Chapter 237

2007 -- S 0923

Enacted 07/03/07

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION

Introduced By: Senator M. Teresa Paiva-Weed

Date Introduced: April 10, 2007

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 16-21.1-7 and 16-21.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21.1

entitled "Transportation of School Pupils Beyond City and Town Limits" are hereby amended to

read as follows:

16-21.1-7. Statewide transportation of students with special needs. -- Notwithstanding

the regional structure created in this chapter, and pursuant to the obligation of school committees

to transport children with special needs to and from school either within the school district or in

another school district of the state created by section 16-24-4, the department of elementary and

secondary education, in collaboration with the office of statewide planning of the department of

administration, and the Rhode Island public transit authority shall develop a plan for the creation

and implementation of a statewide system of transportation of students with special needs to and

from school. The statewide school transportation system for children with special needs shall be

provided through a competitive request for proposals to which vendors of transportation services

may respond. Effective upon the implementation of this statewide system of transportation for

students with special needs, each school committee may purchase the transportation services for

their own resident students with special needs by accessing this integrated statewide system of

transportation for children with special needs on a fee-for-service basis for each child. The goals

of the statewide system of transportation for students with special needs shall be the reduction of

duplication of cost and routes in transporting children from the various cities and towns to the

same special education program providers using different buses from each city and town, the

improvement of services to children through the development of shorter ride times and more

efficient routes of travel, and the reduction of cost to local school committees through achieving

efficiency in eliminating the need for each school district to contract for and provide these

specialized transportation services separately. The department of elementary and secondary

education shall submit a report of their findings and plans to the general assembly by March 30,

2008.

16-21.1-8. Statewide transportation system for all students to be established. --

Notwithstanding the regional structure created in this chapter, the department of elementary and

secondary education, in collaboration with the office of statewide planning of the department of

administration, and the Rhode Island public transit authority shall conduct a comprehensive study

of all current transportation services for students in Rhode Island school districts in order to

develop a plan for the creation and implementation of a statewide system of transportation of all

students to and from school. The statewide school transportation system for all students shall be

provided through a competitive request for proposals to which vendors of transportation services

may respond. Effective upon the implementation of this statewide system of transportation for all

students, each school committee may purchase the transportation services for their own resident

students by accessing this integrated statewide system of transportation on a fee-for-service basis

for each child. The goals of the statewide system of transportation for all students shall be the

reduction of duplication of cost and routes in transporting children from the various cities and

towns using different buses within and between each city and town, the improvement of services

to children through the development of shorter ride times and more efficient routes of travel, and

the reduction of cost to local school committees through achieving efficiency in eliminating the

need for each school district to contract for and provide these transportation services separately.

The comprehensive study of all current transportation services for students in Rhode Island

school districts and development of a plan for a statewide system of transportation of all students

to and from school shall be completed, with a report to the general assembly by January 15, 2007

March 30, 2008.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02798

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