2022 -- H 7913

========

LC003173

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT

INVESTMENT INITIATIVE SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD

OF EDUCATION ACT

     Introduced By: Representative Jose F. Batista

     Date Introduced: March 07, 2022

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.1 entitled "The Paul

W. Crowley Rhode Island Student Investment Initiative [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode

Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-7.1-5. Intervention and support for failing schools.

     (a)(1) The board of regents council on elementary and secondary education shall adopt a

series of progressive support and intervention strategies consistent with the Comprehensive

Education Strategy and the principles of the "School Accountability for Learning and Teaching"

(SALT) of the board of regents council on elementary and secondary education for those schools

and school districts that continue to fall short of performance goals outlined in the district strategic

plans. These strategies shall initially focus on: (1) technical assistance in improvement planning,

curriculum alignment, student assessment, instruction, and family and community involvement; (2)

policy support; (3) resource oversight to assess and recommend that each school has adequate

resources necessary to meet performance goal; and (4) creating supportive partnerships with

education institutions, business, governmental, or other appropriate nonprofit agencies. If after a

three (3) year period of support there has not been improvement in the education of students as

determined by objective criteria to be developed by the board of regents council on elementary and

secondary education, then there shall be progressive levels of control by the department of

elementary and secondary education over the school and/or district budget, program, and/or

personnel. This control by the department of elementary and secondary education may be exercised

in collaboration with the school district and the municipality. If further needed, the school shall be

reconstituted. Reconstitution responsibility is delegated to the board of regents council on

elementary and secondary education and may range from restructuring the school's governance,

budget, program, personnel, and/or may include decisions regarding the continued operation of the

school. The board of regents council on elementary and secondary education shall assess the

district's capacity and may recommend the provision of additional district, municipal and/or state

resources. If a school or school district is under the board of regents' control of the council on

elementary and secondary education control as a result of actions taken by the board council

pursuant to this section, the local school committee shall be responsible for funding that school or

school district at the same level as in the prior academic year increased by the same percentage as

the state total of school aid is increased.

     (2) If a school or school district is under the control of the council on elementary and

secondary education as a result of action taken by the council pursuant to this section, the council

shall establish and require that every middle school under the council's control shall employ and

utilize a cultural coordinator. The council shall adopt rules and regulations establishing the

qualifications for cultural coordinators employed pursuant to the provisions of this section.

     (3) The general assembly shall appropriate funds for all salaries, costs and expenses

associated with the hiring, employment and utilization of cultural coordinators pursuant to the

provisions of this section.

     (b) For FY 2007, the department shall dedicate one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000)

from funds appropriated to support progressive support and intervention and SALT visits to support

the Rhode Island Consortium for Instructional Leadership and Training. This consortium is

engaged in training school leaders to be more effective instructional leaders in the standards based

instruction environment.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 16-7.1 of the General Laws entitled "The Paul W. Crowley Rhode

Island Student Investment Initiative [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-7.1-20. Change of name.

     Whenever in this chapter, reference is made to the "board of regents," the reference shall

be deemed to refer to and mean the "council on elementary and secondary education".

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC003173

========

LC003173 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT

INVESTMENT INITIATIVE SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD

OF EDUCATION ACT

***

     This act would require that every middle school under the control of the council on

elementary and secondary education for failure to meet improvement or performance goals, to

employ a cultural coordinator to be paid for by the state.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC003173

========

LC003173 - Page 3 of 3