2021 -- H 5699

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LC002113

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Williams, Alzate, Barros, Hull, Amore, Henries, Biah,
Batista, Abney, and Morales

     Date Introduced: February 24, 2021

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Findings of fact.

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     The general assembly makes the following findings of fact:

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     (1) The demographic divide between teachers and students is of growing public concern.

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     (2) Currently, students of color are the demographic majority of students attending public

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schools in the United States and comprise the large majority of urban school students (U.S.

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Department of Education, 2013). In contrast, less than twenty percent (20%) of teachers are

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teachers of color.

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     (3) A common explanation of why the demographic divide is so concerning is that students

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of color have more favorable perceptions of teachers of color.

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     (4) More favorable student perceptions of teachers in turn can translate into better academic

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outcomes such as motivation, interest, and grades.

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     (5) Teachers of color represent excellent role models and provide a continuous source of

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inspiration for not only students of color, but all students.

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     (6) Racial and ethnic separation and isolation can be countered through significantly

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increasing the number of teachers of color.

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     (7) Students learn important societal lessons through the example of cooperative interracial

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and interethnic relationships among teachers.

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     (8) It is in the best interest of the state, its residents, and its students to develop and support

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a multi-faceted approach to increase the number of teachers of color in public schools.

 

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     (9) Support for increased preparation and training of teachers of color can successfully be

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leveraged by providing direct financial support to a nonprofit organization working to increase

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opportunities for teachers of color.

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     (10) The Rhode Island School for Progressive Education is a domestic nonprofit

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corporation working to increase opportunities for teachers of color, and is the state's first residency-

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style graduate school of education.

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     SECTION 2. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

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adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 110

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INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS OF COLOR ACT

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     16-110-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and maybe cited as the "Increasing Opportunities for Teachers

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of Color Act".

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     16-110-2. Definitions.

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     When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following

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meanings:

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     (1) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form;

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     (2) "Mandatory fees and tuition" means the costs that every student is required to pay in

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order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may

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exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel;

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     (3) "Person of color" means a resident of the state who is:

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     (i) Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa);

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     (ii) Hispanic (a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or

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other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race);

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     (iii) Portuguese (a person of Portuguese, Brazilian, or other Portuguese culture or origin,

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regardless of race);

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     (iv) Asian American (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East,

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Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or

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     (v) American Indian and Alaskan Native (a person having origins in any of the original

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peoples of North America.

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     (4) "Recipient" or "recipient student" means a student attending Rhode Island College who

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qualifies and is awarded a scholarship pursuant to the provisions of § 16-110-4.

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     (5) "Scholarship" or "scholarship program" means the scholarship program that is

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established pursuant to § 16-110-4 to promote and increase the quality of teachers in urban and

 

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urban ring public schools.

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     (6) "State" means the state of Rhode Island.

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     (7) "Student of color" means a person of color attending a public school as a student.

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     (8) "Teacher of color" means a person of color certified and employed in a public school

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as a teacher.

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     (9) "Urban" means the municipalities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket

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and Newport.

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     (10) "Urban ring" means the municipalities of Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick, North

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Providence and East Providence.

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     16-110-3. Program to improve education qualify in urban and urban ring schools.

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     The board of education is hereby empowered to establish and provide as part of the

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operation of the office of postsecondary commissioner, in consultation with the council on post-

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secondary education for the administration, coordination and oversight of a program to improve

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the quality of education in urban and urban ring schools by increasing opportunities for teachers of

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color and other teachers committed to improving the quality of education in urban and urban ring

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schools. The program shall include, but not be limited to:

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     (1) Providing, in conjunction with the community college of Rhode Island as a component

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of the RI Promise Program, to create a "teaching" foundations pathway at CCRI that allows students

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to earn program credits aligned with teacher preparation programs at Rhode Island college and the

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university of Rhode Island. This pathway should be focused on promoting an increased number of

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educators of color serving in Rhode Island public schools;

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     (2) Providing, in conjunction with the community college of Rhode Island and Rhode

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Island college partnership program established with Rhode Island's urban and urban ring school

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districts, assistance to those high schools to create "teacher pathway" programs to recruit and retain

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students interested in pursuing a career in teaching;

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     (3) Providing, in conjunction with Rhode Island college, a program created to support

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increased opportunities to develop teachers of color and other teachers committed to improving the

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quality of education in urban and urban ring schools, to include, but not be limited to, utilization of

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the scholarship program established pursuant to § 16-110-4;

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     (4) Coordinating with the Rhode Island School for Progressive Education for the

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dissemination of information encouraging the identification, development and support of aspiring

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teachers of color, and others committed to improving the quality of education in urban and urban

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ring schools; and

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     (5) Providing, in conjunction with the department of education, to prioritize and expand

 

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the issuance of emergency teaching certificates to promote and increase the number of teachers of

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color in urban and urban ring schools.

