department of elementary and secondary education, to provide for its

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staffing and organization and to appoint a commissioner of elementary and secondary education

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pursuant to § 16-60-6 who shall serve at its pleasure. The commissioner of elementary and

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secondary education and the department of elementary and secondary education shall have any

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duties and responsibilities as defined in §§ 16-60-6 and 16-60-7.

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      (7) To establish other educational agencies or subcommittees necessary or desirable for

 

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the conduct of any or all aspects of elementary and secondary education and to determine all

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powers, functions, and composition of any agencies or subcommittees and to dissolve them when

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their purpose shall have been fulfilled; provided that nothing contained in this subdivision shall

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be construed to grant the council the power to establish subcommittees or agencies performing

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the duties and functions of local school committees except as provided in § 16-1-10.

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      (8) To exercise the authority previously vested in the board of regents for education with

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relation to secondary nonpublic educational institutions within the state under the terms of

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chapter 40 of this title and other laws affecting nonpublic education in the state, and to cause the

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department of elementary and secondary education to administer the provisions of that section.

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      (9) To exercise all the functions, powers and duties which previously were vested in the

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board of regents for education, under the provisions of former § 16-49-4(9), including but not

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limited to the following specific functions:

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      (i) To approve the basic subjects and courses of study to be taught and instructional

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standards required to be maintained in the public elementary and secondary schools of the state.

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      (ii) To adopt standards and qualifications for the certification of teachers and to provide

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for the issuance of certificates, and to establish fees for the certification of teachers. The fees

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collected for the certification of teachers along with various education licensing and testing fees

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shall be deposited by the council on elementary and secondary education as general revenues.

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The funds appropriated by the general assembly shall be utilized by the department of elementary

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and secondary education to establish and support programs which enhance the quality and

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diversity of the teaching profession. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education

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shall regularly make recommendations to the board about specific programs and projects to be

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supported by those funds. The commissioner shall oversee the funds, assess the effectiveness of

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its programs and projects, and make recommendations about the general use and operation of the

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funds to the board.

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      (iii) To be responsible for the distribution of state school funds.

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      (iv) To determine the necessity of school construction and to approve standards for

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design and construction of school buildings throughout the state.

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      (v) To set standards for school libraries and school library services.

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      (vi)(A) To make recommendations relative to transportation of pupils to school, school

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bus routes, time schedules, and other matters relating to pupil transportation. ;

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     (B) To adopt standards for the intrastate transportation of students across municipal

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boundaries and maximizing the efficiencies of time and cost of each sending district; and

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     (C) To utilize already existing and available state or quasi-state programs necessary to

 

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achieve its goals.

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      (vii) To enforce the provisions of all laws relating to elementary and secondary

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education.

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      (viii) To decide and determine appeals from decisions of the commissioner.

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      (ix) To prescribe forms for the use of local school committees and local officers when

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reporting to the department of elementary and secondary education.

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      (x) To adopt and require standard accounting procedures for local school districts, except

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as provided for in subdivision (3) of § 16-24-2.

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      (xi) To adopt and require standard uniform operating and capital budgeting procedures

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for local school districts.

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      (10) To establish rules for the approval and accrediting of elementary and secondary

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schools.

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      (11) To recommend to the general assembly changes in the size and number of the

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school districts within the state; and to make any further and other recommendations to the

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general assembly as the council on elementary and secondary education may determine to be

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necessary or desirable, including, but not limited to, proposals for incentives for the coordination

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of services and facilities of certain school districts and the feasibility of granting taxing authority

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to local school committees upon their request, and the impact upon the quality of education

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within that particular community by granting the request. In carrying out this duty, the council on

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elementary and secondary education shall periodically issue reports in school district

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organizations for selected regions and school districts.

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      (12) To exercise all other powers with relation to the field of elementary and secondary

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education within this state not specifically granted to any other department, board, or agency, and

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not incompatible with law, which the council on elementary and secondary education may deem

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advisable.

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      (13) To exercise the authority previously vested in the board of regents for education

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with relation to adult education as defined in § 16-58-2 and to establish definitive goals for and

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operate a comprehensive delivery system for adult education programs and services, including the

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counseling and testing of persons interested in obtaining high school equivalency diplomas, the

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issuance of diplomas, and the maintenance of a permanent record of applications, tests, and

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equivalency diplomas.

