2021 -- H 5836

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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 -- REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS (SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT)

     Introduced By: Representatives Shanley, McNamara, Shekarchi, Solomon, Bennett,
Vella-Wilkinson, Barros, and Amore

     Date Introduced: February 24, 2021

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-45-6.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-45 entitled "Regional

Vocational Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

amended to read as follows:

     16-45-6.1. Career and technical education.

     (a) The general assembly finds that career and technical education ("CTE") programs that

meet rigorous industry standards and prepare Rhode Island's students to succeed in a wide variety

of employment settings are a critical component of the state's public education system and a

necessary element of the state's economic development. State CTE board-approved programs that

align with industry standards serve this vital need. These programs are to be offered in a system

focused on program quality and delivery efficiency.

     (b) The general assembly further finds that the proportion of students now enrolled in such

programs is inadequate. Therefore, all Rhode Island school districts shall file a plan with the

Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education no later than January 1, 2006 setting forth

the means through which no fewer than forty (40) percent of their students enrolled in grades nine

(9) through twelve (12) shall be provided the opportunity to enroll in career and technical

programming that is certified by the Rhode Island Department of Education as meeting industry

standards by September 2007. The general assembly further finds that career and technical

education programs approved by the state CTE board of trustees are best equipped to provide career

and technical education to the students of Rhode Island.

     (c) To facilitate the development of additional career and technical program offerings for

Rhode Island students that meet industry standards the department of elementary and secondary

education shall, in furtherance of the reports and studies that have been developed since 2000

setting forth recommendations for an updated system of career and technical education for the State

of Rhode Island, develop a system design that includes site assessments of all current career and

technical programs and sets forth standards and procedures for the department of elementary and

secondary education to approve programs that are developed in cooperation with business, industry

and postsecondary institutions. The department shall also develop a system design for three

additional state operated career and technical schools, in addition to the William H. Davies School

and the Metropolitan Career and Technical Center, including recommendations for a model for the

siting, building costs, operational costs and program design for each such school. The general

assembly shall appropriate funds to the department for purposes of their completion of the system

design for the statewide program approval process to industry standards and the development of

the models, siting and program design of the three additional state operated career and technical

schools.

     (1) To advance the economic development of our communities, all students retain the right

to access career and technical education and to attend state CTE board-approved programs in other

districts. This right to attend CTE programs in other districts does not include locally approved

CTE programs and CTE programs that are not approved by the state CTE board. Students may

request access to state CTE board-approved career preparation programs outside their school

district if their home district does not provide a substantially similar or same ("substantially

similar") state approved CTE program. If a discrepancy exists as to whether two (2) state approved

programs are substantially similar, the state CTE board shall use state CTE board program quality

criteria (industry standards/seat time contact hours) and other relevant factors to determine if the

two (2) state CTE board-approved programs are substantially similar programs. The decision of the

CTE board shall be final. Students are guaranteed access to state CTE board-approved career

preparation programs. Students requesting access to state CTE board-approved career preparation

programs outside their established school transportation region may enroll in such programs, but

the resident local education agency shall not be responsible for the costs of the transportation but

shall pay the average of the per-pupil expenditure of the receiving district and sending district when

paying out-of-district tuitions for students in CTE programs.

     (2) A student's request to enroll in a state CTE board-approved career and technical

program shall not be denied, provided that:

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     (i) The student meets any other criteria required of all students for admission to the program

and the center; and

     (ii) When there is more than one recognized CTE program in a transportation region the

student is applying to the center which is geographically the closest program to the student's

residence.

     (d) All state CTE board-approved programs shall align to industry standards or be

associated with a nationally recognized CTE board-approved program.

     (e) Students enrolled in, accepted to, or attending a state CTE board-approved program

outside of the student's district (the "program of choice") as of January 1, 2022, shall be exempt

from the substantially similar provisions of this statute and may continue to matriculate in grades

nine (9) through twelve (12) in their program of choice so that students and parents who made

educational decisions prior to January 1, 2022, shall retain the rights that were in place when they

made those decisions. If a substantially similar state-approved program is established in a student's

home district after the student has enrolled in a program of choice, the student may continue to

matriculate in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in the student's program of choice provided the

student remains enrolled in the program. The sending district may request, and shall be provide by

the district with the chosen CTE program, information on students' progress in programs, including

attendance and grades. The provisions of this subsection shall also apply and extend to other

siblings in the family who apply to attend the same program of choice.

     (g) Career and technical funds allocated under § 16-7.2-6 shall be used solely for the

purpose of funding improvements to state CTE board-approved career and technical education

programs and facilities or for funding related to the establishment of new career and technical

programs in our state.

     SECTION 2. 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 -- REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS (SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT)

***

     This act would amend the career and technical education program laws to provide the

process by which students could access career and technical education and attend state CTE board-

approved programs in other districts. The act would also direct the state CTE board to implement

a process based on CTE board-identified criteria for determining whether two (2) state CTE board-

approved programs are substantially similar. This act would further provide that students who have

enrolled in, been accepted to, or are attending a state CTE board-approved program outside of the

student's district as of January 1, 2022, would be able to continue to matriculate grades 9 through

12 in that program.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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