2020 -- S 2173 | |
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LC003920 | |
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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 -- COUNCIL ON ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY | |
EDUCATION [SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF | |
EDUCATION ACT] | |
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Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Satchell, Gallo, Goldin, and Seveney | |
Date Introduced: February 04, 2020 | |
Referred To: Senate Education | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 16-60-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-60 entitled "Council on |
2 | Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of |
3 | Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
4 | 16-60-6. Commissioner of elementary and secondary education. [Effective January |
5 | 1, 2020.] |
6 | The council on elementary and secondary education governor, with the advice and |
7 | consent of the board of education senate, shall appoint a commissioner of elementary and |
8 | secondary education who shall serve at the pleasure of the council on elementary and secondary |
9 | education governor, provided that the commissioner's initial engagement by the council governor |
10 | shall be for a period of not more than three (3) years. The position of commissioner shall be in the |
11 | unclassified service of the state and he or she shall serve as the chief executive officer of the |
12 | council on elementary and secondary education and as the chief administrative officer of the |
13 | department of elementary and secondary education. The commissioner of elementary and |
14 | secondary education shall have the duties that are defined in this section and in this title and any |
15 | other additional duties that may be determined by the council on elementary and secondary |
16 | education, and shall perform any other duties that may be vested in the commissioner by law. In |
17 | addition to the general supervision of the department of elementary and secondary education and |
18 | the appointment of the several officers and employees of the department, it shall be the duty of |
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1 | the commissioner of elementary and secondary education: |
2 | (1) To develop and implement a systematic program of information gathering, |
3 | processing, and analysis addressed to every aspect of elementary and secondary education in the |
4 | state, especially as that information relates to current and future educational needs. |
5 | (2) To prepare a master plan for elementary and secondary education in the state; to |
6 | coordinate the goals and objectives of the public elementary and secondary education sector with |
7 | the activities of the nonpublic elementary and secondary education sector where feasible. |
8 | (3) To communicate with and seek the advice of those concerned with and affected by the |
9 | board of education's and the council's determinations. |
10 | (4) To implement broad policy as it pertains to the goals and objectives established by the |
11 | board of education; to enforce standards and to exercise general supervision over public |
12 | elementary and secondary education in the state and over all elementary and secondary nonpublic |
13 | education in the state as provided in subsection (8) of this section; to assist in the preparation of |
14 | the budget for elementary and secondary education and to be responsible upon direction of the |
15 | council on elementary and secondary education for the allocation of appropriations, the |
16 | acquisition, holding, disposition, and general management of property. |
17 | (5) To be responsible for the coordination of the various elementary and secondary |
18 | educational functions among the educational agencies of the state, including local school districts, |
19 | and to encourage and to assist in the cooperation among them so that maximum efficiency and |
20 | economy may be achieved. |
21 | (6) To assist the council on elementary and secondary education in the preparation and |
22 | presentation annually to the state budget officer, in accordance with § 35-3-4, of a total state |
23 | elementary and secondary educational budget that shall include, but not be limited to, the budget |
24 | of the department of elementary and secondary education, subcommittees and agencies, and state |
25 | aid to local school districts. |
26 | (7) To supervise the operation of the department of elementary and secondary education; |
27 | to have the duties as defined in § 16-1-5 and in this title or in law wherever outlined; and other |
28 | additional duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the council on elementary and |
29 | secondary education. |
30 | (8) To perform the duties vested in the board of education and council on elementary and |
31 | secondary education with relation to nonpublic elementary and secondary educational institutions |
32 | within the state under the terms of chapter 40 of this title, and other laws that affect nonpublic |
33 | elementary and secondary education in the state. |
34 | (9) To supervise the following specific functions: |
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1 | (i) To recommend the basic subjects and courses of study to be taught and instructional |
2 | standards to be maintained in the public elementary and secondary schools in the state. |
3 | (ii) To recommend standards and qualifications of teachers and to issue certificates upon |
4 | approval of standards and qualifications by the council on elementary and secondary education. |
5 | (iii) To distribute state school funds in accordance with law and regulations of the council |
6 | on elementary and secondary education. |
7 | (iv) To certify as to the necessity of school construction and that standards and design are |
8 | in accordance with law and regulations of the council on elementary and secondary education and |
9 | to approve a design for school construction throughout the state. |
10 | (v) To certify that school library standards and services are in accordance with law and |
11 | regulations of the council on elementary and secondary education. |
12 | (vi) To recommend to the council on elementary and secondary education relating to the |
13 | transportation of pupils to school. |
14 | (vii) To require the observance of all laws relating to elementary and secondary schools |
15 | and education. |
16 | (viii) To interpret school law and to decide any controversies that may be appealed to him |
17 | or her from decisions of local school committees. |
18 | (ix) To prepare and recommend standard forms for the use of local schools when |
19 | reporting to the department of elementary and secondary education. |
20 | (x) To prepare standard accounting and auditing procedures for local school districts, |
21 | except for the purposes of § 16-24-2(3) which shall be done in conjunction with the auditor |
22 | general. |
23 | (xi) To prepare uniform budgeting procedures for local school districts. |
24 | (xii) To determine when special purpose grants made to local school districts shall be |
25 | eligible for reimbursement through the school operations aid formula in accordance with chapter |
26 | 7 of this title, and to designate the purpose(s) for which the local school district may use the |
27 | school operations aid reimbursement, including reimbursement on local matching funds used to |
28 | support the special purpose grant. The commissioner shall promulgate and adopt rules and |
29 | regulations to carry out the intent of this subsection. |
30 | (10) To approve and accredit elementary and secondary schools in accordance with the |
31 | policy and regulations of the council on elementary and secondary education. |
32 | (11) To be responsible for the administration of policies, rules, and regulations of the |
33 | board of education and the council on elementary and secondary education with relation to the |
34 | entire field of elementary and secondary education within the state not specifically granted to any |
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1 | other department, board, or agency and not incompatible with law. |
2 | (12) To receive from law enforcement agencies a list periodically of the names of Rhode |
3 | Island missing children and to disseminate these lists to local school districts. |
4 | 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 -- COUNCIL ON ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY | |
EDUCATION [SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF | |
EDUCATION ACT] | |
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1 | This act would provide that the commissioner of elementary and secondary education |
2 | would be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor with the advice and consent of |
3 | the senate. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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