Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5162 Compare Versions

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55 2025 -- H 5162
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99 S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
1010 IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1111 JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
1212 ____________
1313
1414 A N A C T
1515 RELATING TO EDUCATION -- EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
1616 Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Cotter, Solomon, Potter, Carson, and
1717 Ackerman
1818 Date Introduced: January 24, 2025
1919 Referred To: House Education
2020
2121
2222 It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
2323 SECTION 1. Section 16-97.1-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-97.1 entitled 1
2424 "Education Accountability Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
2525 16-97.1-1. Performances of local education agencies and individual public schools — 3
2626 Evaluation system — Assessment instruments — Reports. 4
2727 (a) The board of education (the “board”) shall adopt a system for evaluating, on an annual 5
2828 basis, the performance of both local education agencies (“LEAs”) and individual public schools. 6
2929 The system shall: 7
3030 (1) Include instruments designed to assess the extent to which schools and LEAs succeed 8
3131 in improving or fail to improve student performance, as defined by: 9
3232 (i) Student acquisition of the skills, competencies, and knowledge called for by the 10
3333 academic standards and embodied in the curriculum frameworks established in the areas of 11
3434 mathematics, English language arts, science and technology, history and social studies, world 12
3535 languages, and the arts; and 13
3636 (ii) Other gauges of student learning judged by the board to be relevant and meaningful to 14
3737 students, parents, teachers, administrators, and taxpayers. 15
3838 (2) Be designed both to measure outcomes and results regarding student performance, and 16
3939 to improve the effectiveness of curriculum and instruction. 17
4040 (3) In its design and application, strike a balance among considerations of accuracy, 18
4141 fairness, expense, and administration. 19
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4545 (4) Employ a variety of assessment instruments on either a comprehensive or statistically 1
4646 valid sampling basis. Such instruments shall: 2
4747 (i) Be criterion-referenced, assessing whether students are meeting the academic standards 3
4848 described in this chapter; 4
4949 (ii) As much as is practicable, especially in the case of students whose performance is 5
5050 difficult to assess using conventional methods, include consideration of work samples, projects, 6
5151 and portfolios, and shall facilitate authentic and direct gauges of student performance; 7
5252 (iii) Provide the means to compare student performance among the various school systems 8
5353 and communities in the state, and between students in other states and in other nations, especially 9
5454 those nations that compete with the state for employment and economic opportunities; 10
5555 (iv) Be designed to avoid gender, cultural, ethnic, or racial stereotypes; and 11
5656 (v) Recognize sensitivity to different learning styles and impediments to learning, which 12
5757 may include issues related, but not limited, to cultural, financial, emotional, health, and social 13
5858 factors. 14
5959 (5) Take into account, on a nondiscriminatory basis, the cultural and language diversity of 15
6060 students in the state and the particular circumstances of students with special needs. 16
6161 (6) Comply with federal requirements for accommodating children with special needs. 17
6262 (7) Allow all potential English-proficient students from language groups in which English 18
6363 language learner programs are offered opportunities for assessment of their performance in the 19
6464 language that best allows them to demonstrate educational achievement and mastery of academic 20
6565 standards and curriculum frameworks. 21
6666 (8) Identify individual schools and LEAs that need comprehensive support and 22
6767 improvement. 23
6868 (9) Incorporate the department of elementary and secondary education's SurveyWorks 24
6969 school climate indicators, or any other such future system used as a replacement or substitute for 25
7070 SurveyWorks to measure school climate indicators, disaggregated by LEAs and individual public 26
7171 schools. 27
7272 (b) The board shall take all appropriate action to bring about and continue the state’s 28
7373 participation in the assessment activities of the National Assessment of Educational Progress and 29
7474 in the development of standards and assessments by the New Standards Program. 30
7575 (c) In addition, comprehensive diagnostic assessment of individual students shall be 31
7676 conducted at least in the fourth, eighth, and tenth or eleventh grades. The diagnostic assessments 32
7777 shall identify academic achievement levels of all students in order to inform teachers, parents, 33
7878 administrators, and the students themselves, as to individual academic performance. 34
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8282 (d) The board shall develop procedures for updating, improving, or refining the assessment 1
8383 system. 2
8484 (e) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) is 3
8585 authorized and directed to gather information, including the information specified herein and such 4
8686 other information as the board shall require, for the purposes of evaluating individual public 5
8787 schools, school districts, and the efficacy and equity of state and federally mandated programs. All 6
