| R 330 |
| 2025 -- H 6156 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 05/29/2025 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN IN STATE CARE |
Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, and Noret |
| Date Introduced: April 02, 2025 |
| WHEREAS, Pursuant to Article XII, Section 1 of the Rhode Island Constitution, it is the |
| duty of the general assembly to promote public schools and to adopt all means necessary and |
| proper to secure to the people the advantages and opportunities of education; and |
| WHEREAS, As part of this duty, the general assembly must promote and review the |
| adequacy of education received and educational outcomes for children in state care including, but |
| not limited to, those in the custody of the state through the department of children, youth, and |
| families; and |
| WHEREAS, In furtherance of and in support of the general assembly’s role in education, |
| undertaking a review of the educational outcomes afforded to children in state care is an |
| appropriate and necessary step to take at this time; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission to study educational outcomes and |
| results for children in state care or custody be and the same is hereby created consisting of |
| seventeen (17) members: two (2) of whom shall be members of the House of Representatives, not |
| more than one from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall |
| be the director of the department of children, youth, and families, or designee; one of whom shall |
| be the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or designee; one of whom shall be a |
| certified teacher with experience in trauma informed schools to be appointed by the Speaker; one |
| of whom shall be faculty member of the Rhode Island College school of social work, to be |
| appointed by the dean of the school; one of whom shall be the superintendent of the city of |
| Cranston public schools or designee; one of whom shall be a principal of a public school within |
| the state to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the child advocate or designee; |
| one of whom shall be a special education teacher at a public school within the state to be |
| appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a person who was previously in foster care as a |
| child to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the executive director of Adoption |
| Rhode Island or designee; one of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island family court or |
| designee, to be appointed by the chief judge of the family court; one of whom shall be a member |
| of SEIU Local 580, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the executive director |
| of the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, or designee; one of whom shall be the executive |
| director of the Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families, or designee; and one of whom |
| shall be the chief policy officer for office of the postsecondary commissioner, or designee. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to 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 majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which is entitled to the |
| appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public. |
| The purpose of said commission shall be to study, evaluate, and make actionable |
| recommendations on the current state of and suggestions to improve educational outcomes for |
| children in state care and custody, with a special emphasis on educational outcomes for all |
| children in the temporary, permanent, or joint custody of the department of children, youth, |
| families, and with further special emphasis on all children in alternative family settings or “foster |
| care.” The study commission shall consult with other individuals who have relevant expertise as |
| needed. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the Speaker of the House and shall select, from among the legislators, co-chairpersons. |
| 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 and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
| desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Speaker of the House 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 |
| General Assembly no later than July 1, 2026, and said commission shall expire on August 15, |
| 2026. |
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| LC002596/SUB A/2 |
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