2025 -- S 0019
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LC000343
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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
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- INNOVATION SCHOOLS
Introduced By: Senators de la Cruz, Ciccone, E Morgan, Rogers, and Zurier
Date Introduced: January 23, 2025
Referred To: Senate Education
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 77.5 3
INNOVATION SCHOOLS 4
16-77.5-1. Establishment and purpose of innovation schools. 5
An innovation school shall be a public school, operating within a public school district, 6
that is established for the purpose of improving school performance and student achievement 7
through increased autonomy and flexibility. An innovation school may be established as a new 8
public school or as a conversion of an existing public school. A student who is enrolled in a school 9
at the time it is established as an innovation school shall retain the ability to remain enrolled in the 10
school if the student chooses to do so. 11
16-77.5-2. Advisory board. 12
(a) An innovation school may establish an advisory board of trustees. 13
(b) An innovation school shall have increased autonomy and flexibility in one or more of 14
the following areas: 15
(1) Curriculum; 16
(2) Budget; 17
(3) School schedule and calendar; 18
(4) Staffing policies and procedures, including waivers from or modifications to, contracts 19
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or collective bargaining agreements; 1
(5) School district policies and procedures; and 2
(6) Professional development. 3
(c) An innovation school shall receive each school year from the school committee the 4
same per pupil allocation as any other district school receives. An innovation school may retain 5
any unused funds and use the funds in subsequent school years. An innovation school may establish 6
a nonprofit organization that may, among other things, assist the school with fundraising. A district 7
shall not reduce its funding to an innovation school as a result of the school's fundraising activities. 8
16-77.5-3. Innovation plan. 9
(a) An innovation school established under this chapter shall be authorized by the local 10
school committee and shall operate according to an innovation plan, which shall articulate the areas 11
of autonomy and flexibility under this chapter. 12
(1) To the extent practicable, the innovation plan shall be based on student outcome data, 13
including, but not limited to: 14
(i) Student achievement on the Rhode Island comprehensive assessment system; 15
(ii) Other measures of student achievement, approved by the commissioner, as appropriate; 16
(iii) Student promotion, graduation rates and dropout rates; 17
(iv) Achievement data for different subgroups of students, including low-income residents 18
as defined by § 45-24.2-2, English language learners, and students receiving special education 19
services; and 20
(v) Student attendance, dismissal rates and exclusion rates. 21
(2) An innovation school shall operate in accordance with the law regulating other public 22
schools, except as the law conflicts with this section or any innovation plans created thereunder. 23
(b) An innovation school is a school in which: 24
(1) Faculty and leadership are primarily responsible for developing the innovation plan 25
under which the school operates and leadership is responsible for meeting the terms of the 26
innovation plan; or 27
(2) An external partner is primarily responsible for developing the innovation plan under 28
which the school operates and the external partner is responsible for meeting the terms of the 29
innovation plan. 30
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit: 31
(1) The establishment of an innovation school as an academy within an existing public 32
school; 33
(2) The establishment of an innovation school serving students from two (2) or more school 34
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districts; provided, however, that all of the provisions of this section are met by each school district; 1
or 2
(3) The simultaneous establishment of two (2) or more innovation schools as an innovation 3
schools zone within a school district. 4
16-77.5-4. Eligible applicants. 5
(a) The following shall be eligible applicants for the purposes of establishing an innovation 6
school: 7
(1) Parents; 8
(2) Teachers; 9
(3) Parent-teacher organizations; 10
(4) Principals; 11
(5) Superintendents; 12
(6) School committees; 13
(7) Teacher unions; 14
(8) Colleges and universities; 15
(9) Nonprofit community-based organizations; 16
(10) Nonprofit business or corporate entities; 17
(11) Nonprofit charter school operators; 18
(12) Nonprofit education management organizations; 19
(13) Educational collaboratives; 20
(14) Consortia of these groups; and 21
(15) Nonprofit entities authorized by the commissioner. 22
(b) Private and parochial schools shall not be eligible to operate an innovation school. 23
16-77.5-5. Procedure to establish an innovation school. 24
(a) The local school committee, local teacher's union and superintendent of the school 25
district shall follow a process, consistent with this chapter, for which an existing district school 26
may be converted to an innovation school or by which a new innovation school may be established 27
within the district. 28
(1) This process shall require that an eligible applicant proposing to establish an innovation 29
school prepare a prospectus regarding the proposed school. The prospectus shall include, but not 30
be limited to, a description of: 31
(i) Whether the school will be a new school or a conversion of an existing school; 32
(ii) If the school is a new school, the proposed location of the school; 33
(iii) If the school is a conversion of an existing school, the school that is being proposed 34
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for conversion; 1
(iv) The external partners, if any, that will be involved in the school; 2
(v) The number of students the school is anticipated to serve and the number of staff 3
expected to be employed at the school; 4
(vi) The overall vision for the school, including improving school performance and student 5
achievement; 6
(vii) Specific needs or challenges the school shall be designed to address; 7
(viii) A preliminary assessment of the autonomy and flexibility that the school will seek; 8
(ix) Why such flexibility is desirable to carry out the objectives of the school; 9
(x) Anticipated components of the school's innovation plan; 10
(xi) A preliminary description of the process that shall be used to involve appropriate 11
stakeholders in the development of the innovation plan; and 12
(xii) A proposed timetable for development and establishment of the proposed school. 13
(b) Upon completion of the prospectus required under subsection (a) of this section, an 14
eligible applicant shall submit the prospectus to the superintendent, who shall within thirty (30) 15
days convene a screening committee consisting of the superintendent, or designee, a school 16
committee member, or designee selected by the school committee and a representative from the 17
leadership of the local teacher's union. 18
