| R 302 |
| 2018 -- S 2960 Enacted 06/12/2018 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE APPROPRIATE STATE AGENCY TO HOUSE ADULT EDUCATION |
| Introduced By: Senator Harold M. Metts |
| Date Introduced: June 07, 2018 |
| WHEREAS, The state agency with authority over adult education in Rhode Island is the |
| Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and |
| WHEREAS, Adult learners usually have multi-level responsibilities, including work and |
| family; and |
| WHEREAS, Adult learners have different needs and goals from traditional adolescents in |
| the K-12 system; and |
| WHEREAS, Adult learners are also more likely to have been away from the classroom |
| for a significant period of time and require unique resources to bring them to the level of |
| competency that will enable their successful completion of the GED; and |
| WHEREAS, A recent study of LaGuardia Community College at the City University of |
| New York and Northeast Wisconsin College in Green Bay, Wisconsin, showed that adults who |
| attended Bridge GED programs were 20 percent more likely to complete GED classes and exams |
| and to enroll in higher education courses; and |
| WHEREAS, While the majority of states house adult education within their Departments |
| of Education that are responsible for grades K – 12, a number of other states have placed adult |
| education in different state agencies; and |
| WHEREAS, Nineteen states house adult education in either the Department of Higher |
| Education, the Department of Labor or Workforce Development, or the Department of |
| Community and Technical Colleges; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of thirteen (13) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island |
| Senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of |
| the Senate; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, or |
| designee; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, or designee; one |
| of whom shall be the Director of Labor and Training, or designee; one of whom shall be the |
| Executive Director of the Governor's Workforce Board, or designee; one of whom shall be the |
| President of the Community College of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be an adult |
| education provider that offers GED courses, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one |
| of whom shall be an adult education provider of English for Speakers of Other Languages, to be |
| appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of |
| Corrections, or designee; one of whom shall be a representative of the RI Resource Hub or a |
| similar organization committed to connecting adults with educational opportunities, to be |
| appointed by the President of the Senate; and one of whom shall be a current or former recipient |
| of adult education in Rhode Island, to be appointed by the President of the Senate. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
| commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly |
| resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
| of a legislator, provided that the Senate President or the Minority Leader of the political party that |
| is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public. |
| The purpose of the said commission shall be to conduct a comprehensive review and |
| make recommendations regarding the appropriate state agency to house adult education. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the Chair, who shall be appointed by the President of the Senate. |
| Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
| All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary or otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable |
| by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
| suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the |
| President of the Senate on or before March 1, 2019, and said commission shall expire on July 1, |
| 2019. |
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| LC005586 |
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