Requires the EOHHS to establish an early childhood mental health hub program focused on improving access to infant and early childhood mental health services for children under the age of six years (6) and their families.
Requires coverage for residential/inpatient mental health services for detox/stabilization/substance abuse disorders without preauthorization or be subject to concurrent review during the first 28 days.
Adds multilingual learners into the determination of high-need students and provides a student success factor of twenty-five percent (25%) of the core instruction per-pupil amount and repeals the categorical funding for these students.
Requires a review by the department of elementary and secondary education of the formula components used to compute the aid needed to support high need students.
Provides that in local educational agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.
Prohibits total education aid paid to any local education agency from being reduced by more than one percent (1%) of the municipal education appropriation in the previous fiscal year.
Requires that the school housing aid ratio shall be increased by ten percent (10%) for projects that ensure Rhode Island based minority business enterprises reach a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the dollar value of the bid.
Modifies the current law to allow for approval of construction projects within school districts, rather than needing the project to be commenced by a certain date, permitting the municipality to take advantage of the state's enhanced school bonuses.
Establishes the Failing School Choice Act and permits students at failing schools to enroll in any public school and also establishes the Rhode Island education revitalization fund to provide funding to the school choice program.