Title 16, Title 16 Title 16

(a) The governing body of each elementary, middle or junior high school approved for the purpose of §§ 16-19-1 and 16-19-2, shall develop a policy designed to provide a safe environment for students with peanut/tree nut allergies. When a school is aware that an enrolled student h…

(a) Definitions. As used in this chapter: (1) “Bullying” means the use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof directed at a student that: (i) Causes physical or emotional harm to the student or…

(a) Legislative findings: (1) Approximately three hundred twenty-five thousand (325,000) Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest (“SCA”) each year and more than ninety-five percent (95%) of them die before reaching the hospital; (2) In the population of Rhode Island, an estimated …

(a) The Rhode Island department of education shall prescribe by regulation a statewide bullying policy, ensuring a consistent and unified, statewide approach to the prohibition of bullying at school. The statewide policy shall apply to all schools that are approved for the purpos…

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) “Opioid antagonist” means any drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or disinhibits the effects of opioids acting on those receptors, including naloxone hydrochloride, also kn…

Each public or private school in the state shall post a notice that contains the statewide, toll-free telephone number, established and implemented by the department of children, youth and families pursuant to § 40-11-3 for the receipt of reports concerning the suspicion of child…

(a) The state of Rhode Island finds and declares that: (1) Water plays an important role in maintaining a child’s overall health; (2) Drinking water can positively impact children’s cognitive performance; (3) Drinking water can improve children’s fine motor skills and visual atte…

(a) By the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, all public schools maintaining any combination of classes from grade five (5) through grade twelve (12), inclusive, shall make feminine hygiene products available in the school as follows: (1) Feminine products shall be available…

(a) Any person including, but not limited to, students, parents, or school personnel may possess and use a topical sunscreen product, without a physician’s note or prescription, while on school property or at a school-related event, or activity, to avoid overexposure to the sun, …

(a)(1) It shall be the duty of the principal or other person in charge of every public school or private school, college, university, or postsecondary institutions or educational institution within the state, having more than twenty-five (25) pupils, to instruct and train the pup…

(a) Schools play a critical role in addressing and mitigating the effects of child trauma by recognizing the impact of adversity and trauma on students, parents, and staff, and embedding policies and practices that foster well-being and resilience. (b) Through alignment and integ…

(a) There is hereby established a trauma-informed schools commission (hereinafter the “commission”). The commission shall meet at least quarterly or approximately four (4) times per year in fiscal years 2023 and 2024. It shall expire on June 30, 2024. Members of the commission sh…

(a) The department of education (RIDE), in consultation with the department of health, shall develop type 1 diabetes informational materials for the parents and guardians of students. The informational materials shall be made available to each school district, charter school, and…

(a)(1) Each public school shall have a policy regarding the use of personal electronic devices on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities to reduce distractions, maintain environments focused on learning, and protect the privacy and safety of students and staff. Eac…

(a) It shall be the duty of the department of elementary and secondary education or the office of higher education, as appropriate, to formulate a uniform fire code or drill tactics to be used in all schools in accordance with § 16-21-4 and to furnish a sufficient number of copie…

Effective January 1, 2019, all school buildings where students are in attendance for any portion of the day shall be required to have carbon monoxide detectors installed and maintained therein, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the National Fire Protection Associati…

(a) All schools that are approved for the purpose of §§ 16-19-1 and 16-19-2 shall have a school health program that shall be approved by the state director of the department of health and the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or the commissioner of higher educati…

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a school district shall prohibit at any school within the district: (1) The advertising of any food or beverage that may not be sold on the school campus during the school day. For purposes of this section, food and bevera…

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, each school system shall employ certified nurse-teacher personnel certified by the state department of elementary and secondary education; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to those school districts that…

(a) Each community as defined in § 16-7-16 shall provide for the appointment of a physician to make examinations of the health of the school children, who shall report any deviation from the normal, and for the preservation of records of the examinations of the children. Each com…

The school committees of the several cities, towns, and school districts shall provide for students of the senior class in high school a course of instruction and demonstration in the operation of a voting machine, and of the manner of casting a valid ballot. The board of electio…

(a) All public schools, commencing with preprimary school through and including high school, shall commence each day with the following pledge: (a) “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, ind…