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     16-110-4. Scholarship program.

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     (a) Beginning July 1, 2021, there is hereby established a scholarship program to promote

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and increase the quality of education in urban and urban ring public schools. The general assembly

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shall annually appropriate, starting in fiscal year 2022, the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000)

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to implement the scholarship purposes of this chapter. Additional funds beyond the scholarships

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may be appropriated to support and advance the scholarship program established pursuant to the

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provisions of this section. In addition to appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations

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may be accepted into the scholarship program.

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     (b) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or

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their respective equivalent offices, at Rhode Island college, shall administer the scholarship

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program for state residents seeking bachelor degrees who meet the eligibility requirements in

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subsection (c) of this section.

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     (c) To be eligible for receipt of the scholarship, a student:

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     (1) Must be pursuing a pre-kindergarten through grade twelve (Pre-K-12) teacher

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certification as part of the teacher preparation program in the Feinstein school of education and

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human development (FSEHD) at Rhode Island college;

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     (2) Must commit to work full-time as a teacher within one year of graduation at a public

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urban or urban ring school. The commitment to work full-time shall extend to one year of teaching

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for each year the recipient received and accepted an award of scholarship pursuant to the provisions

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of this chapter;

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     (3) Must qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by

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the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified

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from time to time ("residency policy");

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     (4) Must be admitted to, and must enroll and attend Rhode Island College on a full-time

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basis;

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     (5) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification by the deadline

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prescribed by Rhode Island college for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding

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under the scholarship program;

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     (6) Must continue to be enrolled on a full-time basis;

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     (7) Must maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or

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greater, as determined by Rhode Island college;

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     (8) Must remain on track to graduate on time as determined by Rhode Island college; and

 

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     (9) Must commit to repayment of all funds received by the scholarship program if the

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recipient student fails to complete or comply with all requirements and provisions of this chapter.

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     (d) Rhode Island college shall develop a policy and procedure to secure the commitments

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from recipient students.

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     (e) Every scholarship awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be calculated

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annually. Each applicant and/or recipient shall complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA

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verification by the deadline prescribed by Rhode Island college for each year of attendance. The

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scholarship award shall cover the annual cost of mandatory fees and tuition, less federal and all

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other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. Once awarded, the scholarship may

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continue for a period of up to four (4) years conditioned on the recipient student's compliance with

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the provisions of this section.

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     (f) All scholarships awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to

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appropriation, and no applicant shall have a right to receive any scholarship pursuant to the

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provisions of this section until awarded.

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     16-110-5. Scholarship award preference.

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     In selecting students as recipients of the scholarship established pursuant to § 16-110-4,

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preference shall be given to the following applicants:

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     (1) Students of color;

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     (2) Students having attended and graduated from an urban or urban ring school located

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within this state; and

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     (3) Students who have participated in a "teacher pathway" program established pursuant to

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the provisions of § 16-110-3(2).

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     16-110-6. Promulgation of rules and procedure.

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     The council on postsecondary education is hereby authorized to promulgate rules to

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effectuate the purpose of this chapter and Rhode Island college shall establish appeal procedures

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for the award, denial or revocation of a scholarship award pursuant to the provisions of § 16-110-

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4. The rules shall be promulgated in accordance with § 16-59-4.

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     16-110-7. Appropriations to support nonprofit activity.

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     (a) The general assembly for fiscal year 2022, and annually thereafter as approved by the

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general assembly, shall appropriate two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) as a grant to support

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the work of the Rhode Island School for Progressive Education.

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     (b) On or before January 1, 2022, to qualify for continued appropriations, the Rhode Island

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School for Progressive Education shall submit a report to the commissioner of postsecondary

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education, the speaker of the house, the president of the senate and the governor, disclosing how

 

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the funds were utilized in the form of a performance progress report which shall include expense-

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related data and qualitative information about the impact of the grant.

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     (c) The commissioner of postsecondary education may specify the format or context to be

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provided in the report submitted pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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     This act would establish the "Increasing Opportunities for Teachers of Color Act". The act

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would provide for a multifaceted approach to increase the quality of education in public urban and

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urban ring schools by promoting the development, utilization and opportunities for teachers of

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color. This act would further provide for a two million dollar ($2,000,000) annual appropriation for

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a scholarship fund to develop teachers for employment in urban and urban ring schools. Preference

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for scholarship awards would be given to students of color. Scholarship recipients would commit

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to work in an urban or urban ring school for one year for each year a scholarship award was

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accepted. Additionally, this act would provide for a two hundred thousand dollar ($200,000) grant

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to the nonprofit Rhode Island School for Progressive Education. This grant would be awarded

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annually as approved by the general assembly.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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