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      (14) To promote maximum efficiency and economy in the delivery of elementary and

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secondary educational services in the state and those ancillary services and programs that are

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equally fundamental to the education of our students.

 

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      (15) To approve a training program for school committee members to enhance their

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individual skills and their effectiveness as a corporate body. The training program should include,

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but not be limited to, the following roles and responsibilities of school committees: strategic

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planning, human and community relations, and school finance and budgeting.

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      (16) Within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, the board shall submit an

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annual report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the

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senate of its activities during that fiscal year. The report shall provide: an operating statement

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summarizing meetings or hearings held, subjects addressed, decisions rendered, rules or

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regulations promulgated, studies conducted, policies and plans developed, approved, or modified,

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and programs administered or initiated; a consolidated financial statement of all funds received

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and expended including the source of the funds, a listing of any staff supported by these funds,

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and a summary of any clerical, administrative or technical support received; a summary of

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performance during the previous fiscal year including accomplishments, shortcomings and

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remedies; a synopsis of hearings, complaints, suspensions, or other legal matters related to the

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authority of the council; a briefing on anticipated activities in the upcoming fiscal year; and

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findings and recommendations for improvements. The director of the department of

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administration shall be responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this subsection.

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      (17) To prepare with the assistance of the commissioner a multi-year plan of priority

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educational goals and objectives. This plan should recommend policy objectives, implementation

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strategies, and a timetable for major policy initiatives.

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      (18) Each year the governor shall by writing notify the council on elementary and

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secondary education concerning broad economic, cultural, and social needs that the education

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system needs to consider which the board shall address in developing educational plans and

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programs.

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      (19) Appoint a standing committee that will develop a schedule to systematically review

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all council policies over a three (3) year period.

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      (20) To prepare with the assistance of the commissioner a statement of regulatory policy.

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This policy should set forth the goals and objectives of state regulations which are expressed in

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terms of what educational inputs and outputs the board expects regulations to address.

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      (21) (i) To prepare with the assistance of the commissioner of elementary and secondary

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education and to present annually to the general assembly by January 1 a report on school

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discipline in Rhode Island schools. This report shall include:

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      (A) Expulsions by district, including duration and the reason for each action.

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      (B) Suspensions by district, including duration and the reason for each action.

 

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      (C) Placements to alternative programs for disciplinary reasons.

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      (D) Assaults of teachers, students, and school staff by students.

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      (E) Incidents involving possession of weapons on school property. For the purpose of

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this section, a weapon shall be considered any of those weapons described in §§ 11-47-2 and 11-

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47-42.

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      (F) Incidents of the sale of controlled substances by students.

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      (G) Incidents of the possession with the intent to sell controlled substances by students.

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      (H) Additional demographic information including, but not limited to, the ethnic and

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racial classifications, age, and gender, as prescribed by the commissioner, of each of the students

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involved in the incidents, events or actions described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of this

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subdivision.

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      (I) A description of the education program provided to each student suspended for over

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ten (10) consecutive school days in a school year.

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      (ii) All school superintendents shall supply the necessary information on forms

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established by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education to the council on

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elementary and secondary education to assist in the preparation of the council's report on school

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discipline.

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      (22) To prepare and promulgate a uniform statewide school reporting system which

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would provide information including, but not limited to, the following:

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      (i) Student and teacher attendance rates;

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      (ii) Standardized test scores;

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      (iii) Demographic profiles;

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      (iv) Results of polls of students, parents, and teachers;

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      (v) Descriptions of goals, initiatives, and achievements;

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      (vi) Best teaching practices;

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      (vii) Alternative student assessments;

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      (viii) Special programs;

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      (ix) Number of student suspensions and teacher grievances and the amount of parental

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involvement.

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      (23) [Deleted by P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 7].

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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 -- BOARD OF REGENTS FOR ELEMENTARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION

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     This act would require that the council of elementary and secondary education take into

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consideration the time and cost of transporting students and other programs that impact the

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education of students.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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