2024 -- S 2527

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LC005010

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Gallo, DiMario, Lauria, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-19 of the General Laws entitled "Compulsory Attendance" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-19-11. Pilot program to promote increases in student attendance.

     (a) The department of elementary and secondary education (the “department”) shall

oversee a two (2) year pilot program to provide outreach and tracking services at two (2) public

high schools. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to see whether outreach and tracking

programs utilizing third-party providers would be effective in promoting increased school

attendance and reducing absenteeism among students, especially among student populations which

have been identified by the department as having high rates of chronic absenteeism. On or before

July 1, 2024, the department shall identify two (2) public high schools in the state, one from an

urban or urban core district and one from a suburban or rural district, which schools experience a

high rate of student absenteeism, within which to initiate an outreach and tracking program. The

department shall retain the services of an outside provider or vendor to implement the outreach and

tracking services program.

     (b)(1) The outreach and tracking program (the “program”) shall be an intensive community

support program combining outreach, care coordination, advocacy, academic support, and crisis

response within the two (2) selected high schools. Frequent contact with youth and families shall

be maintained to provide necessary assistance and skill development, while at the same time

encouraging individual and family responsibility and empowerment. The intensity of services

provided shall be based on a comprehensive assessment of risk and resiliency factors conducted

over the first thirty (30) days of services and shall then be modified as needed based on ongoing

changes in risk and resiliency factors. Youth who score at the highest level of need will receive a

minimum of five (5) scheduled in-person contacts per week that can include home visits, assistance

with transportation, including to school, crisis intervention, skill building, group therapy, and/or

therapeutic recreation. Services shall be available in person Monday through Saturday, with on-

call availability as needed on Sundays.

     (2) The program shall utilize educational success workers who engage caregivers, youth,

and school staff to create a home-school link allowing for meaningful conversations around

academic attendance and performance. The program shall include transportation to school as

needed while also identifying opportunities for independence and skill development to prevent a

reliance on the service for transportation, and to create sustainable change.

     (3) Services shall be provided by the program within the two (2) high schools during the

2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years.

     (4) The department shall submit a report on the program to the governor, the speaker of

house, and the president of the senate, on or before December 1, 2026. This report shall provide an

overview of the actions taken during the program and the results of the program. The report shall

include a comparison of attendance and absenteeism rates for the two (2) years immediately prior

to initiation of the program with and to the same rates during the program. The report may also

contain recommendations from the department for proposed next steps or further actions to reduce

student absenteeism.

     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 -- COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

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     This act would direct the department of elementary and secondary education to establish a

two (2) year pilot outreach and tracking program at two (2) public high schools to address issues

of attendance and chronic absenteeism among students.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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