2025 -- H 5594

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LC001690

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT

INVESTMENT INITIATIVE

     Introduced By: Representatives DeSimone, Biah, Slater, Kazarian, Hull, and O'Brien

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2025

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.1 entitled "The Paul

W. Crowley Rhode Island Student Investment Initiative [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode

Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-7.1-5. Intervention and support for failing schools. Intervention and support for

individual schools.

     (a) The board of regents shall adopt a series of progressive support and intervention

strategies consistent with the Comprehensive Education Strategy and the principles of the “School

Accountability for Learning and Teaching” (SALT) of the board of regents for those schools and

school districts that continue to fall short of performance goals outlined in the district strategic

plans. These strategies shall initially focus on:

     (1) technical assistance in improvement planning, curriculum alignment, student

assessment, instruction, and family and community involvement;

     (2) policy support;

     (3) resource oversight to assess and recommend that each school has adequate resources

necessary to meet performance goal; and

     (4) creating supportive partnerships with education institutions, business, governmental, or

other appropriate nonprofit agencies. If after a three (3) year period of support there has not been

improvement in the education of students as determined by objective criteria to be developed by

the board of regents, then there shall be progressive levels of control by the department of

elementary and secondary education over the school and/or district budget, program, and/or

personnel. This control by the department of elementary and secondary education may be exercised

in collaboration with the school district and the municipality. If further needed, the school shall be

reconstituted. Reconstitution responsibility is delegated to the board of regents and may range from

restructuring the school’s governance, budget, program, personnel, and/or may include decisions

regarding the continued operation of the school. The board of regents shall assess the district’s

capacity and may recommend the provision of additional district, municipal and/or state resources.

If a school or school district is under the board of regents’ control as a result of actions taken by

the board pursuant to this section, the local school committee shall be responsible for funding that

school or school district at the same level as in the prior academic year increased by the same

percentage as the state total of school aid is increased. This control by the department of elementary

and secondary education may only be exercised in one school district at a time.

     (b) For FY 2007, the department shall dedicate one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000)

from funds appropriated to support progressive support and intervention and SALT visits to support

the Rhode Island Consortium for Instructional Leadership and Training. This consortium is

engaged in training school leaders to be more effective instructional leaders in the standards based

instruction environment.

     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 -- THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT

INVESTMENT INITIATIVE

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     This act would require the board of regents to adopt progressive support and intervention

strategies consistent with the Comprehensive Education Strategy and the principles of the “School

Accountability for Learning and Teaching” (SALT) within one school district at a time.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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