2021 -- S 0151

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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 - SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS

     Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard

     Date Introduced: February 05, 2021

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-2-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-2 entitled "School

Committees and Superintendents [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education

Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-2-2. City and town schools required -- School year -- Location -- Kindergartens.

     (a)(1) Except as specifically provided in this section, every city or town shall establish and

maintain for at least one hundred eighty (180) days annually or the equivalent thereof, exclusive of

holidays, a sufficient number of schools in convenient places under the control and management of

the school committee and under the supervision of the Rhode Island Board of Education. In lieu of

a convenient location, the school committee may provide transportation for pupils to and from

school in accordance with the provisions of chapter 21 of this title. Provided, that a school district

may establish a school year that is the equivalent of one hundred eighty (180) days through the use

of longer school days in terms of hours or pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and that may

total less than one hundred eighty (180) separate days, so long as through the use of the longer

school day, the school district annually provides a minimum of one thousand eighty (1,080) school

hours in a single school year. This figure is based on a minimum of six (6) hours per school day.

For purposes of clarification, the intent herein is to permit school districts to amend their school

year to provide for longer school days while reducing the actual number of days in which the school

facilities must be fully staffed and maintained, but to insure that in doing so, school districts shall

still provide the minimum amount of instruction time contemplated by this section. Nothing herein

shall be deemed to limit a school district from exceeding the minimum amounts of days and hours

set forth herein.

     (2) School districts intending to make use of the option provided herein to lengthen school

days and shorten the school year shall submit a detailed school day plan and a proposed school

calendar to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education for approval. The

commissioner shall review the submitted school day plan and the submitted calendar to determine

whether the plan and calendar are academically sound and fiscally efficient. The commissioner

may grant or deny approval of the plan and/or the calendar.

     (b) School facilities shall include a sufficient number of kindergartens.

     (c) On or before December 1, 2017, the department of elementary and secondary education

shall establish a policy that allows a school district to submit a detailed plan, at any time, to the

commissioner of elementary and secondary education that would allow the schools to conduct

instruction through virtual education when the schools have been closed due to inclement weather

or other emergency. The plan for virtual education would be subject to, and require approval by,

the council on elementary and secondary education in order to count as a school day.

     Upon approval by the local school committee, school districts may conduct instruction

through virtual education for up to five (5) days when schools have been closed due to inclement

weather, emergency or any nonscheduled school closing. The instruction through virtual education

may occur on or after the school closure day. A plan shall be submitted to the school committee for

approval that includes the following:

      (1) Updated school attendance policy that states failure to complete work required for

virtual instruction days will result in a student being recorded as absent;

     (2) The plan to provide instruction for students without computers or Internet access;

     (3) The approval of teachers to participate and have availability at set times in virtual

education days;

     (4) An affirmation that the academic work shall be the equivalent in effort and rigor to

typical classroom work; and

     (5) A statement and plan for notification of staff, students and parents, not less than two

(2) days, regarding the intent to use virtual instruction days and about whether the virtual instruction

will occur on the school closure day or at a day in the future, including, but not limited to, school

vacation weeks or long weekends.

     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 - SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS

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     This act would repeal the requirement that the department of elementary and secondary

education establish a policy allowing a school district to submit a detailed plan to conduct

instruction through virtual education when schools have been closed due to inclement weather or

other emergency, and amend the statutory law to allow, upon approval by the local school

committee, a school district to conduct instruction through virtual education for up to five (5) days

when schools have been closed due to inclement weather, emergency or any nonscheduled school

closing. The plan submitted to the school committee for approval shall meet specified criteria as

set forth in the statute.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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