Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5976 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- H 5976
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7	7	LC002011
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Shallcross Smith, Fogarty, Hull, Serpa, Diaz, and
17	17	Messier
18	18	Date Introduced: February 28, 2025
19	19	Referred To: House Finance
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
24	24	adding thereto the following chapter: 2
25	25	CHAPTER 117 3
26	26	BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME 4
27	27	16-117-1. Short title. 5
28	28	This act shall be known and may be cited as "building opportunities in out-of-school time". 6
29	29	16-117-2. Purpose. 7
30	30	The purpose of this chapter is to provide funding to support comprehensive and effective 8
31	31	afterschool, school vacation, summer learning and workforce development programming for 9
32	32	students in grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12) and professional development that provides 10
33	33	specialized training for staff employed by out-of-school time (“OST”) programs, capacity-building 11
34	34	initiatives, strategies to increase community engagement and program participation, and impact 12
35	35	chronic absenteeism. 13
36	36	16-117-3. Funding. 14
37	37	(a) The general assembly shall allocate no less than four million dollars ($4,000,000) in 15
38	38	fiscal year 2025-2026 budget to invest in: 16
39	39	(1) Targeted professional development that provides specialized training for staff 17
40	40	employed by out-of-school time (“OST”) programs, capacity building initiatives, strategies to 18
41	41	increase community engagement and program participation, and impact chronic absenteeism; 19
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45	45	(2) Program assessment and supports to ensure all out-of-school time (“OST”) programs 1
46	46	show strong outcomes for youth and continuous planning for improvement; and 2
47	47	(3) Workforce development funding to train and retain a pipeline of high-quality youth 3
48	48	development professionals to enter the field. 4
49	49	(b) Recipients of funding may include nonprofit organizations, local governments, and 5
50	50	local education authorities. 6
51	51	16-117-4. Allocation and eligibility. 7
52	52	(a) The Rhode Island afterschool network, through their fiscal sponsor, the Rhode Island 8
53	53	foundation, shall allocate no less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to provide 9
54	54	professional development and no less than three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) 10
55	55	to create a competitive request for proposals process to allocate funding for each fiscal year in 11
56	56	which funds may be appropriated by the general assembly. 12
57	57	(b) Only programs that adhere to the Rhode Island afterschool quality standards and 13
58	58	indicators shall be funded. 14
59	59	(c) Applicants shall detail funds received from all public sources for existing afterschool, 15
60	60	summer learning and workforce development programs and the eligibility of students and programs 16
61	61	served by the funds. 17
62	62	(d) Priority shall be given to those programs that seek to support: 18
63	63	(1) Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility; 19
64	64	(2) Low-income families, youth with disabilities, multi-language learners, and youth and 20
65	65	families who have limited access to local programs and services; and 21
66	66	(3) Offering youth a broad array of opportunities, including educational and enrichment 22
67	67	programs. Social emotional learning, civic engagement, and workforce development supported 23
68	68	through STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), and arts to prepare youth for academic 24
69	69	success. 25
70	70	(e) The Rhode Island afterschool network through their fiscal sponsor, the Rhode Island 26
71	71	foundation, shall consult with key stakeholders that include, but are not limited to, the department 27
72	72	of education, the department of human services, and the office of postsecondary education to 28
73	73	maximize the criteria for provision of services. 29
74	74	16-117-5. Reporting. 30
75	75	The Rhode Island afterschool network through their fiscal sponsor, the Rhode Island 31
76	76	foundation, shall send a written report to the general assembly and the governor no later than 32
77	77	December 31 of each year on the status and progress of the programs authorized by this chapter. 33
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81	81	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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88	88	EXPLANATION
89	89	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
90	90	OF
91	91	A N A C T
92	92	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME
93	93	***
94	94	This act would provide four million dollars ($4,000,000) to support comprehensive and 1
95	95	effective afterschool, school vacation, summer learning and workforce development programs for 2
96	96	students in grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12), provide professional development to 3
97	97	employees of out-of-school time programs, and require an annual report to the general assembly 4
98	98	and the governor on the status and progress of the programs. 5
99	99	This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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101	101	LC002011
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