Rhode Island 2023 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0987 Introduced / Bill

Filed 05/15/2023

                     
 
 
 
2023 -- S 0987 
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S TATE  OF RHODE IS LAND 
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 
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A N   A C T 
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME 
Introduced By: Senators Cano, Gallo, Lauria, Burke, Quezada, Lawson, DiMario, 
Murray, Euer, and Miller 
Date Introduced: May 15, 2023 
Referred To: Senate Finance 
 
 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1 
adding thereto the following chapter: 2 
CHAPTER 112 3 
BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT -OF-SCHOOL TIME  4 
16-112-1. Short title.     5 
This act shall be known and may be cited as "Building Opportunities in Out-of-School 6 
Time".  7 
16-112-2. Purpose.     8 
The purpose of this chapter is to provide funding to support comprehensive and effective 9 
before school, afterschool, school break, and summer learning programming for students in grade 10 
pre-Kindergarten through twelve (PK-12), workforce development programming for individua ls 11 
seeking to become youth development professionals, and retention programs for current youth 12 
development professionals. 13 
16-112-3. Funding.     14 
The general assembly shall allocate no less than four million dollars ($4,000,000) per fiscal 15 
year to invest in out-of-school time ("OST") programs as follows: 16 
(1) Technical assistance supports related to program operation; 17 
(2) Professional development for established youth development professionals, including, 18 
but not limited to, retention initiatives, technical supports, technology assistance and quality 19   
 
 
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evaluation that include youth development educator improvement recommendations and resources; 1 
and 2 
(3) Workforce development and funding a pipeline of qualified diverse individuals seeking 3 
to become youth development professionals, including, but not limited to, technical assistance 4 
professionals, certified teachers, child care providers and other educators. 5 
16-112-4. Department of education.     6 
(a) The Rhode Island foundation shall serve as the fiscal sponsor and receive the funding 7 
allocated by the general assembly pursuant to this chapter and shall distribute it as grants to 8 
programs selected in accordance with the process developed by the panel identified in subsection 9 
(d) of this section.  10 
(b) Recipients of grants may include nonprofit organizations, municipal governments, 11 
tribal governments, local public education agencies and public universities. 12 
(c) Only programs that adhere to the afterschool quality standards and indicators 13 
established by the Rhode Island department of education shall be eligible to receive grants under 14 
this chapter.  15 
(d) The fiscal sponsor shall convene a panel of stakeholders from the OST community to 16 
create a competitive application process for allocating grants each fiscal year. Stakeholders may 17 
include the Rhode Island department of education, the Rhode Island department of human services, 18 
the Rhode Island afterschool network, youth development experts, local OST providers, youth and 19 
parents. 20 
16-112-5. Reporting.     21 
The fiscal sponsor shall report annually to the general assembly and the governor no later 22 
than January 31 of each year on programs receiving grants under this chapter. The report shall 23 
include, but not be limited to, the number of children and youth served by the programs, their 24 
city/town of residence, age, race/ethnicity, income status, language status, disability, and gender. 25 
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 26 
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EXPLANATION 
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 
OF 
A N   A C T 
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME 
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This act would provide four million dollars ($4,000,000) to support comprehensive and 1 
effective before school, afterschool, school vacation, and summer learning for students in grades 2 
pre-kindergarten through twelve (PK-12), provide workforce development for individuals seeking 3 
to become youth development professionals, provide retention programs for current youth 4 
development programs and requires an annual report to the general assembly and the governor on 5 
the status and progress of the program.  6 
This act would take effect upon passage. 7 
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