08-R130

2008 -- S 2856

Enacted 04/02/08

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE REGIONAL EDUCATION COLLABORATIVES TO EXPLORE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AND COST-SHARING

Introduced By: Senators Gallo, P Fogarty, C Levesque, and Issa

Date Introduced: March 13, 2008

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island general laws chapter 16-3.1 empowers Rhode Island school

districts to establish cooperative services agreements to deliver administrative and instructional

services; and

     WHEREAS, In furtherance of the goals of chapter 16-3.1, the school districts of the State

of Rhode Island have joined into five area education collaboratives to share costs and improve

educational quality; and

     WHEREAS, The Northern Rhode Island Collaborative, East Bay Educational

Collaborative, Southern Rhode Island Regional Collaborative, West Bay Educational

Collaborative, and the Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program have made impressive strides in

encouraging district cooperation, particularly in the areas of professional development and special

or alternative education programs; and

     WHEREAS, Cooperation and joint purchasing of services and supplies have proven to be

an effective way to reduce education costs without reducing the quality of service; now, therefore

be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

respectfully requests the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to

explore further opportunities for cooperation and collaboration among school districts and

examine potential partnerships between the department and the regional collaboratives; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

respectfully requests the Regional Education Collaboratives and their member districts to pursue

greater collaboration and cost-sharing measures; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Chairman of the Rhode Island Department

of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Directors of the Five Regional Educational

Collaboratives in this state.

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LC02488

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