2023 -- H 5638 | |
======== | |
LC001875 | |
======== | |
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- LANGUAGE ACADEMIES ACT | |
| |
Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Noret, Fenton-Fung, Nardone, Roberts, | |
Date Introduced: February 15, 2023 | |
Referred To: House Finance | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by |
2 | adding thereto the following chapters: |
3 | CHAPTER 112 |
4 | LANGUAGE ACADEMIES ACT |
5 | 16-112-1. Short title. |
6 | This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Language Academies Act". |
7 | 16-112-2. Establishment. |
8 | The Rhode Island department of education shall establish language academies for non- |
9 | English proficient students for the purpose of students becoming English proficient. The size and |
10 | staffing of each academy shall be determined by the department. |
11 | 16-112-3. Funding. |
12 | (a) The Rhode Island department of education is hereby authorized to utilize and designate |
13 | a portion of or all of any existing school or school building in a city or town where at least ten |
14 | percent (10%) of the students who will attend school at a language academy reside in said city or |
15 | town. |
16 | (b) Language academies shall be eligible for the state aid portion of per-pupil aid from the |
17 | sending district. The department of education shall draw upon the Rhode Island education |
18 | revitalization fund (RIERF) as provided in chapter 113 of title 16, for the remaining operational |
19 | costs of the language academies. |
| |
1 | 16-112-4. Eligibility. |
2 | Any student who is unable to obtain English proficiency, as defined by the department of |
3 | education, shall be assigned to a language academy. Once proficient in English, the student will be |
4 | transferred back to their home school. Provided students may attend a language academy outside |
5 | of their home school district, if a language academy suitable for their needs is not available in their |
6 | home school district. |
7 | 16-112-5. Tutorial program. |
8 | The Rhode Island department of education shall develop a tutorial program to meet the |
9 | objectives of creating English-proficient students in instances where the commissioner of education |
10 | determines that due to the non-English student population size, it is not feasible or economical to |
11 | provide non-English proficient students with a classroom environment for learning to become |
12 | English proficient. |
13 | 16-112-6. Transportation. |
14 | (a) Students shall be provided transportation to language academies designated by the |
15 | Rhode Island department of education. |
16 | (b) State school transportation shall be provided at the sending school district’s expense. |
17 | Funding for the transportation regions shall be pursuant to § 16-21.1-2. |
18 | 16-112-7. Rules and regulations. |
19 | The department of education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the |
20 | provisions of this chapter and for the emergency certification of teaching staff. |
21 | CHAPTER 113 |
22 | RHODE ISLAND EDUCATION REVITALIZATION FUND ACT |
23 | 16-113-1. Short title. |
24 | This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Education |
25 | Revitalization Fund Act". |
26 | 16-113-2. Purpose. |
27 | The State of Rhode Island shall establish the Rhode Island Education Revitalization Fund |
28 | (RIERF) to provide funds for any language academy pursuant to chapter 112 of title 16. |
29 | 16-113-3. Funding. |
30 | (a) There shall be created a statewide property tax on all real property of any private college |
31 | or university, nonprofit college or university, or any other post-secondary school. |
32 | (b) The amount of the tax in subsection (a) of this section shall be based upon the |
33 | endowment of the private college or university, nonprofit college or university, or any other post- |
34 | secondary school. |
| LC001875 - Page 2 of 4 |
1 | (c) The amount to be collected to fund this chapter shall be included in the annual budget |
2 | bill approved by the general assembly each fiscal year. |
3 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC001875 | |
======== | |
| LC001875 - Page 3 of 4 |
EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- LANGUAGE ACADEMIES ACT | |
*** | |
1 | This act would establish language academies for non-English proficient students and would |
2 | also establish the Rhode Island education revitalization fund to provide funding to the language |
3 | academies. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC001875 | |
======== | |
| LC001875 - Page 4 of 4 |