Chapter
126
2003 -- S 0415 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED
Enacted 07/09/03
AN ACT
RELATING
TO EDUCATION
Introduced
By: Senator Hanna M. Gallo
Date
Introduced: February 13, 2003
It
is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Sections 16-11.2-2 and 16-11.2-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-11.2
entitled
"Qualifications of Teacher Assistants" are hereby amended to read as
follows:
16-11.2-2.
General qualifications of teacher assistants. -- No person shall be
employed
as a
teacher assistant in any school supported in whole or in part by public funds
unless he or she
shall:
(1) Be of good character as verified by the employer;
(2) Hold a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma or demonstrate
literacy
skills
(including reading, writing, speaking, and mathematics) necessary to work with
teachers
and
students;
(3) For any person hired after January 1, 1999, complete a training program in
compliance
with the teacher assistant program standards developed by the department of
elementary
and secondary education pursuant to section 16-11.2-1. The training program
shall not
be
required of those persons employed as a teacher assistant in another Rhode
Island school
district
prior to January 1, 1999, those who hold certification as a teacher assistant
in another
state,
or those who hold an associate's or bachelor's degree and have completed
coursework or
other
training consistent with the teacher assistant program standards developed by
the
department
of elementary and secondary education. ;
(4)
If hired after January 8, 2002, and providing an instructional service, have
completed
at
least two (2) years of study at an institution of higher education, obtained an
associate's (or
higher)
degree; or otherwise met a rigorous standard of quality and can demonstrate
through a
formal
state or local academic assessment an appropriate level of: (i) knowledge of,
and the
ability
to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics; or (ii) knowledge
of, and the
ability
to assist in instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics
readiness, as
appropriate.
Assessments developed at the local level may consist of performance assessments
documenting
teacher assistant skills; and
(5)
If hired on or before January 8, 2002, and providing instructional service,
meet the
requirements
set forth in subsection
subdivision (4) herein not later than January 8, 2006.
The Employer shall
pay
for up to two (2) test administration fees for all teacher assistants hired
prior to July 1, 2003.
16-11.2-3.
Continued professional development of teacher assistants. -- (a) As a
condition
of continued employment every person employed as a teacher assistant shall
participate
in
ongoing professional development.
(b) Each school district or institution employing teacher assistants shall
maintain records
on a
teacher assistant's completion of:
(1) Training for the work assignment. ;
(2) Continuing education and relevant coursework. ;
(3) For any person hired after January 1, 1999, a certificate of completion
from a training
program
which complied with the teaching assistant training program standards developed
by the
department
of elementary and secondary education pursuant to section 16-11.2-1. ;
and/or
(4)
The requirements set forth in subsection section 16-11.2-2(4).
SECTION
2. Section 16-11.2-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-11.2 entitled
"Qualifications
of Teacher Assistants" is hereby amended to read as follows.
16-11.2-5.
Standardized testing. -- No Except as provided in subsection section 16-11.2-2, no
person
shall be deemed not qualified to be a teacher assistant under this chapter
solely because of
his or
her score on any standardized teacher assistant's examination. Nothing
contained in this
section
shall be construed to require standardized testing for noninstructional
teaching assistant
positions.
SECTION
3. This article shall take effect upon passage.
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LC01968/SUB
A/2
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