Chapter 258
2017 -- S 0101
Enacted 07/19/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION - SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS

Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard
Date Introduced: February 01, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 16-2-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-2 entitled "School
Committees and Superintendents [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of
Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     16-2-2. City and town schools required -- School year -- Location -- Kindergartens.
     (a) (1) Except as specifically provided in this section, every city or town shall establish
and maintain for at least one hundred eighty (180) days annually or the equivalent thereof,
exclusive of holidays, a sufficient number of schools in convenient places under the control and
management of the school committee and under the supervision of the board of regents for
elementary and secondary education Rhode Island Board of Education. In lieu of a convenient
location, the school committee may provide transportation for pupils to and from school in
accordance with the provisions of chapter 21 of this title. Provided, that a school district may
establish a school year which that is the equivalent of one hundred eighty (180) days through the
use of longer school days in terms of hours or pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and
which that may total less than one hundred eighty (180) separate days, so long as through the use
of the longer school day, the school district annually provides a minimum of one thousand eighty
(1080) school hours in a single school year. This figure is based on a minimum of six (6) hours
per school day. For purposes of clarification, the intent herein is to permit school districts to
amend their school year to provide for longer school days while reducing the actual number of
days in which the school facilities must be fully staffed and maintained, but to insure that in doing
so, school districts shall still provide the minimum amount of instruction time contemplated by
this section. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit a school district from exceeding the
minimum amounts of days and hours set forth herein.
     (2) School districts intending to make use of the option provided herein to lengthen
school days and shorten the school year shall submit a detailed school day plan and a proposed
school calendar to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education for approval. The
commissioner shall review the submitted school day plan and the submitted calendar to determine
whether the plan and calendar are academically sound and fiscally efficient. The commissioner
may grant or deny approval of the plan and/or the calendar.
     (b) School facilities shall include a sufficient number of kindergartens.
     (c) On or before December 1, 2017, the department of elementary and secondary
education shall establish a policy that allows a school district to submit a detailed plan, at any
time, to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education that would allow the schools to
conduct instruction through virtual education when the schools have been closed due to inclement
weather or other emergency. The plan for virtual education would be subject to, and require
approval by, the council on elementary and secondary education in order to count as a school day.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC000515
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