2023 -- S 0987

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LC002750

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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 -- BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Gallo, Lauria, Burke, Quezada, Lawson, DiMario,
Murray, Euer, and Miller

     Date Introduced: May 15, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 112

BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME

     16-112-1. Short title.

     This act shall be known and may be cited as "Building Opportunities in Out-of-School

Time".

     16-112-2. Purpose.

     The purpose of this chapter is to provide funding to support comprehensive and effective

before school, afterschool, school break, and summer learning programming for students in grade

pre-Kindergarten through twelve (PK-12), workforce development programming for individuals

seeking to become youth development professionals, and retention programs for current youth

development professionals.

     16-112-3. Funding.

     The general assembly shall allocate no less than four million dollars ($4,000,000) per fiscal

year to invest in out-of-school time ("OST") programs as follows:

     (1) Technical assistance supports related to program operation;

     (2) Professional development for established youth development professionals, including,

but not limited to, retention initiatives, technical supports, technology assistance and quality

evaluation that include youth development educator improvement recommendations and resources;

and

     (3) Workforce development and funding a pipeline of qualified diverse individuals seeking

to become youth development professionals, including, but not limited to, technical assistance

professionals, certified teachers, child care providers and other educators.

     16-112-4. Department of education.

     (a) The Rhode Island foundation shall serve as the fiscal sponsor and receive the funding

allocated by the general assembly pursuant to this chapter and shall distribute it as grants to

programs selected in accordance with the process developed by the panel identified in subsection

(d) of this section.

     (b) Recipients of grants may include nonprofit organizations, municipal governments,

tribal governments, local public education agencies and public universities.

     (c) Only programs that adhere to the afterschool quality standards and indicators

established by the Rhode Island department of education shall be eligible to receive grants under

this chapter.

     (d) The fiscal sponsor shall convene a panel of stakeholders from the OST community to

create a competitive application process for allocating grants each fiscal year. Stakeholders may

include the Rhode Island department of education, the Rhode Island department of human services,

the Rhode Island afterschool network, youth development experts, local OST providers, youth and

parents.

     16-112-5. Reporting.

     The fiscal sponsor shall report annually to the general assembly and the governor no later

than January 31 of each year on programs receiving grants under this chapter. The report shall

include, but not be limited to, the number of children and youth served by the programs, their

city/town of residence, age, race/ethnicity, income status, language status, disability, and gender.

     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 -- BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME

***

     This act would provide four million dollars ($4,000,000) to support comprehensive and

effective before school, afterschool, school vacation, and summer learning for students in grades

pre-kindergarten through twelve (PK-12), provide workforce development for individuals seeking

to become youth development professionals, provide retention programs for current youth

development programs and requires an annual report to the general assembly and the governor on

the status and progress of the program.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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