2020 -- S 2106

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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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, Pearson, McCaffrey, Gallo, and Conley

     Date Introduced: January 22, 2020

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-45-6.1. Career and technical education.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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efficiency.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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career and technical schools.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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not be responsible for the costs of the transportation.

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

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

 

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provided that:

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

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program and the center; and

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

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student's residence.

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

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associated with a nationally recognized CTE board-approved program.

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     (e) On or before January 1, 2021:

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

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

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equivalent; and

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

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

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

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

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outside of the student's district (the "program of choice") as of January 1, 2021, shall be exempt

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

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

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made educational decisions prior to January 1, 2021, shall retain the rights that were in place

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

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

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

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

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

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     (g) On or before January 1, 2021, the state CTE board shall implement a process based on

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

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programs are substantially equivalent.

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

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

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

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programs in our state.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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]

***

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

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

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

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

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

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

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program outside of the student's district as of January 1, 2021, would be able to continue to

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matriculate grades 9 through 12 in that program.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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