2013 -- S 0968

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LC02670

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE RHODE ISLAND STUDENT INVESTMENT

INITIATIVE

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Ruggerio, and Jabour

     Date Introduced: May 30, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.1-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.1 entitled "The Paul

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W. Crowley Rhode Island Student Investment Initiative" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-7.1-13. State leadership in conducting annual assessments of student

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performance. State leadership in conducting annual assessments of student performance -

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notice – supports and accommodating – alternative tests. – (a) Setting high standards for

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student performance must be paired with related assessments that will determine what progress

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the state is making toward bringing all children to high levels of achievement. A state assessment

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program shall be continued and expanded in core areas (mathematics, reading, writing and

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health). The program shall include performance standards and an annual report that disaggregates

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performance by race, poverty, native language and gender. The general assembly shall annually

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appropriate funds to support the programs, and the amount shall be recalculated annually. The

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commissioner of education shall implement the state assessment program.

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     (b) The department of education shall provide notice to all parents of students who are

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juniors and those parents of students who are seniors and have yet to meet the state assessment

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requirement for graduation, all teachers and all administrators regarding the high school

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graduation standards and the process those students must adhere to if they do not meet the

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proficiency standard of the state assessment set forth by the board of education. Said notice shall

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be clear, concise and use lay person terminology. Said notice shall also set forth the list of

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alternative testing approved by the board of education as of the date of the notice, and direct

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parents to the local school district for the waiver and appeal process. Said notice shall provide in

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bold print that students who are provided with accommodations shall be afforded those

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accommodations when taking the state assessment unless prohibited by federal law or regulation.

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If a student is not provided with the appropriate accommodations during the administration of the

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state assessment, said student will be provided with an additional opportunity to take the state

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assessment within that same school year and the aforementioned notice shall contain this

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information.

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     (c) The department of education shall provide school districts with guidance as to the

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appropriate, effective and efficient supports that students may be given if they fail to meet the

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proficiency standard of the state assessment set forth as a graduation requirement by the board of

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education. Students shall be provided with more support from the school district than solely

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taking practice exams, unless it is in the best interest of the student. Said students shall not be

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removed from other core classes to receive additional supports unless it is the best interest of the

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student and this determination must be made on an individual student basis.

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     (d) The department of education shall develop the state math assessment in other

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languages, as an alternative test to satisfy the graduation requirement no later than September 1,

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2015. English language learners may be required to take the math state assessment in English to

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comply with federal laws, regulations, guidelines or as a condition of receiving funding.

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     (e) The department of education and/or local school committees are encouraged to

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engage local higher education institutions, public and private, to provide students with volunteer

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assistance including, but not limited to, tutoring or other supports that students need to increase

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their performance in school. Said volunteers must meet the requirements of section 16-2-18.1 if

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applicable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02670

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE RHODE ISLAND STUDENT INVESTMENT

INITIATIVE

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     This act would require the department of education to provide notice to parents of junior

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and senior students who have yet to meet the state assessment requirement for graduation as well

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as teachers and administrators regarding high school graduation standards and the process those

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students must follow to achieve same, along with all accommodations available to them. The act

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would also require the department to provide school districts with guidance as to support

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available to said students, to develop a state math assessment in other languages for English

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language learners, and to encourage schools to provide students with volunteer assistance.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02670

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