Chapter 384
2023 -- S 0489
Enacted 06/26/2023

A N   A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Murray, Lawson, DiPalma, Gallo, Euer, and Valverde

Date Introduced: March 07, 2023

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-24 of the General Laws entitled "Children With Disabilities [See
Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding
thereto the following section:
     16-24-19. Special Education local advisory committees.
     (a) Every public school district shall, on the district’s website:
     (1) Post and maintain either a link to the website of the district’s special education local
advisory committee (the “committee”), or provide the contact information for the committee; and
     (2) Post or otherwise list the dates of meetings of the committee during the school year.
     (b) All districts shall maintain and promote committees that are active. As used herein, the
term “active” means that the committee meets at least four (4) times per year during the school
year; provided, one of these four (4) meetings may take place during the summer months if the
district operates an extended school year program for students with disabilities. A parent, guardian,
or other adult legally responsible adult of a student in a district where the committee is not active
may notify the school superintendent as to this lack of an active committee, on a written notice
form (“notice”) prepared by the district. Upon receipt of a notice under this section, the district
superintendent and the director of special education shall investigate the notice to determine if the
committee is or is not active. If the committee is not active, the district shall investigate why the
committee is not active and shall undertake efforts to make the committee active.
     (c) At every meeting with a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult (“responsible
adult”) of a student who is disabled, which meeting involves a review, modification, or continuation
of that student’s individual education program or 504 plan, the district shall provide a written notice
to the responsible adult which that informs the responsible adult of the provisions to of this section,
including, but not limited to, the contact information for the committee and the dates of scheduled
meetings.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC001736
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