2019 -- H 5181

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LC000136

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - ESTABLISHMENT OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Amore, Donovan, Craven, and Fogarty

     Date Introduced: January 24, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-77 of the General Laws entitled "Establishment of Charter

Public Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-77-13. Sending districts to have membership on board of directors.

     Effective September 1, 2019, charter public schools as defined in § 16-77-2.1(4) shall

include on their board of governors or trustees one member appointed by the school committee of

the host school district with the consent of the charter public school; provided, however, that the

charter public school shall not unreasonably withhold its approval. Said appointee shall be a

school committee member of either the host district or any district sending students to the charter

public school. In the event a charter public school, as defined in § 16-77-2.1(4), does not have a

board of governors, trustees, or a governing body, such a body shall be established to ensure

public representation in the governance of the charter public school. The charter public school

governing board shall be responsible for, but not be limited to, the expenditures of public funds,

the running of fair and equitable lotteries for attendance at the school and to ensure that students

attending the school reflect, the diversity of the sending districts, with regard to ethnicity, special

education and income levels. Members of the board appointed by the host school committee will

serve at the pleasure of the said committee.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect September 1, 2019.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - ESTABLISHMENT OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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     This act would authorize school committees of a host district to appoint one designee to

the board of directors of the governing body of any charter public school.

     This act would take effect September 1, 2019.

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