8888 information gathered pursuant to this section shall be filed in the manner and form prescribed by 7
8989 the department of education (the “department”). 8
9090 (f) The board shall establish and maintain a data system to collect information from school 9
9191 districts for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of district evaluation systems in ensuring 10
9292 effective teaching and administrative leadership in the public schools. The information shall be 11
9393 made available in the aggregate to the public; provided, however, that the following information 12
9494 shall be considered personnel information and shall not be subject to disclosure: 13
9595 (1) Any data or information that school districts, the department, or both, create, send, or 14
9696 receive in connection with an educator assessment that is evaluative in nature and that may be 15
9797 linked to an individual educator, including information concerning: 16
9898 (i) An educator’s formative assessment or evaluation; 17
9999 (ii) An educator’s summative evaluation or performance rating; or 18
100100 (iii) The student learning, growth, and achievement data that may be used as part of an 19
101101 individual educator’s evaluation. 20
102102 (g) Each school district shall maintain individual records on every student and employee. 21
103103 Each student record shall contain a unique and confidential identification number, basic 22
104104 demographic information, program and course information, and such other information as the 23
105105 department shall determine necessary. The records shall conform to parameters established by the 24
106106 department. 25
107107 (h) For the purposes of improving the performance of school districts, individual public 26
108108 schools, and the efficacy and equity of state and federal programs, each district shall file with the 27
109109 commissioner once in each three-year (3) period a comprehensive, three-year (3) district 28
110110 improvement plan. The plan shall: 29
111111 (1) Be developed and submitted in a manner and form prescribed by the department of 30
112112 education. 31
113113 (2) To the extent feasible, be designed to fulfill all planning requirements of state and 32
114114 federal education laws. 33
115115 (3) Include, but not be limited to: 34
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119119 (i) An analysis of student and subgroup achievement gaps in core subjects; 1
120120 (ii) Identification of specific improvement objectives; 2
121121 (iii) A description of the strategic initiatives the district will undertake to achieve its 3
122122 improvement objectives; and 4
123123 (iv) Performance benchmarks and processes for evaluating the effect of district 5
124124 improvement initiatives. 6
125125 (4) Describe the professional development activities that will support each district 7
126126 improvement initiative and the teacher induction and mentoring activities that will be undertaken 8
127127 to support successful implementation of the district’s improvement efforts. 9
128128 (i) On an annual basis, not later than September 1 of each year, each district shall prepare 10
129129 and have available for state review an annual action plan. The district annual action plan shall: 11
130130 (1) Enumerate the specific activities, persons responsible, and timelines for action to be 12
131131 taken as part of the strategic initiatives set forth in the district’s three-year (3) improvement plan; 13
132132 and 14
133133 (2) Identify the staff and financial resources allocated to support these activities. 15
134134 (j) Annually, the principal of each school shall: 16
135135 (1) In consultation with the school improvement team, adopt student performance goals for 17
136136 the schools consistent with the school performance goals established by the department of 18
137137 education pursuant to state and federal law and regulations; 19
138138 (2) Consistent with any educational policies established for the district, assess the needs of 20
139139 the school in light of those goals; 21
140140 (3) Formulate a school plan to advance such goals and improve student performance. The 22
141141 school’s plan to support improved student performance shall: 23
142142 (i) Include, but not be limited to, the same components required for the district 24
143143 improvement plan; 25
144144 (ii) Conform to department and district specifications to ensure that such school 26
145145 improvement plans meet state and federal law requirements; and 27
146146 (iii) Be submitted to the superintendent who shall review and approve the plan, after 28
147147 consultation with the school committee, not later than July 1 of the year in which the plan is to be 29
148148 implemented, according to a plan development and review schedule established by the district 30
149149 superintendent; and 31
150150 (4)(i) Prepare and have available for district and state review by July 1 annually, a report, 32
151151 based on SurveyWorks or other data collection, that shall provide aggregated graduating student 33
152152 data on race, ethnicity, and gender for the following: 34
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156156 (A) The total number of students graduating; 1
157157 (B) The total number of students graduating who are applying for admission to a college, 2
158158 university, or vocational training program; 3
159159 (C) The total number of students completing a free application for federal student aid 4
160160 (“FAFSA”) form; and 5
161161 (D) The total number of students who are eligible to fill out and submit a FAFSA form. 6
162162 (ii) The department shall include, in SurveyWorks or an equivalent data collection tool, 7
