2023 -- S 0851
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LC002279
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- DISTRICT CHARTER SCHOOL
Introduced By: Senator Samuel D. Zurier
Date Introduced: March 30, 2023
Referred To: Senate Education
(Dept. of Revenue)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 16-77.2-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.2 entitled "District 1
Charter School [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby 2
amended to read as follows: 3
16-77.2-8. Charter school reporting. 4
(a) All district charter schools shall continuously monitor their financial operations by 5
tracking actual versus budgeted revenue and expense. The chief financial officer of the district 6
charter school shall submit a report on a quarterly basis to the state office of municipal affairs 7
commissioner certifying the status of the district charter school budget. 8
(b) The quarterly reports shall be in a format prescribed by the state office of municipal 9
affairs commissioner and the state auditor general. The reports shall contain a statement as to 10
whether any actual or projected shortfalls in budget line items are expected to result in a year-end 11
deficit, the projected impact on year-end financial results including all accruals and encumbrances, 12
and how the district charter school plans to address any such shortfalls. The auditor general or the 13
state director of administration may petition the superior court to order the district charter school 14
to file said reports. The director of administration may also direct the state controller and general 15
treasurer to withhold any funding to the district charter school until the school complies with the 16
reporting requirements hereunder. Failure to comply with this section shall be cause for the 17
revocation of the school charter. 18
SECTION 2. Section 16-77.3-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.3 entitled 19
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"Independent Charter Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education 1
Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
16-77.3-8. Charter school reporting. 3
(a) All independent charter schools shall continuously monitor their financial operations 4
by tracking actual versus budgeted revenue and expense. The chief financial officer of the 5
independent charter school shall submit a report on a quarterly basis to the state office of municipal 6
affairs commissioner certifying the status of the independent charter school budget. The quarterly 7
reports shall be in a format prescribed by the state office of municipal affairs commissioner and the 8
state auditor general. The reports shall contain a statement as to whether any actual or projected 9
shortfalls in budget line items are expected to result in a year-end deficit, the projected impact on 10
year-end financial results including all accruals and encumbrances, and how the independent 11
charter school plans to address any such shortfalls. 12
(b) The auditor general or the state director of administration may petition the superior 13
court to order the independent charter school to file said reports. The director of administration may 14
also direct the state controller and general treasurer to withhold any funding to the independent 15
charter school until the school complies with the reporting requirements hereunder. Failure to 16
comply with this section shall be cause for the revocation of the school charter. 17
SECTION 3. Section 16-77.4-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77.4 entitled "Mayoral 18
Academies [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby 19
amended to read as follows: 20
16-77.4-8. Mayoral academy reporting. 21
(a) All mayoral academies shall continuously monitor their financial operations by tracking 22
actual versus budgeted revenue and expense. The chief financial officer of a mayoral academy shall 23
submit a report on a quarterly basis to the state office of municipal affairs commissioner certifying 24
the status of that mayoral academy’s budget. The quarterly reports shall be in a format prescribed 25
by the state office of municipal affairs commissioner and the state auditor general. The reports shall 26
contain a statement as to whether any actual or projected shortfalls in budget line items are expected 27
to result in a year-end deficit, the projected impact on year-end financial results including all 28
accruals and encumbrances, and how the mayoral academy plans to address any such shortfalls. 29
(b) The auditor general or the state director of administration may petition the superior 30
court to order a mayoral academy to file said reports. The director of administration may also direct 31
the state controller and general treasurer to withhold any funding to a mayoral academy until the 32
school complies with the reporting requirements hereunder. Failure to comply with this section 33
shall be cause for the revocation of the school charter. 34
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SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- DISTRICT CHARTER SCHOOL
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This act would require that certain quarterly reports required to be filed by district charter 1
schools, mayoral academies and independent charter schools be submitted to the commissioner of 2
elementary and secondary education. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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LC002279
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