2017 -- S 0024

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LC000275

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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 -- SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS--

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Archambault, Lombardo, Jabour, and Morgan

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-2-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-2 entitled "School

Committees and Superintendents [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

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

     16-2-2. City and town schools required -- School year -- Location -- Kindergartens.

     (a) (1) Except as specifically provided in this section, every city or town shall establish

and maintain for at least one hundred eighty (180) days annually or the equivalent thereof,

exclusive of holidays a sufficient number of schools in convenient places under the control and

management of the school committee and under the supervision of the board of regents for

elementary and secondary education. In lieu of convenient location the school committee may

provide transportation for pupils to and from school in accordance with the provisions of chapter

21 of this title. Provided, that a school district may establish a school year which is the equivalent

of one hundred eighty (180) days through the use of longer school days in terms of hours, and

which may total less than one hundred eighty (180) separate days, so long as through the use of

the longer school day, the school district annually provides a minimum of one thousand eighty

(1080) school hours in a single school year. This figure is based on a minimum of six (6) hours

per school day. For purposes of clarification, the intent herein is to permit school districts to

amend their school year to provide for longer school days while reducing the actual number of

days in which the school facilities must be fully staffed and maintained, but to insure that in doing

so, school districts shall still provide the minimum amount of instruction time contemplated by

this section. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit a school district from exceeding the

minimum amounts of days and hours set forth herein.

     (2) School districts intending to make use of the option provided herein to lengthen

school days and shorten the school year shall submit a detailed school day plan and a proposed

school calendar to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education for approval. The

commissioner shall review the submitted school day plan and the submitted calendar to determine

whether the plan and calendar are academically sound and fiscally efficient. The commissioner

may grant or deny approval of the plan and/or the calendar.

     (3) Each school district, including charter schools, shall adopt a calendar beginning the

school year on the day after Labor Day effective for the school year 2018-2019 and thereafter.

     (b) School facilities shall include a sufficient number of kindergartens.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply to the school year

2018-2019.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS--

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR

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     This act would require public schools, including charter schools, begin the school year on

the day after Labor Day commencing in the school year 2018-2019.

     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to the school year 2018-2019.

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