163163 inquiries to collect the data and information referenced in subsection (j)(4)(i) of this section. 8
164164 (k) The three-year (3) comprehensive district plan, annual district action plan, and annual 9
165165 school improvement plan shall replace any district and school plans previously required under the 10
166166 general laws or regulation, that, in the professional opinion of the commissioner, would be most 11
167167 effectively presented as part of the coordinated district or school plan for improving student 12
168168 achievement. The department shall identify any additional reports or plans called for by any general 13
169169 law or regulation that can be incorporated into this single filing in order to reduce paperwork and 14
170170 eliminate duplication. 15
171171 (l) Each school district in which more than twenty percent (20%) of the students do not 16
172172 meet grade-level expectations of at least proficient or its equivalent on the Rhode Island 17
173173 comprehensive assessment system exam (“RICAS”) shall submit a RICAS success plan to the 18
174174 department. The plan shall describe the school district’s strategies for helping each student to 19
175175 master the skills, competencies, and knowledge required for the competency determination. In 20
176176 recognition of the department’s mission as a district support agency, then at the request of the 21
177177 district or in response to reporting data provided under this subsection, the department shall: 22
178178 (1) Determine the elements that shall be required to be included in such plan. These 23
179179 elements may include, but are not limited to, the following: 24
180180 (i) A plan to assess each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and needs; 25
181181 (ii) A plan to use summer school, after school, and other additional support to provide each 26
182182 child with the assistance needed; and 27
183183 (iii) A plan for involving the parents of students. 28
184184 (2) Examine each district’s plan and determine if it has a reasonable prospect of 29
185185 significantly reducing the school district’s failure rates. 30
186186 (3) Coordinate oversight of the RICAS success plans with existing education review and 31
187187 oversight functions and with the RICAS grant program. 32
188188 (m) Each school district shall file a report with the department every year by a date and in 33
189189 a format determined by the board. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 34
190190
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193193 (1) An outline of the curriculum and graduation requirements of the district; 1
194194 (2) Pupil/teacher ratios and class size policy and practice; 2
195195 (3) Teacher and administrator evaluation procedures; 3
196196 (4) Statistics, policies, and procedures relative to truancy and dropouts; 4
197197 (5) Statistics, policies, and procedures relative to expulsions and in-school and out-of-5
198198 school suspensions; 6
199199 (6) Percent of school-age children attending public schools: 7
200200 (7) Racial composition of teaching and administrative staff; 8
201201 (8) Enrollment and average daily attendance; and 9
202202 (9) The annual budgets and expenditures for both the district and the individual schools in 10
203203 the district. 11
204204 (n) Each school district shall file a description of the following instructional procedures 12
205205 and programs with the department every year: 13
206206 (1) Art and music programs; 14
207207 (2) Technology education; 15
208208 (3) Programs for gifted and talented students; 16
209209 (4) Adult education programs; 17
210210 (5) Library and media facilities; 18
211211 (6) Condition of instructional materials, including textbooks, workbooks, audio-visual 19
212212 materials, and laboratory materials; 20
213213 (7) Types and condition of computers and computer software; 21
214214 (8) Basic skills remediation programs; 22
215215 (9) Drug, tobacco, and alcohol abuse programs; 23
216216 (10) Multi-cultural education training for students and teachers; 24
217217 (11) Global education; and 25
218218 (12) Nutrition and wellness programs. 26
219219 (o) Each school district and charter school shall file an annual report for the current school 27
220220 year regarding implementation with the department on or before every November 1 in a format 28
221221 determined by the board. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 29
222222 (1) The number of children receiving services within each disability category; 30
223223 (2) The number of children, by grade level, within each disability category and the costs of 31
224224 services provided by each such category for such children receiving their education in a publicly 32
225225 operated day school program; 33
226226 (3) The number of children, by grade level, within each disability category and the costs of 34
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230230 services provided by each category for these children receiving their education in a private day 1
231231 setting; 2
232232 (4) The number of children, by grade level, within each such disability category and the 3
233233 costs of services provided by each such category for such children receiving their education in a 4
234234 private residential setting; 5
235235 (5) The number of children who remain in the regular education program full-time; the 6
236236 number of children who are removed from the regular classroom for up to twenty-five percent 7
237237 (25%) of the day; the number of children who are removed from the regular classroom between 8
238238 twenty-five percent (25%) and sixty percent (60%) of the day; 9
239239 (6) The number of children who are placed in substantially separate classrooms on a regular 10
