2017 -- H 5083

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LC000269

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- DUAL ENROLLMENT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Casey, Price, Morin, Phillips, and Keable

     Date Introduced: January 12, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 16-100-2, 16-100-3, and 16-100-4 of the General Laws in Chapter

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16-100 entitled "Dual Enrollment Equal Opportunity Act" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-100-2. Definition.

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     "Dual Enrollment" means that a student is enrolled in a secondary school or is home

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schooled at the secondary level, while simultaneously enrolled part-time or full-time at a local

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institution of higher learning, such as a community college or university.

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     16-100-3. Policy implemented.

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     (a) The Board of Education shall prescribe by regulation a statewide dual enrollment

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policy that shall allow students to enroll in courses at postsecondary institutions to satisfy

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academic credit requirements in both high school, including home schooling at the secondary

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level, and the aforementioned postsecondary institutions. The regulations shall address the

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postsecondary institution's graduation requirements, if any; the institution's ability to award

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degrees/certificates in Rhode Island; the minimum course grade to receive credit at the student's

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secondary school or home schooling; and any other criteria that the Board deems appropriate. The

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board may limit the courses offered to home-schooled students to those courses being offered by

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the school district in which the home-schooled student resides.

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      (b) The board shall convene a workgroup, including, but not limited to, representatives

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from the department of elementary and secondary education, the office of higher education,

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superintendents, school committees, public higher education institutions, guidance counselors,

 

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and teachers. The purpose of the workgroup is to consider and advise the board as to a dual

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enrollment policy and its possible effect on school funding pursuant to section 16-7.2, academic

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supports, transportation, possible shared costs of the education, possible fee schedules, manners

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in which low-income students could access the program and, possible contracted tuition costs

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with our public higher education institutions.

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     16-100-4. Dual enrollment adoption.

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     School districts and schools must adopt the statewide dual enrollment policy promulgated

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pursuant to this section by June 30, 2015. All school districts, charter schools, career and

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technical schools, approved private day or residential schools, home schoolers, and collaborative

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schools shall be subject to the requirements of this section.

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     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 -- DUAL ENROLLMENT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT

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     This act would extend the benefits of the dual enrollment equal opportunity act to cover

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home-schooled students.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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