| Chapter 099 |
| 2024 -- H 7560 Enacted 06/12/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SHEILA C. "SKIP" NOWELL ACADEMY |
Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Donovan, Roberts, Kislak, Giraldo, Voas, and Ackerman |
| Date Introduced: February 09, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by |
| adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 114 |
| SHEILA C. "SKIP" NOWELL ACADEMY |
| 16-114-1. Sheila C. "Skip" Nowell Academy. |
| Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the Sheila C. |
| "Skip" Nowell Academy (hereinafter the "academy") is hereby reconstituted and created as a public |
| school and local educational agency authorized to operate pursuant to this chapter. The academy |
| shall, upon the approval of the council foron elementary and secondary education, cease operating |
| as an independent charter school under chapter 77.3 of this title 16. |
| 16-114-2. Purpose and mission. |
| (a) The purpose of this chapter and the mission of the Sheila C. "Skip" Nowell Academy |
| is: |
| (1) To primarily support students at risk of school failure, with a special focus on the |
| diverse needs of pregnant and parenting teens, to create an environment for their individual growth, |
| and to cultivate their social and emotional development; |
| (2) To additionally provide an alternative learning environment for disconnected and at- |
| risk students, and for students who have recently arrived in the country, desiring to complete their |
| academic careers in a setting that offers comprehensive support services, accelerated academic |
| curriculum, leadership development, and life skills that will enable them to become resilient, self- |
| sufficient adults; and |
| (3) To offer a rigorous and relevant standards-driven, experiential learning community, and |
| to provide college and career preparatory education based on guided, project-based core |
| curriculum, that is aligned to the state's high-quality curricular standards. |
| 16-114-3. Accountability. |
| The academy shall be subject to educational accountability and financial standards and |
| reporting requirements promulgated in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42 ("administrative |
| procedures") by the department of elementary and secondary education. |
| 16-114-4. Board of Trustees trustees. |
| The academy shall be governed by a board of trustees that shall have the powers and duties |
| of a school committee. The board of trustees of the academy on the date of passage of this |
| legislation shall constitute the founding board of trustees of the academy. The council on |
| elementary and secondary education shall thereafter appoint the members of the board of trustees |
| from nominations made by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. The |
| chairperson of the board of trustees shall also be selected in this manner. The council on elementary |
| and secondary education shall determine the qualifications and terms of office of members of the |
| board of trustees. |
| 16-114-5. Construction with other laws. |
| Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any law to the contrary, the academy shall |
| be subject to applicable federal and state law. All students and prospective students of the academy |
| shall have all the same rights under applicable federal and state law as students and prospective |
| students at other public schools. |
| 16-114-6. Admission and enrollment. |
| The academy may receive direct applications from resident students in any school district |
| and may receive referrals for resident students in any school district consistent with the purpose of |
| this chapter and the mission of the academy. The academy shall enroll resident students up to |
| twenty-two (22) years of age and consistent with the purpose of this chapter and the mission of the |
| academy. Students attaining twenty-two (22) years of age in their senior year shall continue to |
| remain eligible for enrollment through their date of graduation or the end of the academic year, |
| whichever is later. |
| 16-114-7. School Funding funding. |
| Students attending the academy shall do so on a full-time basis with the costs of their |
| education being shared by the state and the district of residence as set forth under § 16-7.2-5. |
| Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the district of residence shall be |
| responsible for its share of school funding as provided herein for all district residents attending the |
| academy who meet the enrollment requirements set forth in § 16-114-6. The academy shall be |
| eligible to receive state or federal aid, grants, Medicaid revenue, and any other state or federal |
| revenue as a local educational agency according to applicable federal and state law. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
| ======== |
| LC004856 |
| ======== |