240240 education school site; 11
241241 (7) The number of children, ages three (3) and four (4) who are educated in integrated and 12
242242 separate classrooms; and the assignment, by sex, national origin, economic status, and race, of 13
243243 children by age level, to special education classes and the distribution of children residing in the 14
244244 district, by sex, national origin, economic status, and race of children by age level; and 15
245245 (8) The number of children, by grade level, receiving special education services who have 16
246246 limited English proficiency. 17
247247 (p) Each school district and charter school shall furnish in a timely manner such additional 18
248248 information as the department shall request. 19
249249 (q) Each school district required to provide an English language learners program shall file 20
250250 the following information with the department annually: 21
251251 (1) The type of English language learners programs provided; 22
252252 (2) With regard to limited English proficient students: 23
253253 (i) The number enrolled in each type of English language learners program; 24
254254 (ii) The number enrolled in English as a second language who are not enrolled in another 25
255255 English language learners program; 26
256256 (iii) The results of basic skills, curriculum assessment, achievement, and language 27
257257 proficiency testing, whether administered in English or in the native language; 28
258258 (iv) The absentee, suspension, expulsion, dropout, and promotion rates; and 29
259259 (v) The number of years each limited English proficient student has been enrolled in an 30
260260 English language learners program; 31
261261 (3) The number of students each year who have enrolled in institutions of higher education 32
262262 and were formerly enrolled in an English language learners program; 33
263263 (4) The academic progress in regular education of students who have completed an English 34
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267267 language learners program; 1
268268 (5) For each limited English proficient student receiving special education, the number of 2
269269 years in the school district prior to special education evaluation and the movement in special 3
270270 education programs by program placement; 4
271271 (6) The number of limited English proficient students enrolled in programs of occupational 5
272272 or vocational education; 6
273273 (7) The name, national origin, native language, certificates held, language proficiency, 7
274274 grade levels, and subjects taught by each teacher of an English language learners program, bilingual 8
275275 aides or paraprofessionals, bilingual guidance or adjustment counselors, and bilingual school 9
276276 psychologists; 10
277277 (8) The per-pupil expenditures for each full-time equivalent student enrolled in an English 11
278278 language learners program; 12
279279 (9) The sources and amounts of all funds expended on students enrolled in English 13
280280 language learners programs, broken down by local, state, and federal sources, and whether any such 14
281281 funds expended supplanted, rather than supplemented, the local school district obligation; 15
282282 (10) The participation of parents through parent advisory councils; 16
283283 (11) Whether there were any complaints filed with any federal or state court or 17
284284 administrative agency, since the program’s inception, concerning the compliance with federal or 18
285285 state minimum legal requirements, the disposition of the complaint, and the monitoring and 19
286286 evaluation of any such agreement or court order relative to the complaint; and 20
287287 (12) This information shall be filed in the form of the total for the school district as well as 21
288288 categorized by school, grade, and language. 22
289289 (r) The commissioner annually shall analyze and publish data reported by school districts 23
290290 under this section regarding English language learners programs and limited English proficient 24
291291 students. Publication shall include, but need not be limited to, availability on the department’s 25
292292 website. The commissioner shall submit annually a report to the committees of jurisdiction for 26
293293 education in the house of representatives and senate on this data on a statewide and school district 27
294294 basis including, but not limited to, by language group and type of English language learners 28
295295 programs. 29
296296 (s) For the purposes of this chapter, “local education agencies” shall include all of the 30
297297 following within the state of Rhode Island: 31
298298 (1) Public school districts; 32
299299 (2) Regional school districts; 33
300300 (3) State-operated schools; 34
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304304 (4) Regional collaborative schools; and 1
305305 (5) Charter schools and mayoral academies. 2
306306 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 3
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313313 EXPLANATION
314314 BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
315315 OF
316316 A N A C T
317317 RELATING TO EDUCATION -- EDUCATION ACCOU NTABILITY ACT
318318 ***
319319 This act would incorporate the department of elementary and secondary education’s 1
320320 SurveyWorks school climate indicators disaggregated by local education agencies ("LEAs") and 2
321321 individual public schools, or any other such future system used as a replacement or substitute for 3
322322 SurveyWorks to measure school climate indicators for evaluating the performance of LEAs and 4
323323 individual public schools. 5
324324 This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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