2022 -- H 7974

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LC005430

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS FOR ALL

STUDENTS ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Biah, Henries, Amore, Batista, Ruggiero, Morales,
Williams, Vella-Wilkinson, Giraldo, and Potter

     Date Introduced: March 11, 2022

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-96-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-96 entitled "The College

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and Career Success for All Students Act [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

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Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-96-3. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Advanced Placement course" means a course sponsored by the college board and

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offered for college credit at the high school level.

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     (2) "Advanced Placement teacher" means a teacher of an advanced placement course.

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     (3) "Pre-Advanced Placement" means set professional development resources and services

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that equip all middle and high school teachers with the strategies and tools they need to engage

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their students in active, high-level learning, thereby ensuring that every middle and high school

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student develops the skills, habits of mind, and concepts they need to succeed in advanced

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placement courses.

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     (4) "Board of regents" means the board of regents for elementary and secondary education.

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     (5) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid that allows eligible

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students the opportunity to obtain federal financial aid through the U.S. Department of Education

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to assist with the cost of postsecondary education.

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     (6) "Rhode Island alternative financial aid application" means the form that allows eligible

 

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students who are not permitted to fill out the FAFSA an opportunity to apply for state financial aid,

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regardless of their immigration status, to assist with the cost of postsecondary education.

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     (5)(7) "Vertical team" means a group of teachers and educators from different grade levels

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in a given discipline who work cooperatively to develop and implement a vertically aligned

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program aimed at helping students from diverse backgrounds acquire the academic skills necessary

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for success in advanced placement courses and other challenging courses.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 16-96 of the General Laws entitled "The College and Career Success

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for All Students Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     16-96-6. College and Career-Ready Requirements.

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     (a) Beginning with the class of 2023, and except as provided in subsection (b) of this

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section, high school seniors in the State of Rhode Island shall do at least one of the following in

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order to graduate:

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     (1) Complete a FAFSA and submit it to the U.S. Department of Education; or

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     (2) Complete a Rhode Island alternative financial aid application, offered through the

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community college of Rhode Island, and submit it to the office of the postsecondary commissioner.

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     (b) A student may graduate high school without fulfilling the requirements of subsection

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(a) of this section only if at least one of the following conditions is met:

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     (1) A written waiver is provided to the student’s local education agency certifying that the

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student or their parent or legal guardian refuses to complete either of the applications identified in

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subsection (a) of this section. The waiver shall be submitted in a manner and form prescribed by

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the local education agency and shall be executed by:

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     (i) A parent or legal guardian; or

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     (ii) A student who is legally emancipated; or

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     (iii) A student who has obtained the legal age of majority.

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     (2) A student’s local education agency requests and receives a waiver that would exempt

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the student from fulfilling the requirements in subsection (a) or (b)(1) of this section. The waiver

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shall:

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     (i) Be submitted in a manner and form prescribed by the Rhode Island commissioner of

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elementary and secondary education; and

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     (ii) Include an attestation by the local education agency that the student is not able to fulfill

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the requirements in subsection (a) or (b)(1) of this section due to extenuating circumstances.

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     SECTION 2. 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 -- THE COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS FOR ALL

STUDENTS ACT

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     This act would require all high school seniors in the state to complete a federal financial

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aid application (FAFSA) or a Rhode Island alternative financial aid application, offered through

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the community college of Rhode Island in order to graduate high school. Waivers would be

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available under certain conditions.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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