2019 -- H 5553 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENCOURAGING MORE PERSONS OF COLOR TO ENTER

THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Alzate, McNamara, Casimiro, Kazarian, and Maldonado

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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     WHEREAS, A report by the Learning Policy Institute showed that a diverse teacher

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workforce is a very important strategy for improving learning and closing achievement gaps for

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students of color; and

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     WHEREAS, Increasing the number of teachers of color in Rhode Island's schools is not

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only important and beneficial for students of color; a diverse teacher workforce that represents the

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state's overall demographics will also benefit students of all racial backgrounds; now, therefore be

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it

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

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consisting of thirteen (13) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of

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Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

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Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary

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

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

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Island Chapter of the National Education Association, or designee; three (3) of whom shall be

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members of student focused organizations, such as, but not limited to, Providence Student Union,

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Young Voices, Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education, and Youth in Action, to

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be appointed by the Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of community

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based organizations with vested interest in the issue of teachers of color, such as, but not limited

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to, EduLeaders of Color, Rhode Island Coalition for Educators of Color, Breakthrough

 

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Providence, and Teach for America, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and one of

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whom shall be a member of the Educational Studies faculty at Rhode Island College, to be

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appointed by the Speaker of the House.

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

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

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

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of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to study and make recommendations for

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encouraging students and persons of color to enter and continue to be involved in the field of

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education. The work and recommendations should include, but not be limited to:

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     ( Develop an approach to inform students of color in the state on the importance and

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benefits of entering the field of education;

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     ( Identify relevant research and successful practices to enhance minority teacher

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recruitment and retention throughout the state;

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     ( Identify and establish public, private, and philanthropic partnerships to increase

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minority (meaning individuals whose race is other than white, or whose ethnicity is Hispanic or

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Latino as that term is used by the U.S. Census Bureau) teacher recruitment, including, but not

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limited to teacher preparation programs;

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     ( Advise and support local and regional boards of education to prioritize minority

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teacher recruitment and develop innovative strategies to attract and retain minority teachers

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within their districts;

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     ( Review the requirements that prevent persons of color from choosing this profession

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and remaining in it, including, but not limited to, teacher preparation programs, certification

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requirements, and lack of diversity in union leadership; and

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     ( Identify a process or method to prepare, support, and encourage school leadership to

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increase retention of teachers of color.

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

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the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select, from among the legislators, a

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chairperson.

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

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

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

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

 

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

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for said commission; and be it further

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

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House of Representatives no later than April 17, 2020, and said commission shall expire on June

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17, 2020.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENCOURAGING MORE PERSONS OF COLOR TO ENTER

THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

***

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     This resolution would create a thirteen (13) member special legislative commission

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whose purpose it would be to study and make recommendations for encouraging more persons of

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color to enter the field of education, and who would report back to the House of Representatives

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on or before April 17, 2020, and whose life would expire on June 17, 2020.

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