Title 16, Title 16 Title 16

(a) The purpose of this chapter is to provide an alternative within the public education system by offering opportunities for entities identified in § 16-77-2.1 to establish and maintain a high performing public school program according to the terms of a charter. The key appeal o…

Charter public schools have the same immunity possessed by school districts to suit as limited by chapter 31 of title 9. A charter public school shall have the authority to indemnify its employees to the extent that they are not already indemnified by the school district and/or t…

(a) Individuals or groups may complain to a charter public school’s governing body concerning any claimed violation of the provisions of this chapter by the school. If, after presenting their complaint to the governing body, the individuals or groups believe their complaint has n…

(a) No student tuition or mandatory fees may be charged by any charter public school. (b) A charter public school may include any grade up to grade twelve (12) or any configuration of those grades, including kindergarten and prekindergarten. If specified in its charter, a charter…

(a) Every institution of higher learning in the state and the department of health shall incorporate into their policies, rules, and regulations pertaining to school health programs a procedure for addressing incidents of anaphylaxis (exaggerated allergic reaction) in order to pr…

This chapter shall be known as the “Rhode Island School-to-Career Transition Act of 1996.” When in the general or public laws there appear the words, “The Rhode Island School-to-Work Transition Act of 1996,” it shall now read, “The Rhode Island School-to-Career Transition Act of …

The general assembly has found and declares that: (1) Three-fourths (¾) of adults in the Rhode Island workforce lack a baccalaureate degree, and many do not possess the academic and entry-level occupational skills necessary to succeed in the changing workplace; (2) Twenty-eight p…

The purpose and legislative intent of this chapter is: (1) To establish a state framework within which state departments can create an interagency mechanism to develop, implement and maintain a statewide system of school-to work transition; (2) To establish a state framework to p…

A mechanism will be developed as part of the statewide school-to-career system that brings the departments of elementary and secondary education, labor and training, human services and the Rhode Island economic development corporation together to collaboratively support, implemen…

(a) Local partnerships will be developed to provide a framework within which local districts or consortia can develop school-to-work strategies which will: (1) Be integrated with education reform and school improvement efforts; (2) Offer opportunities for all students to particip…

Through the interagency partnerships, the state school-to-work system shall provide a plan for ongoing outreach activities to inform and organize the school-to-work partnerships on regional and local levels. In establishing a school-to-work system, the state shall: (1) Redefine w…

The human resource investment council shall annually report to the legislature on the school-to-work transition program.

There shall be no appropriation of any state monies to carry out the purpose of this chapter without the approval of the general assembly.

(a) Each student, staff member, teacher, and administrator has a right to attend and/or work in an institution of higher education which is safe and secure and which is conducive to learning, and which is free from the threat, actual or implied, of physical harm by a disruptive s…

(a) Each public institution of postsecondary education shall establish a plan for addressing the mental health needs of its students in a timely fashion that may include written memorandum of understanding with local community service providers or other mental health providers. S…

This act shall be known and may referred to as the “Rhode Island Urban Education Act of 1998.”

The general assembly recognizes that certain school systems of urban communities as defined in this chapter require additional financial support and relief by the state, and allocates additional funding to these communities.

For the purposes of this chapter, “urban communities” means those communities identified to receive targeted aid in § 16-7.1-16.

Locally or regionally operated school districts shall be eligible for targeted aid if they have a tax effort index below 1.0 as calculated pursuant to § 16-7.1-16 and a free and reduced lunch count in grades K-3 greater than forty percent (40%).

Districts shall be eligible for aid based on the proportion that their average daily membership bears to the total average daily membership of districts eligible for aid in accordance with § 16-7.1-16.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Middle School Reform Act of 2004.”

