2021 -- H 5699 | |
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LC002113 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Williams, Alzate, Barros, Hull, Amore, Henries, Biah, | |
Date Introduced: February 24, 2021 | |
Referred To: House Education | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Findings of fact. |
2 | The general assembly makes the following findings of fact: |
3 | (1) The demographic divide between teachers and students is of growing public concern. |
4 | (2) Currently, students of color are the demographic majority of students attending public |
5 | schools in the United States and comprise the large majority of urban school students (U.S. |
6 | Department of Education, 2013). In contrast, less than twenty percent (20%) of teachers are |
7 | teachers of color. |
8 | (3) A common explanation of why the demographic divide is so concerning is that students |
9 | of color have more favorable perceptions of teachers of color. |
10 | (4) More favorable student perceptions of teachers in turn can translate into better academic |
11 | outcomes such as motivation, interest, and grades. |
12 | (5) Teachers of color represent excellent role models and provide a continuous source of |
13 | inspiration for not only students of color, but all students. |
14 | (6) Racial and ethnic separation and isolation can be countered through significantly |
15 | increasing the number of teachers of color. |
16 | (7) Students learn important societal lessons through the example of cooperative interracial |
17 | and interethnic relationships among teachers. |
18 | (8) It is in the best interest of the state, its residents, and its students to develop and support |
19 | a multi-faceted approach to increase the number of teachers of color in public schools. |
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1 | (9) Support for increased preparation and training of teachers of color can successfully be |
2 | leveraged by providing direct financial support to a nonprofit organization working to increase |
3 | opportunities for teachers of color. |
4 | (10) The Rhode Island School for Progressive Education is a domestic nonprofit |
5 | corporation working to increase opportunities for teachers of color, and is the state's first residency- |
6 | style graduate school of education. |
7 | SECTION 2. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by |
8 | adding thereto the following chapter: |
9 | CHAPTER 110 |
10 | INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS OF COLOR ACT |
11 | 16-110-1. Short title. |
12 | This chapter shall be known and maybe cited as the "Increasing Opportunities for Teachers |
13 | of Color Act". |
14 | 16-110-2. Definitions. |
15 | When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following |
16 | meanings: |
17 | (1) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form; |
18 | (2) "Mandatory fees and tuition" means the costs that every student is required to pay in |
19 | order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may |
20 | exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel; |
21 | (3) "Person of color" means a resident of the state who is: |
22 | (i) Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa); |
23 | (ii) Hispanic (a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or |
24 | other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race); |
25 | (iii) Portuguese (a person of Portuguese, Brazilian, or other Portuguese culture or origin, |
26 | regardless of race); |
27 | (iv) Asian American (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, |
28 | Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or |
29 | (v) American Indian and Alaskan Native (a person having origins in any of the original |
30 | peoples of North America. |
31 | (4) "Recipient" or "recipient student" means a student attending Rhode Island College who |
32 | qualifies and is awarded a scholarship pursuant to the provisions of § 16-110-4. |
33 | (5) "Scholarship" or "scholarship program" means the scholarship program that is |
34 | established pursuant to § 16-110-4 to promote and increase the quality of teachers in urban and |
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1 | urban ring public schools. |
2 | (6) "State" means the state of Rhode Island. |
3 | (7) "Student of color" means a person of color attending a public school as a student. |
4 | (8) "Teacher of color" means a person of color certified and employed in a public school |
5 | as a teacher. |
6 | (9) "Urban" means the municipalities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket |
7 | and Newport. |
8 | (10) "Urban ring" means the municipalities of Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick, North |
9 | Providence and East Providence. |
10 | 16-110-3. Program to improve education qualify in urban and urban ring schools. |
11 | The board of education is hereby empowered to establish and provide as part of the |
12 | operation of the office of postsecondary commissioner, in consultation with the council on post- |
13 | secondary education for the administration, coordination and oversight of a program to improve |
14 | the quality of education in urban and urban ring schools by increasing opportunities for teachers of |
15 | color and other teachers committed to improving the quality of education in urban and urban ring |
16 | schools. The program shall include, but not be limited to: |
17 | (1) Providing, in conjunction with the community college of Rhode Island as a component |
18 | of the RI Promise Program, to create a "teaching" foundations pathway at CCRI that allows students |
19 | to earn program credits aligned with teacher preparation programs at Rhode Island college and the |
20 | university of Rhode Island. This pathway should be focused on promoting an increased number of |
21 | educators of color serving in Rhode Island public schools; |
22 | (2) Providing, in conjunction with the community college of Rhode Island and Rhode |
23 | Island college partnership program established with Rhode Island's urban and urban ring school |
24 | districts, assistance to those high schools to create "teacher pathway" programs to recruit and retain |
25 | students interested in pursuing a career in teaching; |
26 | (3) Providing, in conjunction with Rhode Island college, a program created to support |
27 | increased opportunities to develop teachers of color and other teachers committed to improving the |
28 | quality of education in urban and urban ring schools, to include, but not be limited to, utilization of |
29 | the scholarship program established pursuant to § 16-110-4; |
30 | (4) Coordinating with the Rhode Island School for Progressive Education for the |
31 | dissemination of information encouraging the identification, development and support of aspiring |
32 | teachers of color, and others committed to improving the quality of education in urban and urban |
33 | ring schools; and |
34 | (5) Providing, in conjunction with the department of education, to prioritize and expand |
