Title 16, Title 16 Title 16

(a) The policy advisory board on teacher and administrator certification shall hold regular meetings not less than ten (10) per year. The board shall hold additional special meetings as it deems necessary. Special meetings may be called by the commissioners of the department of e…

The advisory board shall: (1) Recommend to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and to the council on elementary and secondary education standards for obtaining and maintaining a certificate of qualifications; (2) Recommend to the commissioner of elementary and …

Pursuant to § 16-60-10, the board of regents of elementary and secondary education shall conform to the rulemaking requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42, in implementing this chapter.

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Right to Read Act.” (b) No later than 2025, the following shall have proficient knowledge and skills to teach reading consistent with the best practices of scientific reading instruction and structured literacy instruction:…

Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the Sheila C. “Skip” Nowell Academy (hereinafter the “academy”) is hereby reconstituted and created as a public school and local educational agency authorized to operate pursuant to this chapter. The ac…

The purpose of this chapter and the mission of the Sheila C. “Skip” Nowell Academy is: (1) To primarily support students at risk of school failure, with a special focus on the diverse needs of pregnant and parenting teens, to create an environment for their individual growth, and…

The academy shall be subject to educational accountability and financial standards and reporting requirements promulgated in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42 (“administrative procedures”) by the department of elementary and secondary education.

The academy shall be governed by a board of trustees that shall have the powers and duties of a school committee. The board of trustees of the academy on the date of passage of this legislation shall constitute the founding board of trustees of the academy. The council on element…

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any law to the contrary, the academy shall be subject to applicable federal and state law. All students and prospective students of the academy shall have all the same rights under applicable federal and state law as students and …

The academy may receive direct applications from resident students in any school district and may receive referrals for resident students in any school district consistent with the purpose of this chapter and the mission of the academy. The academy shall enroll resident students …

Students attending the academy shall do so on a full-time basis with the costs of their education being shared by the state and the district of residence as set forth under § 16-7.2-5. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the district of residence shall be r…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Early Care and Education Workforce Data Act.”

(a) On or before July 1, 2025, the department of human services shall implement an early care and education workforce registry that meets the recommended guidelines of the National Workforce Registry Alliance and includes information about staff who work directly with children in…

This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Transparency in Arts Education Access and Proficiency Act.”

As used in this chapter: (1) “Arts” means instruction, classes, courses, or organized school-based performance in dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts. The term “arts” shall also include fine arts, including painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and poetry. (2) …

(a) Commencing with the 2025-26 academic school year, the department shall include, on each school’s annual school report card, each school’s percentage of students enrolled in arts education courses, as defined by the national core arts standards, along with the number of course…

The general assembly recognizes that administrators are not members of teacher collective bargaining units and, therefore, are not protected by the terms of teacher bargaining agreements. While clearly intending neither to interfere with the discretion of school committees to cho…

The term “administrator” as used in this chapter applies only to full time, certified professionals having the authority in the interest of a local or regional school district or school within a district to direct, supervise, advise, or manage; provided, however, the term “admini…

An administrator shall only be terminated for just cause including but not limited to declining enrollment or consolidation.

Prior to taking final action dismissing or not renewing the employment of an administrator, and subsequent to suspending the employment of an administrator, a regional or local school committee shall provide the affected administrator with: (1) a concise, clear, written statement…

The hearing shall be held before a quorum of the school committee. The administrator shall have the opportunity to present and cross-examine witnesses. Testimony shall be taken under oath and a full stenographic record shall be kept.

