2019 -- S 0819

========

LC002456

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS [SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

     Introduced By: Senators Satchell, McKenney, Gallo, Pearson, and Euer

     Date Introduced: April 30, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-45-6.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-45 entitled "Regional

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

hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-45-6.1. Career and technical education.

     (a) The general assembly finds that career and technical education ("CTE") programs that

meet rigorous industry standards and prepare Rhode Island's students to succeed in a wide variety

of employment settings are a critical component of the state's public education system and a

necessary element of the state's economic development. Regional career and technical education

centers and state CTE board-approved programs that align with industry standards serve this vital

need. These programs are to be offered in a system focused on program quality and delivery

efficiency.

     (b) The general assembly further finds that the proportion of students now enrolled in

such programs is inadequate. Therefore, all Rhode Island school districts shall file a plan with the

Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education no later than January 1, 2006 setting forth

the means through which no fewer than forty (40) percent of their students enrolled in grades nine

(9) through twelve (12) shall be provided the opportunity to enroll in career and technical

programming that is certified by the Rhode Island Department of Education as meeting industry

standards by September 2007. The general assembly further finds that career and technical

education programs approved by the state CTE board of trustees and which programs are housed

in regional career and technical education centers and in comprehensive high schools are best

equipped to provide career and technical education to the students of Rhode Island.

     (c) To facilitate the development of additional career and technical program offerings for

Rhode Island students that meet industry standards the department of elementary and secondary

education shall, in furtherance of the reports and studies that have been developed since 2000

setting forth recommendations for an updated system of career and technical education for the

State of Rhode Island, develop a system design that includes site assessments of all current career

and technical programs and sets forth standards and procedures for the department of elementary

and secondary education to approve programs that are developed in cooperation with business,

industry and postsecondary institutions. The department shall also develop a system design for

three additional state operated career and technical schools, in addition to the William H. Davies

School and the Metropolitan Career and Technical Center, including recommendations for a

model for the siting, building costs, operational costs and program design for each such school.

The general assembly shall appropriate funds to the department for purposes of their completion

of the system design for the statewide program approval process to industry standards and the

development of the models, siting and program design of the three additional state operated

career and technical schools.

     (1) To advance the economic development of our communities, all students retain the

right to access career and technical education and to attend state CTE board-approved programs

in other districts. This right to attend CTE programs in other districts does not include locally

approved CTE programs and CTE programs that are not approved by the state CTE board.

Students may request access to state CTE board-approved career preparation programs outside

their school district if their home district does not provide a substantially equivalent or same

("substantially equivalent") state approved CTE program. If a discrepancy exists as to whether

two (2) state approved programs are substantially equivalent, the state CTE board shall use state

CTE board program quality criteria and other relevant factors to determine if the two (2) state

CTE board-approved programs are substantially equivalent programs. Students are guaranteed

access to state CTE board-approved career preparation programs. Students requesting access to

state CTE board-approved career preparation programs outside their established school

transportation region may enroll in such programs, but the resident local education agency shall

not be responsible for the costs of the transportation.

     (2) A student's request to enroll in a state CTE board-approved career and technical

program at a recognized regional career and technical center (the "center") shall not be denied,

LC002456 - Page 2 of 4

provided that:

     (i) The student meets any other criteria required of all students for admission to the

program and the center; and

     (ii) The student is applying to the center which is geographically the closest center to the

student's residence.

     (d) All state CTE board-approved programs shall align to industry standards or be

associated with a nationally recognized CTE board-approved program.

     (e) On or before January 1, 2020:

     (1) The state CTE board shall implement a process based on CTE board-identified

criteria for determining whether two (2) state CTE board-approved programs are substantially

equivalent; and

     (2) The department of education shall establish approval and rating systems based upon

program quality for career and technical education programs. No district shall be required to pay

tuition or provide transportation to a program with a less than satisfactory rating.

     (f) Students enrolled in, accepted to, or attending a state CTE board-approved program

outside of the student's district (the "program of choice") as of January 1, 2020, shall be exempt

from the substantially equivalent provisions of this statute and may continue to matriculate in

grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in their program of choice so that students and parents who

made educational decisions prior to January 1, 2020, shall retain the rights that were in place

when they made those decisions. If a substantially equivalent state-approved program is

established in a student's home district after the student has enrolled in a program of choice, the

student may continue to matriculate in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in the student's

program of choice. The provisions of this subsection shall also apply and extend to other siblings

in the family who apply to attend the same program of choice.

     (g) On or before January 1, 2020, the state CTE board shall implement a process based on

CTE board-identified criteria for determining whether two (2) state CTE board-approved

programs are substantially equivalent.

     (h) Career and technical funds allocated under § 16-7.2-6 shall be used solely for the

purpose of funding improvements to state CTE board-approved career and technical education

programs and facilities or for funding related to the establishment of new career and technical

programs in our state.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC002456

========

LC002456 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS [SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

***

     This act would amend the career and technical education program laws to provide the

process by which students could access career and technical education and attend state CTE

board-approved programs in other districts. The act would also direct the state CTE board to

implement a process based on CTE board-identified criteria for determining whether two (2) state

CTE board-approved programs are substantially equivalent. This act would further provide that

students who have enrolled in, been accepted to, or are attending a state CTE board-approved

program outside of the student's district as of January 1, 2020, would be able to continue to

matriculate grades 9 through 12 in that program.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC002456

========

LC002456 - Page 4 of 4