Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H6506 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 6506
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7	7	LC003197
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
15	15	CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND
16	16	PROVIDE RECOMMENDATI ONS FOR PROFESSIONAL AND LABOR-MANAGEMENT
17	17	STANDARDS THAT PROVI DE SCHOOL-BASED FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
18	18	FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
19	19	Introduced By: Representatives Slater, Corvese, and Diaz
20	20	Date Introduced: June 08, 2023
21	21	Referred To: House Education
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24	24	WHEREAS, The Providence Public Schools (PPS) comprise the largest school district in 1
25	25	the State, with more than 21,000 students and more than 2,000 educators; and 2
26	26	WHEREAS, The PPS student body is one of the most diverse in the State, with a student 3
27	27	population that is 65 percent Hispanic, 16 percent White, 5 percent Asian, 4 percent Multi-Racial, 4
28	28	and 1 percent Native American; and 5
29	29	WHEREAS, Nearly one-third of Providence students are English Language Learners, and 6
30	30	the majority of Providence students’ families speak one of 54 primary languages that is not 7
31	31	English; and 8
32	32	WHEREAS, Approximately 85 percent of the PPS student body qualifies for free or 9
33	33	reduced lunch, the second highest incidence of poverty in Rhode Island public schools as 10
34	34	measured by this criterion; and 11
35	35	WHEREAS, The socioeconomic diversity of the student body in Providence presents 12
36	36	unique challenges and opportunities for the district’s professional staff; and 13
37	37	WHEREAS, Too few PPS students have been able to obtain academic proficiency for too 14
38	38	many years, as measured by the State’s and Nation’s Report Card assessments; and 15
39	39	WHEREAS, Enrollment in PPS has declined as students have transferred out of the 16
40	40	district into charter schools, creating displacements and disruptions within the schools and their 17
41	41	staff; and 18
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45	45	WHEREAS, The basic framework under State law governing the delivery of public 1
46	46	education, as applied to the Providence Public Schools, has not been significantly modified in 2
47	47	many years; and 3
48	48	WHEREAS, The quality of the education Providence Public Schools students receive in 4
49	49	their schools depends critically upon its professional educators; now, therefore be it 5
50	50	RESOLVED, That a special joint legislative commission be and the same is hereby 6
51	51	created consisting of nine (9) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not 7
52	52	more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; 8
53	53	three (3) of whom shall be members of the House, not more than two (2) from the same political 9
54	54	party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of 10
55	55	the Rhode Island Department of Education, or designee; and two (2) of whom shall be non-voting 11
56	56	ex-officio public members with experience in education to serve in an advisory capacity to the 12
57	57	commission, one of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President, and one of whom shall be 13
58	58	appointed by the Speaker of the House. 14
59	59	In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study 15
60	60	commission, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in 16
61	61	place of a legislator; provided that, the Senate President/Speaker of the House or the Minority 17
62	62	Leader of the political party that is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the 18
63	63	member of the general public. 19
64	64	The purpose of said commission shall be to: 20
65	65	1. Review the professional standards and the labor-management relationship for employees 21
66	66	of the Providence Public Schools, particularly as defined by State law; and 22
67	67	2. Develop recommendations that promote a rewarding professional environment and great 23
68	68	school-based flexibility and accountability for the district's professional educators. 24
69	69	All departments and agencies of the State shall furnish such advice and information, 25
70	70	documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or 26
71	71	desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. 27
72	72	Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall be 28
73	73	appointed and meet at the call of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate by July 29
74	74	31, 2023, and shall organize and select from among the legislators, two (2) co-Chairpersons. 30
75	75	The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide 31
76	76	suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further 32
77	77	RESOLVED, That the commission shall develop and submit its recommendations to the 33
78	78	General Assembly, no later than January 24, 2024, and said commission shall expire on June 30, 34
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82	82	2024. 1
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89	89	EXPLANATION
90	90	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
91	91	OF
92	92	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
93	93	CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND
94	94	PROVIDE RECOMMENDATI ONS FOR PROFESSIONAL AND LABOR-MANAGEMENT
95	95	STANDARDS THAT PROVI DE SCHOOL-BASED FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
96	96	FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
97	97	***
98	98	This resolution would create a nine (9) member special joint legislative commission 1
99	99	whose purpose it would be to review and provide recommendations for professional and labor-2
100	100	management standards for employees of the Providence Public Schools, and who would report 3
101	101	back to the General Assembly no later than January 24, 2024, and whose life would expire on 4
102	102	June 30, 2024. 5
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