2025 -- H 5336
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LC001269
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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. 2025
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Introduced By: Representatives J. Lombardi, Hull, Felix, Cruz, Slater, and Stewart
Date Introduced: February 07, 2025
Referred To: House Education
(Dept. of Education)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 16-3.1-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-3.1 entitled 1
"Cooperative Service Among School Districts [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board 2
of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 3
16-3.1-11. Urban collaborative. 4
(a)(1) The urban collaborative shall be governed by a board of trustees, with the exception 5
of those powers and duties reserved by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. 6
(2) The board of trustees of the urban collaborative shall consist of five (5) members 7
including: 8
(i) The superintendent of the Providence school district, or designee; 9
(ii) The superintendent, or designee, of any other Rhode Island school district(s) as may be 10
approved for inclusion by existing member districts in accordance with the urban collaborative’s 11
bylaws; and 12
(iii) The council on elementary and secondary education shall appoint the remaining 13
members of the board of trustees of the urban collaborative with input from the commissioner of 14
elementary and secondary education. 15
(b) The urban collaborative's board of trustees is Notwithstanding the provisions of any 16
general or special law to the contrary, the school committees of the cities of Providence, Pawtucket, 17
East Providence, Central Falls and other Rhode Island school districts as may be approved for 18
inclusion by existing member districts in accordance with collaborative bylaws are authorized and 19
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empowered to continue and/or initiate cooperative efforts to provide alternate education programs 1
and/or diagnostic services required by law or regulation for students achieving limited success in 2
traditional settings and to do all things necessary including, but not limited to utilization of 3
technology, including television, all on a collaborative basis. The various school committees may 4
assign and delegate to their respective school committee chairs or designee or superintendents of 5
schools or designee, acting as a regional board any duties, responsibilities, and powers that the 6
committees may deem necessary for the conduct, administration, and management of the urban 7
collaborative. Beginning on July 1, 2013 the urban collaborative shall be funded pursuant to the 8
provisions of § 16-7.2-3. The state share of the permanent foundation education aid shall be paid 9
directly to the urban collaborative pursuant to the provisions of § 16-7.2-7. The local school district 10
shall transfer the difference between the calculated state share of the permanent foundation 11
education aid and the amount calculated pursuant to the provisions of § 16-7.2-7 to the urban 12
collaborative, until the transition of the state share is complete. In addition, the local school district 13
shall pay the local share of education funding to the urban collaborative as outlined in § 16-7.2-5. 14
The urban collaborative shall be eligible to receive other aids, grants, Medicaid revenue, 15
and any other revenue according to Rhode Island law, as though it were a school district. Federal 16
aid received by the state shall be used to benefit students in the urban collaborative, if the school 17
qualifies for the aid, as though it were a school district. 18
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 19
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS
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This act would amend the composition of the urban collaborative in Providence and would 1
provide that the urban collaborative would be governed by a board of trustees. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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