2017 -- S 0882

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LC002668

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE

CREATION OF A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION SYSTEM IN RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Conley, DiPalma, Gallo, Metts, and Satchell

     Date Introduced: May 11, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Education

     WHEREAS, The Program for International Assessment (PISA) is an international

assessment that measures the academic performance in reading, mathematics and science literacy

of a sampling 15-year-old students in each country with the most recent assessment occurring in

2015; and

     WHEREAS, The United States ranked 24 out of 65 countries in the 2015 PISA; and

     WHEREAS, The National Conference of State Legislatures released a report titled, "No

Time to Lose – How to Build a World-Class Education System State by State," that identified the

common elements of educational systems of high-performing countries; and

     WHEREAS, The report found that most high-performing countries had developed an

integrated plan for public education and implemented that plan over the course of 10 to 20 years;

and

     WHEREAS, Children should come to school ready to learn, and extra support should be

provided to struggling students so that all have the opportunity to achieve high standards; and

     WHEREAS, A world-class teaching profession supports a world-class instructional

system, where every student has access to highly effective teachers and is expected to succeed;

and

     WHEREAS, A highly effective, intellectually rigorous system of career and technical

education should be available to those preferring an applied education; and

     WHEREAS, Individual reforms should be connected and aligned as parts of a clearly

planned and carefully designed comprehensive system; and

     WHEREAS, Students should be provided a learning environment in classrooms,

buildings and facilities that enable learning in a safe environment; and

     WHEREAS, Students and parents are entitled to a clear statement of the academic

standards that define what students are expected to know and accomplish at every educational

level and identify the basic conditions for learning that pupils and families can expect from

Rhode Island's Public Education System; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island's public education should enable students to compete for

admission at any pubic university in the state, to compete for a high quality job, and to participate

actively in Rhode Island's civic life; and

     WHEREAS, Students should be subject to a fair and accurate assessment system used to

measure and improve the quality of education and supplementary educational services that

respond to and identify student needs; and

     WHEREAS, A diverse group of stakeholders should examine the elements of a world-

class education system and the public education system in Rhode Island and provide

recommendations; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of eleven (11) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more

than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of

whom shall be the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee; one of

whom shall be the Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, or designee; one of whom shall be

the President of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, or designee; one of whom

shall be the President of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals, or designee; one of

whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island School Superintendents' Association, or

designee; one of whom shall be the President of the National Education Association of Rhode

Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Federation of

Teachers and Health Professionals, or designee; and one of whom shall be the Executive Director

of Rhode Island Kids Count, or designee.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party

which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the appointment of the member of the general

public.

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     The purpose of the said commission shall be to conduct a comprehensive review and

make recommendations regarding the creation of a world-class education system in Rhode Island.

Recommendations may include, but is not limited to, programmatic changes, expanding

successful pilot programs, and identifying outdated requirements and practices.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the Chair, who shall be appointed by the President of the Senate.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state, shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary or otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

President of the Senate on or before March 1, 2018, and said commission shall expire on July 1,

2018.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE

CREATION OF A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION SYSTEM IN RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would create an eleven (11) member special legislative commission

whose purpose it would be to conduct a comprehensive review and make recommendations

regarding the creation of a world-class education system in Rhode Island, and who would report

back to the President of the Senate no later than March 1, 2018, and whose life would expire on

July 1, 2018.

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LC002668

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