Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0491 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- S 0491
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7	7	LC001876
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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	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- LANGUAGE ACADEMIES ACT
16	16	Introduced By: Senators de la Cruz, Rogers, DeLuca, and E Morgan
17	17	Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
18	18	Referred To: Senate Education
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21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
23	23	adding thereto the following chapters: 2
24	24	CHAPTER 112 3
25	25	LANGUAGE ACADEMIES ACT 4
26	26	16-112-1. Short title. 5
27	27	This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Language Academies Act". 6
28	28	16-112-2. Establishment. 7
29	29	The Rhode Island department of education shall establish language academies for non-8
30	30	English proficient students for the purpose of students becoming English proficient. The size and 9
31	31	staffing of each academy shall be determined by the department. 10
32	32	16-112-3. Funding. 11
33	33	(a) The Rhode Island department of education is hereby authorized to utilize and designate 12
34	34	a portion of or all of any existing school or school building in a city or town where at least ten 13
35	35	percent (10%) of the students who will attend school at a language academy reside in said city or 14
36	36	town. 15
37	37	(b) Language academies shall be eligible for the state aid portion of per-pupil aid from the 16
38	38	sending district. The department of education shall draw upon the Rhode Island education 17
39	39	revitalization fund (RIERF) as provided in chapter 113 of title 16, for the remaining operational 18
40	40	costs of the language academies. 19
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44	44	16-112-4. Eligibility. 1
45	45	Any student who is unable to obtain English proficiency, as defined by the department of 2
46	46	education, shall be assigned to a language academy. Once proficient in English, the student will be 3
47	47	transferred back to their home school. Provided students may attend a language academy outside 4
48	48	of their home school district, if a language academy suitable for their needs is not available in their 5
49	49	home school district. 6
50	50	16-112-5. Tutorial program. 7
51	51	The Rhode Island department of education shall develop a tutorial program to meet the 8
52	52	objectives of creating English-proficient students in instances where the commissioner of education 9
53	53	determines that due to the non-English student population size, it is not feasible or economical to 10
54	54	provide non-English proficient students with a classroom environment for learning to become 11
55	55	English proficient. 12
56	56	16-112-6. Transportation. 13
57	57	(a) Students shall be provided transportation to language academies designated by the 14
58	58	Rhode Island department of education. 15
59	59	(b) State school transportation shall be provided at the sending school district’s expense. 16
60	60	Funding for the transportation regions shall be pursuant to § 16-21.1-2. 17
61	61	16-112-7. Rules and regulations. 18
62	62	The department of education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the 19
63	63	provisions of this chapter and for the emergency certification of teaching staff. 20
64	64	CHAPTER 113 21
65	65	RHODE ISLAND EDUCATION REVITALIZATION FUND ACT 22
66	66	16-113-1. Short title. 23
67	67	This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Education 24
68	68	Revitalization Fund Act". 25
69	69	16-113-2. Purpose. 26
70	70	The State of Rhode Island shall establish the Rhode Island Education Revitalization Fund 27
71	71	(RIERF) to provide funds for any language academy pursuant to chapter 112 of title 16. 28
72	72	16-113-3. Funding. 29
73	73	(a) There shall be created a statewide property tax on all real property of any private college 30
74	74	or university, nonprofit college or university, or any other post-secondary school. 31
75	75	(b) The amount of the tax in subsection (a) of this section shall be based upon the 32
76	76	endowment of the private college or university, nonprofit college or university, or any other post-33
77	77	secondary school. 34
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81	81	(c) The amount to be collected to fund this chapter shall be included in the annual budget 1
82	82	bill approved by the general assembly each fiscal year. 2
83	83	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 3
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90	90	EXPLANATION
91	91	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
92	92	OF
93	93	A N A C T
94	94	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- LANGUAGE ACADEMIES A CT
95	95	***
96	96	This act would establish language academies for non-English proficient students and would 1
97	97	also establish the Rhode Island education revitalization fund to provide funding to the language 2
98	98	academies. 3
99	99	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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