It is hereby found and declared as follows: The importance of education and the need to educate our children to ensure the future of our state’s work force and economic development is one of the major goals of the general assembly; and Our state’s top educators have been calling …

Every school committee in every city or town shall initiate policy intended to improve the educational performance of its middle schools. Said policy shall include the following criteria: (1) Encourage the redesign of its middle schools. Such a redesign effort should include all …

(a) The legislature recognizes that it is clearly in the public interest for the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island to seek private funding in support of initiatives which promote academic excellence and educational access. …

Subject to appropriation, the state of Rhode Island may contribute funds to the University of Rhode Island Foundation in an amount necessary to match private donations for the purposes listed below. Subject to appropriation, the state may contribute an amount not to exceed one do…

Subject to appropriation, the state of Rhode Island may contribute funds to Rhode Island College Foundation in an amount necessary to match private donations for the purposes listed below. Subject to appropriation, the state may contribute an amount not to exceed one dollar ($1.0…

Subject to appropriation, the state of Rhode Island may contribute funds to the Community College of Rhode Island Foundation in an amount necessary to match private donations for the purposes listed below. Subject to appropriation, the state may contribute an amount not to exceed…

Matching grants shall be made only for those contributions made after July 1, 2005.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Lindsay Ann Burke Act.”

The general assembly hereby finds, determines and declares that when a student is a victim of dating violence, his or her academic life suffers and his or her safety at school is jeopardized. The general assembly therefore finds that a policy to create an environment free of dati…

The general assembly finds and declares as follows: (1) There is a distinct shortage in Rhode Island of workers who are trained and certified to function in direct support of individuals with developmental and/or learning disabilities who have special needs. (2) The Paul V. Sherl…

(a) The Rhode Island board of governors for higher education (RIBGHE), working in collaboration with the office of health and human services (OHHS) and the Rhode Island department of labor and training (RIDLT), shall conduct a study to determine the need for and assess the feasib…

(a) In conducting the feasibility study, (RIBGHE), (OHHS) and (RIDLT) will solicit input from a variety of interested parties, including, but not limited to: (1) Administration and staff of the Paul V. Sherlock Center. (2) Administrators and faculty from Rhode Island-based instit…

(RIBGHE), (OHHS) and (RIDLT) shall submit the aforementioned study to the Rhode Island general assembly by February 1, 2008, with its findings and recommendations, including an assessment of the size of the market for the certification program, the cost and feasibility to establi…

This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act.”

(a) The general assembly hereby finds that attending high quality early childhood education programs help children develop important social and cognitive skills and knowledge that prepares children to succeed in school. Research has shown long-lasting benefits for children who pa…

(a) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall begin planning an initial, pilot prekindergarten program that meets high quality standards, builds on the existing early childhood education infrastructure in the state (including child care, Head Start a…

(a) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall work with other state departments and private philanthropy to establish a statewide, comprehensive, research-based early childhood workforce development scholarship program to expand the number of early c…

The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall report back to the general assembly and the governor on the progress of the pilot planning phase no later than October 31, 2008.

On or before December 31, 2022, the department of elementary and secondary education, in collaboration with the department of human services and the children’s cabinet, as established in § 42-72.5-1, shall submit to the governor, speaker of the house, president of the senate, and…

(a) No later than December 31, 2022, the department of human services shall provide the speaker of the house and president of the senate with a report on the status of disbursement and impact of capital funds made available by the early learning facilities general obligation bond…

This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island After School and Summer Learning Program Act”.

(a) The general assembly hereby finds that participating in high quality after school and summer learning programs provides children and youth needed resources to succeed in school and in life. (b) The general assembly also finds that in 2005, seventy-four percent (74%) of childr…

(a) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall begin planning an initial, demonstration after school and summer learning program that meets high quality standards, is age/grade appropriate, runs programming during the hours of 3:00 p.m. through 6:00 p…

The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall issue an interim report by February 26, 2010 to the general assembly and the governor and submit a final report on the progress of the demonstration planning phase no later than May 30, 2010.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Grant, Gift and Donation Acceptance and Expenditure Act of 2009.”