Within a reasonable time, not to exceed thirty (30) days, after the conclusion of the hearing, the school committee shall render a concise, clear, written decision. The findings and conclusions in the decision shall be based exclusively on evidence received at the hearing or on r…

An administrator aggrieved by a final decision of a school committee may obtain review under the provisions of chapter 39 of this title by petitioning the commissioner of elementary and secondary education within ten (10) days of receipt of the decision. When an appeal is taken, …

The following words and phrases as used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, have the following meanings: (1) “Average compensation” means the average of the annual contractual or yearly salary of an employee during the five (5) consecut…

(a) All employees including those so employed on May 24, 1967, who have not been active members of the state employees retirement system, upon becoming eligible for membership in a program, shall be required to participate in the program. (b)(1) All employees including those so e…

An employee who elects to participate in a program as provided under § 16-17.1-2(b) may further elect to withdraw the total amount of all contributions he or she has made to the state employees retirement system, provided that the state retirement board shall be notified in writi…

An employee who has elected to participate in a program in accordance with the provisions of § 16-17.1-2(b) and who has not withdrawn his or her contribution as provided in § 16-17.1-3 shall continue to be a member of the state employees retirement system and service with the sta…

Where an employee has elected to participate in a program in accordance with the provisions of § 16-17.1-2(b), only the years of the employee’s service prior to making the election to participate under the program shall be considered as years of service for the purposes of comput…

An employee, notwithstanding the program he or she elects to participate in, shall not be required to retire at any age less than the maximum age as established in § 36-10-9(b).

The interstate compact with respect to pension portability for educators is enacted into law and entered into by this state with all states legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows: The parties to this compact find as follows: (A) Interstate mobility of profes…

This chapter shall be construed and applied to: (1) Create a state plan for the busing of pupils beyond city or town limits, in recognition of the legislative policy to encourage the establishment of and continuance of consolidated and regional schools; (2) Provide a unified stat…

(a) There are hereby established school bus districts within the state to provide bus transportation in the interest of public safety, health, and welfare for pupils in grades kindergarten through twelve (12), or in special education programs, who attend public schools, including…

(a) Variances to require a city or town to provide bus transportation to a pupil who attends a school, except a special education facility, outside the region in which the pupil resides shall be granted by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education if he or she finds …

It shall be the duty of the respective school committees of the city or town to provide the bus transportation required by this chapter, either by the use of its own bus facilities and personnel or by contract. School committees may enter into contracts as they deem necessary in …

All controversies arising out of application of any provision of this chapter shall be determined by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or his or her designated hearing officer who shall afford a hearing to the pupil and school committee concerned, and, after …

All acts or parts of acts and all regulations relating to or providing for transportation of pupils beyond city or town limits, except as provided in this chapter, are repealed and are null and void.

(a) Notwithstanding the regional structure created in this chapter, and upon implementation of a statewide school transportation system for all students, each school committee shall purchase the transportation services for their own resident students by accessing this integrated …

Upon implementation of the statewide system of transportation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall manage and oversee the system in collaboration with the office of statewide planning at the department of administration, and the Rhode Island public transit …

This chapter shall be known as “The Rhode Island Substance Abuse Prevention Act”.

If any provisions of this chapter are declared unconstitutional, or the applicability of any provisions to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the constitutionality of the remainder of this chapter and its applicability to other persons and circumstances shall not be affe…

(a) Any student enrolled in any secondary or elementary school shall be prohibited from carrying, possessing or using a paging device of any kind or a laser pointer of any kind on school property, except with the written consent of the principal of the school in which the student…

In recognition of the growing problem of substance use and abuse that municipalities face the purpose of this chapter is as follows: (1) To promote the opportunity for municipalities to establish a comprehensive substance abuse prevention program addressing the specific needs of …

(a) All municipal governments or their designated agents shall have the power to establish, operate, conduct, and/or make provision for programs to provide a comprehensive substance abuse prevention program. (b) The appropriate municipal authority shall adopt rules and regulation…

(a) The department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals shall be charged with the administration of this chapter and shall provide grants to assist in the planning, establishment, and operation of substance abuse prevention programs. Grants under thi…

(a) Money to fund the Rhode Island Substance Abuse Prevention Act shall be appropriated from state general revenues and shall be raised by assessing an additional penalty of thirty dollars ($30.00) for all speeding violations as set forth in § 31-43-5.1. The money shall be deposi…

The department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals shall establish guidelines and criteria for the acceptance of grant applications and the disbursement of grants.