(a) The school committees of the several cities, towns, and school districts shall provide for the incorporation of mandatory instruction of students in grades one through twelve (12) on the effects of alcohol and substance abuse upon the human system in existing health education…

(a) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”), in consultation with the Rhode Island department of education (the “department”), shall develop and approve statewide academic standards for the instruction of consumer education in public high schools by no l…

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and prescribe a suicide prevention awareness program for public school students in grades nine (9) through twelve (12). The school committees of the several cities, towns, and school districts shall provide fo…

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and prescribe a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training course for public school students in the state. The course shall be established in accordance with the requirements and criteria obtained from the R…

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and prescribe a training course in the emergency treatment for blocked air passages. The course shall be established in accordance with criteria and requirements established by the director of the department o…

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education shall, pursuant to rules promulgated by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and the director of the department of health, establish comprehensive AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) instruction, wh…

(a) Every secondary school teaching courses in family life or sex education within this state shall include, as part of the course instruction, abstinence from sexual activity and refraining from sexual intercourse as the preferred method of pregnancy prevention and the preventio…

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 16-38-6, all cities and towns may establish a program utilizing the display of televised commercial advertising necessarily incidental to the use and display of electronic news, internet access, or educational programming by school officials in…

(a) The general assembly recognizes the importance of a citizenry well educated in the principles of democracy as enunciated in the constitutions of the state of Rhode Island and the United States. The general assembly directs the board of regents for elementary and secondary edu…

(a) A parent(s) or legal guardian of any student in a public or nonpublic primary or secondary school may refuse to allow their child to dissect or vivisect any vertebrate or invertebrate animal, or any part of a vertebrate or invertebrate animal. (b) A school that offers dissect…

(a) The legislature recognizes the importance of community service learning as a means of enhancing life in the community and as a way of enlightening young people about the needs of others. Whenever young people are led through teaching and example, the likelihood of their becom…

The department of elementary and secondary education shall, pursuant to rules promulgated by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, develop curricular material on genocide and human rights issues and guidelines for the teaching of that material. The material and …

(a) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education shall select and/or develop a statewide curriculum (i) in Mathematics and English/Language Arts for students in grades kindergarten (k) through twelve (12) by August 31, 2006 and (ii) in Science for students in grade…

(a) Each school district shall incorporate dating violence education that is age-appropriate into the annual health curriculum framework for students in grades seven (7) through twelve (12). (1) Dating violence education shall include, but not be limited to: defining dating viole…

The department of elementary and secondary education shall, in collaboration with the department of health, make Lyme disease awareness and prevention resources available for all public school students in the state.

(a) Short title. This section shall be known and may be cited as “Erin Merryn’s Law.” (b) Prevention of child abduction, child sexual exploitation, and child sexual abuse. (1) All pupils in grades kindergarten through eight (8) in all public schools in the state shall receive ins…

All secondary public schools, including middle schools, or any other secondary schools managed and controlled by the state, are strongly encouraged to offer as a part of the curriculum, courses in performing arts, including musical ensembles, such as band, chorus, orchestra, and …

The department of elementary and secondary education shall consider, in consultation with national or statewide organizations focused on media literacy, the incorporation of media literacy education into the board of education’s basic education program regulations. For the purpos…

The general assembly recognizes the importance of a citizenry well educated in the principles of nature and our environment, as well as the general assembly’s duty to provide for the preservation, regeneration, and restoration of the natural environment of the state, as enunciate…

The school committees of the several cities and towns shall make provision for the instruction of the pupils in all schools supported wholly, or in part, by public money, in physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effects of alcoholic liquors, stimulants, and narcot…

(a) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”) shall direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) to institute a process to develop statewide academic standards for the core subjects of mathematics, English language art…

(a)(1) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”) shall direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) to institute a process to develop curriculum frameworks for mathematics, English language arts, science and technology…

(a)(1) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”) shall direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) to institute a process for reviewing and identifying curriculum and materials for mathematics, English language arts, …

(a) Once local education agencies (“LEAs”) select high-quality curriculum and materials pursuant to § 16-22-32, the department of elementary and secondary education (the “department”) shall identify an LEA assistance partner from within the department to provide any and all suppo…