2023 -- H 5774

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LC001873

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FAILING SCHOOL CHOICE ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, J. Brien, Nardone, Costantino, Rea, and
Place

     Date Introduced: February 22, 2023

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

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adding thereto the following chapters:

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CHAPTER 112

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FAILING SCHOOL CHOICE ACT

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     16-112-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Failing School Choice Act".

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     16-112-2. Purpose.

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     Any student who is assigned to a failing school, as defined by the department of education

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as the bottom fifteen percent (15%) of public schools in Rhode Island as defined in § 16-112-5,

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shall be eligible to utilize the provisions of this chapter to petition any public school with available

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capacity to enroll in that school. A receiving school, of the parent’s choice, may enroll any

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nonresident students.

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     16-112-3. Funding.

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     Receiving schools shall be eligible for the state aid portion of the per-pupil aid from the

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sending local education agency (LEA) in accordance with the state aid education funding formula

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for reimbursement. The sending LEA shall pay and reimburse the receiving LEA for the full tuition

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costs being paid for the student by the sending LEA with respect to any student with special needs

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or an individual education plan.

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     16-112-4. Eligibility.

 

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     (a) Students currently enrolled in failing schools shall be eligible for school choice pursuant

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to § 16-112-2.

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     (b) A receiving school may expel any student who has been suspended two (2) times or

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more in a single school year. Any student who is expelled during the current school year is only

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eligible for enrollment in their home district for that school year. The suspended student shall be

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eligible for school choice for the next school year; provided, that if the student is again expelled,

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the student shall be ineligible for school choice for four (4) consecutive years.

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     16-112-5. Reporting requirements.

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     (a) Every five (5) years, the department of education shall reclassify schools based upon

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their performance except for students participating in the school choice program as set forth in §

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16-112-4. Students attending a school that falls into the bottom fifteen percent (15%), shall be

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eligible for school choice. At no time shall any student who has been granted school choice lose

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that status, except as set forth in § 16-112-4(b).

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     (b) Every five (5) years, the department of education shall determine the functional

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capacity of each school, in every school district, to determine the number of school choice students

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available for enrollment.

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     (c) Any student who has enrolled in a receiving school under § 16-112-4 shall be entitled

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to attend the receiving school through the highest grade level offered by the failing school.

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     16-112-6. Transportation.

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     (a) Parents participating in school choice may utilize state school transportation only within

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the same transportation region as defined in § 16-21.1-2.

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     (b) Parents participating in school choice may utilize private school transportation to send

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the student to any school district.

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     (c) School transportation shall be provided at the sending school district’s expense or from

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the Rhode Island Education Revitalization Fund (RIERF), as provided in chapter 113 of title 16, so

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long as the receiving school is in the same transportation region as the student’s sending school

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subject to regulations promulgated by the Rhode Island department of education.

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     (d) Funding for transportation inside transportation regions shall be pursuant to § 16-21.1-

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2.

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     16-112-7. Rules and regulations.

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     The department of education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the

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provisions of this chapter.

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CHAPTER 113

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RHODE ISLAND EDUCATION REVITALIZATION FUND ACT

 

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     16-113-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Education

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Revitalization Fund Act".

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     16-113-2. Purpose.

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     The State of Rhode Island shall establish the Rhode Island Education Revitalization Fund

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(RIERF) to provide funds for any school choice program pursuant to chapter 112 of title 16.

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     16-113-3. Funding.

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     (a) There shall be created a statewide property tax on all real property of any private college

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or university, nonprofit college or university, or any other post-secondary school.

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     (b) The amount of the tax in subsection (a) of this section shall be based upon the

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endowment of the private college or university, nonprofit college or university, or any other post-

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secondary school.

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     (c) The amount to be collected to fund this chapter shall be included in the annual budget

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bill approved by the general assembly each fiscal year.

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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 -- FAILING SCHOOL CHOICE ACT

***

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     This act would establish the Failing School Choice Act, to permit students at failing schools

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to enroll in any public school. This act would also establish the Rhode Island education

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revitalization fund to provide funding to the school choice program.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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