Title 16, Title 16 Title 16

If any provision of this chapter or the application of a provision to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or application of the chapter, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this e…

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an incentive, in the form of interest reduction on certain types of education loans, to students who desire to serve the health care needs of individuals in Rhode Island by enrolling in a registered nurse training program. The general ass…

The interest benefits granted under this program shall cease after December 31, 2010.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) “Authority” means the governmental agency and public instrumentality authorized, created and established pursuant to § 16-62-4. (2) “Eligible …

An eligible registered nurse shall be eligible to have the interest on his or her loan forgiven for each year he or she has eligible employment in the state up to a maximum of four (4) years and prior to the termination of this program.

Any individual seeking interest forgiveness pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall apply to the authority on forms prescribed by the authority containing any information that the authority deems advisable to fulfill the provisions of this program. The authority’s execut…

Any individual deemed eligible shall not less than annually submit to the authority any information that the authority may prescribe to determine the individual’s continued eligibility for the interest forgiveness on his or her eligible loan under this chapter.

In the event the authority determines that an individual is no longer eligible for the interest forgiveness on his or her loan as provided in this chapter, that individual shall be required to pay the holder of his or her loan forthwith all accrued interest and any late payment p…

The authority may promulgate any regulations that it deems necessary to implement the provisions of this interest forgiveness program.

Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, to the extent, if any, that this interest forgiveness program shall have any material adverse effect on the authority’s ability to issue negotiable bonds and notes, the authority shall be empowered to suspend this pro…

The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provisions are deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, that determination shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2007.”

(a) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall work with the school districts that have the lowest high school graduation rates. The department shall incorporate into its progressive support and intervention specific dropout prevention strategies, tar…

(a) Children who have not yet attained eighteen (18) years of age may not withdraw from school before graduation unless they have previously developed an alternative learning plan in accordance with § 16-19-1(b) and, after implementation of the plan: (1) The student, the student’…

(a) The commissioner of the Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education and the commissioner of the Rhode Island board of governors for higher education may develop a plan for a high school “fast track to college” program that offers qualified individuals an opp…

No later than September 1, 2021, the department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and make available on its website resources to assist school districts in developing a program to ensure all teachers and school administrators have access to materials to support …

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education (the “department”) shall develop a collaborative learning laboratory (the “laboratory”) to assist and promote training for parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers in: (1) Recognition of the characteristics of dyslexia,…

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education (the “department”) shall disseminate, using web-based technology, research-based best-practice methods by which the state and district school boards and committees shall evaluate and improve the professional development sys…

No later than the 2021-2022 school year, the department of elementary and secondary education (the “department”) shall collaborate with the board of education to require that all department-approved undergraduate educator preparation programs for licensure as a teacher of element…

(a) No later than January 1, 2020, the general assembly shall form a joint study research commission (the “commission”) consisting of nine (9) members to be appointed as follows: one with expertise in educating students with learning disabilities to be appointed by the speaker of…

(a) Accumulated data is needed to identify and assess the workload, duties, and responsibilities of school social workers. The 2009 basic education plan drafted by the department of education: (1) Delegates to the local education agency the ultimate responsibility for the operati…

The department of education shall gather all the information concerning the duties and responsibilities of school social workers provided to it by local school departments. It shall summarize the information in a report that shall be delivered to the chairpersons of the house of …

When a student has presented to an institution of higher education an internal complaint alleging harassment on the basis of race or color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or country of ancestral origin, the institution shall be …

As used in this chapter, the term “incident of violence” shall include any event or occurrence where any person abuses or causes physical injury to another person, or threatens to abuse or to cause physical injury to another person. Incidents of violence shall include, but not be…

(a) Every institution of higher education in the state shall adopt and implement the following policy as part of its code of conduct: (a) “The health and safety of every student at the (name of institution) is of utmost importance. (Name of institution) recognizes that students w…

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a funding mechanism through which costs for charter public schools will be shared between the state and the local school districts sending students to a charter public school.

(a) Operating costs of a charter public school shall be the total of the per pupil payments for each student attending the charter public school. The per pupil payment for each student shall be determined based on the per pupil cost for the district of residence of each student. …

Charter public schools may apply for federal funds to support start up costs. Charter public schools shall become eligible to apply for federal funds upon approval of the charter public school’s application by the board of regents for elementary and secondary education. Federal f…

In the event that federal funds are either unavailable or are fully expended, there shall be established a system of interest free loans for start up costs for charter public schools to be provided from an appropriation of state funds designated by the legislature for this purpos…

A public school district or districts may access state aid for reimbursement of school housing costs for district sponsored charter public schools pursuant to §§ 16-7-35 through 16-7-47. Public charter schools not sponsored by a public school district or districts may apply for t…

For purposes of this chapter, a charter public school shall be all schools as defined in chapter 77 of this title and shall also include the Textron Chamber of Commerce Academy and the Times 2 Academy.

In addition to those regulations specifically required by § 16-77.1-5, the department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate any additional regulations that are necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter.

(a) Persons or entities eligible to submit an application to establish a district charter school shall be limited to: (1) Existing public schools; (2) Groups of public school personnel; (3) Public school districts; or (4) A group of school districts. (b) No existing public school…

(a) Any persons or entities eligible to establish a district charter school may submit a proposed charter to the commissioner and the school committee of the district where the district charter school is to be located. The proposed charter shall: (1) Be submitted to the commissio…

(a) If the commissioner or the school committee of the district where the district charter school is to be located finds the proposed charter to be incomplete, further information may be requested and required. The commissioner shall develop regulations for amending an approved c…

(a) The board of regents may revoke the charter of a district charter school at any time, pursuant to § 16-77-5.1, if the school: (1) Materially violates any of the provisions contained in the charter; (2) Fails to meet or pursue the educational objectives contained in the charte…

(a) It is the intent of the general assembly that funding pursuant to this chapter shall be neither a financial incentive nor a financial disincentive to the establishment of a district charter school. Funding for each district charter school shall consist of state revenue and mu…

The board of regents may grant to district charter schools variances of specific chapters and sections of this title except to the extent that these chapters and sections are enumerated in § 16-77.2-7.

The following provisions of this title shall be binding on district charter schools and may not be waived by the commissioner under § 16-77.2-3: (1) Section 16-2-2 (minimum length of school year); (2) Section 16-2-17 (right to a safe school); (3) Section 16-8-10 (federal funds fo…

(a) All district charter schools shall continuously monitor their financial operations by tracking actual versus budgeted revenue and expense. The chief financial officer of the district charter school shall submit a report on a quarterly basis to the commissioner certifying the …

(a) Persons or entities eligible to submit an application to establish an independent charter school shall be limited to: (1) Rhode Island nonprofit organizations provided that these nonprofit organizations shall have existed for at least two (2) years and must exist for a substa…

(a) Any persons or entities eligible to establish an independent charter public school may submit a proposed charter, or an amendment to a charter for an expansion, to the commissioner. For purposes of this chapter, “expansion” shall be an increase in total enrollment; an increas…

(a) If the commissioner finds the proposed charter to be incomplete, further information may be requested and required. The commissioner shall develop regulations for amending an approved charter, consistent with the provisions of this chapter and § 16-77-5.1. (b) After having re…

(a) The board of regents may revoke the charter of an independent charter school at any time, pursuant to § 16-77-5.1, if the school: (1) Materially violates any provision contained in the charter; (2) Fails to meet or pursue the educational objectives contained in the charter; (…

(a) It is the intent of the general assembly that funding pursuant to this chapter shall be neither a financial incentive nor a financial disincentive to the establishment of an independent charter school. Funding for each independent charter school shall consist of state revenue…