2013 -- S 0639 SUBSTITUTE B

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LC01957/SUB B

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, Gallo, and DiPalma

     Date Introduced: March 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

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by adding thereto the following chapter:

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     CHAPTER 100

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DUAL ENROLLMENT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT

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     16-100-1. Short title. -- This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Dual

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Enrollment Equal Opportunity Act.”

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     16-100-2. Definition.--“Dual Enrollment” means that a student is enrolled in a secondary

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school while simultaneously enrolled part-time or full-time at a local institution of higher

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learning, such as a community college or university.”

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     16-100-3. Policy implemented. – (a) The Board of Education shall prescribe by

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regulation a statewide dual enrollment policy that shall allow students to enroll in courses at

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postsecondary institutions to satisfy academic credit requirements in both high school and the

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aforementioned postsecondary institutions. The regulations shall address the postsecondary

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institution’s graduation requirements, if any; the institution’s ability to award degrees/certificates

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in Rhode Island; the minimum course grade to receive credit at the student’s secondary school;

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and any other criteria that the Board deems appropriate.

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     (b) The board shall convene a workgroup, including, but not limited to, representatives

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from the department of elementary and secondary education, the office of higher education,

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superintendents, school committees, public higher education institutions, guidance counselors,

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and teachers. The purpose of the workgroup is to consider and advise the board as to a dual

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enrollment policy and its possible effect on school funding pursuant to section 16-7.2, academic

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supports, transportation, possible shared costs of the education, possible fee schedules, manners

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in which low-income students could access the program and, possible contracted tuition costs

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with our public higher education institutions.

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     16-100-4. Dual enrollment adoption. -- School districts and schools must adopt the

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statewide dual enrollment policy promulgated pursuant to this section by June 30, 2015. All

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school districts, charter schools, career and technical schools, approved private day or residential

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schools and collaborative schools shall be subject to the requirements of this section.

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     16-100-5. Reporting. -- School districts that have students participating in dual

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enrollment programs shall report to the department of elementary and secondary education on an

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annual basis regarding the number of students, the number of credits enrolled in at postsecondary

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institutions, the name of the institution, and the dollar amount the school district is allocated for

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this program. The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide the governor,

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president of the senate and speaker of the house a report that shall contain the above information

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provided by district and in the aggregate on an annual basis by October 31 of each year,

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commencing on July 1, 2016.

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     SECTION 2: This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01957/SUB B

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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     This act would require the board of education to prescribe by regulation a statewide dual

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enrollment policy that would allow students to enroll in courses at postsecondary institutions to

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satisfy academic credit requirements in both high school and the aforementioned postsecondary

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institutions.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01957/SUB B

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