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1 | the issuance of emergency teaching certificates to promote and increase the number of teachers of |
2 | color in urban and urban ring schools. |
3 | 16-110-4. Scholarship program. |
4 | (a) Beginning July 1, 2021, there is hereby established a scholarship program to promote |
5 | and increase the quality of education in urban and urban ring public schools. The general assembly |
6 | shall annually appropriate, starting in fiscal year 2022, the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) |
7 | to implement the scholarship purposes of this chapter. Additional funds beyond the scholarships |
8 | may be appropriated to support and advance the scholarship program established pursuant to the |
9 | provisions of this section. In addition to appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations |
10 | may be accepted into the scholarship program. |
11 | (b) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or |
12 | their respective equivalent offices, at Rhode Island college, shall administer the scholarship |
13 | program for state residents seeking bachelor degrees who meet the eligibility requirements in |
14 | subsection (c) of this section. |
15 | (c) To be eligible for receipt of the scholarship, a student: |
16 | (1) Must be pursuing a pre-kindergarten through grade twelve (Pre-K-12) teacher |
17 | certification as part of the teacher preparation program in the Feinstein school of education and |
18 | human development (FSEHD) at Rhode Island college; |
19 | (2) Must commit to work full-time as a teacher within one year of graduation at a public |
20 | urban or urban ring school. The commitment to work full-time shall extend to one year of teaching |
21 | for each year the recipient received and accepted an award of scholarship pursuant to the provisions |
22 | of this chapter; |
23 | (3) Must qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by |
24 | the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified |
25 | from time to time ("residency policy"); |
26 | (4) Must be admitted to, and must enroll and attend Rhode Island College on a full-time |
27 | basis; |
28 | (5) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification by the deadline |
29 | prescribed by Rhode Island college for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding |
30 | under the scholarship program; |
31 | (6) Must continue to be enrolled on a full-time basis; |
32 | (7) Must maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or |
33 | greater, as determined by Rhode Island college; |
34 | (8) Must remain on track to graduate on time as determined by Rhode Island college; and |
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1 | (9) Must commit to repayment of all funds received by the scholarship program if the |
2 | recipient student fails to complete or comply with all requirements and provisions of this chapter. |
3 | (d) Rhode Island college shall develop a policy and procedure to secure the commitments |
4 | from recipient students. |
5 | (e) Every scholarship awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be calculated |
6 | annually. Each applicant and/or recipient shall complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA |
7 | verification by the deadline prescribed by Rhode Island college for each year of attendance. The |
8 | scholarship award shall cover the annual cost of mandatory fees and tuition, less federal and all |
9 | other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. Once awarded, the scholarship may |
10 | continue for a period of up to four (4) years conditioned on the recipient student's compliance with |
11 | the provisions of this section. |
12 | (f) All scholarships awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to |
13 | appropriation, and no applicant shall have a right to receive any scholarship pursuant to the |
14 | provisions of this section until awarded. |
15 | 16-110-5. Scholarship award preference. |
16 | In selecting students as recipients of the scholarship established pursuant to § 16-110-4, |
17 | preference shall be given to the following applicants: |
18 | (1) Students of color; |
19 | (2) Students having attended and graduated from an urban or urban ring school located |
20 | within this state; and |
21 | (3) Students who have participated in a "teacher pathway" program established pursuant to |
22 | the provisions of § 16-110-3(2). |
23 | 16-110-6. Promulgation of rules and procedure. |
24 | The council on postsecondary education is hereby authorized to promulgate rules to |
25 | effectuate the purpose of this chapter and Rhode Island college shall establish appeal procedures |
26 | for the award, denial or revocation of a scholarship award pursuant to the provisions of § 16-110- |
27 | 4. The rules shall be promulgated in accordance with § 16-59-4. |
28 | 16-110-7. Appropriations to support nonprofit activity. |
29 | (a) The general assembly for fiscal year 2022, and annually thereafter as approved by the |
30 | general assembly, shall appropriate two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) as a grant to support |
31 | the work of the Rhode Island School for Progressive Education. |
32 | (b) On or before January 1, 2022, to qualify for continued appropriations, the Rhode Island |
33 | School for Progressive Education shall submit a report to the commissioner of postsecondary |
34 | education, the speaker of the house, the president of the senate and the governor, disclosing how |
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1 | the funds were utilized in the form of a performance progress report which shall include expense- |
2 | related data and qualitative information about the impact of the grant. |
3 | (c) The commissioner of postsecondary education may specify the format or context to be |
4 | provided in the report submitted pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section. |
5 | SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION | |
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1 | This act would establish the "Increasing Opportunities for Teachers of Color Act". The act |
2 | would provide for a multifaceted approach to increase the quality of education in public urban and |
3 | urban ring schools by promoting the development, utilization and opportunities for teachers of |
4 | color. This act would further provide for a two million dollar ($2,000,000) annual appropriation for |
5 | a scholarship fund to develop teachers for employment in urban and urban ring schools. Preference |
6 | for scholarship awards would be given to students of color. Scholarship recipients would commit |
7 | to work in an urban or urban ring school for one year for each year a scholarship award was |
8 | accepted. Additionally, this act would provide for a two hundred thousand dollar ($200,000) grant |
9 | to the nonprofit Rhode Island School for Progressive Education. This grant would be awarded |
10 | annually as approved by the general assembly. |
11 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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