(1) The screening committee shall review the prospectus for the purpose of determining 19
whether the prospectus: 20
(i) Presents a sound and coherent plan for improving school performance and student 21
achievement; 22
(ii) Supports or enhances existing educational efforts in the school district; 23
(iii) Reasonably can be expanded into a comprehensive innovation plan; and 24
(iv) In the case of a new school, prepare an impact statement describing how the new school 25
will affect the children and faculty in the district. 26
(2) Within thirty (30) days of receiving a prospectus, the screening committee shall decide, 27
on the basis of a two-thirds (2/3) vote, to accept or reject the prospectus, or return the prospectus 28
to the eligible applicant for revisions. If a prospectus is rejected or returned, the screening 29
committee shall submit a detailed explanation for the decision to the applicant. A prospectus that 30
is rejected or returned may be revised and resubmitted for subsequent consideration. 31
(c)(1) Upon the acceptance of a prospectus by the screening committee, the applicant shall 32
form an innovation plan committee of not more than eleven (11) members within thirty (30) days. 33
(2) The purpose of the innovation plan committee shall be to: 34
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(i) Develop the innovation plan described in this chapter; 1
(ii) Assure that appropriate stakeholders are represented in the development of the 2
proposed innovation school; and 3
(iii) Provide meaningful opportunities for the stakeholders to contribute to the development 4
of such school. 5
(d)(1) The size and composition of the innovation plan committee shall be determined by 6
the applicant; provided, however, that the committee shall include: 7
(i) The applicant; 8
(ii) The superintendent or designee; 9
(iii) A school committee member or designee; 10
(iv) A parent who has one or more children enrolled in the school, or in the case of a new 11
school, from the school district; 12
(v) A principal employed by the school district; and 13
(vi) Two (2) teachers employed by the school district. 14
(2) The applicant shall select the parent from among nominees submitted by parent-teacher 15
organizations in the school district. If the school district does not contain a parent-teacher 16
organization or if the organization does not submit nominees, the applicant shall select the parent 17
from among volunteers in the area or community the proposed school is expected to serve. The 18
applicant shall select the principal and one teacher from among volunteers in the school district and 19
one teacher from among nominees submitted by the local teacher's union. 20
(e)(1) Upon the formation of the innovation plan committee, the committee shall develop 21
the innovation plan for the proposed innovation school. The purpose of the innovation plan shall 22
be to comprehensively articulate the areas of autonomy and flexibility that the proposed school will 23
use. 24
(2) The innovation plan shall include, but not be limited to: 25
(i) A curriculum plan, which shall include a detailed description of the curriculum and 26
related programs for the proposed school and how the curriculum is expected to improve school 27
performance and student achievement; 28
(ii) A budget plan, which shall include a detailed description of how funds shall be used 29
differently in the proposed school to support school performance and student achievement; 30
(iii) A school schedule plan, which shall include a detailed description of the ways, if any, 31
the program or calendar of the proposed school will be enhanced or expanded; 32
(iv) A staffing plan, which shall include a detailed description of how the school principal, 33
administrators, faculty and staff will be recruited, employed, evaluated and compensated in the 34
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proposed school and any proposed waivers or modifications of collective bargaining agreements; 1
(v) A policy and procedures plan, which shall include a detailed description of the unique 2
operational policies and procedures to be used by the proposed school and how the procedures shall 3
support school performance and student achievement; and 4
(vi) A professional development plan, which shall include a detailed description of how 5
the school may provide high-quality professional development to its administrators, teachers and 6
staff. 7
(3) In order to assess the proposed school across multiple measures of school performance 8
and student success, the innovation plan shall also include measurable annual goals including, but 9
not limited to, the following: 10
(i) Student attendance; 11
(ii) Student safety and discipline; 12
(iii) Student promotion and graduation and dropout rates; 13
(iv) Student achievement on the Rhode Island comprehensive assessment system; 14
(v) Progress in areas of academic underperformance; and 15
(vi) Progress among subgroups of students, including low-income residents as defined by 16
§ 45-24.2-2. 17
(4) A majority vote of the innovation plan committee shall be required for approval of the 18
innovation 19
(f) The provisions of the collective bargaining agreements applicable to the administrators, 20
teachers and staff in the school shall be considered to be in operation at an innovation school, except 21
to the extent the provisions are waived or modified under the innovation plan and such waivers or 22
modifications are approved 23
(g) In the case of a school conversion, upon completion of the innovation plan, the applicant 24
shall submit the innovation plan to teachers in the school that is proposed for conversion for 25
approval by secret ballot within thirty (30) days. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the teachers shall be 26
required to approve the plan. Upon approval of an innovation plan by the applicable union members 27
the plan shall, within seven (7) days, be submitted to the school committee. If a two-thirds (2/3) 28
vote is not achieved, the innovation plan committee may revise the innovation plan as necessary 29
and submit the revised plan to the teachers for a subsequent vote. 30
16-77.5-6. School committee approval - New schools. 31
(a) In the case of a new school, upon the completion of the innovation plan the applicant, 32
a local union and the superintendent shall negotiate waivers or modifications to the applicable 33
collective bargaining agreement necessary for the school to implement the innovation plan. Upon 34
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the conclusion of the negotiations, the innovation plan shall be submitted immediately to the school 1
committee. If the negotiations have not resulted in an agreement within forty (40) days, either party 2
may petition the department of labor and training (the "department") for the selection of an 3
arbitrator. The department shall select an arbitrator within three (3) days of the petition from a list 4
submitted by the parties. The arbitrator shall conduct a hearing within fourteen (14) days of the 5
arbitrator's selection. The arbitrator shall consider the parties' positions and the needs of the students 6
in the district. The arbitrator's decision shall be consistent with the contents of the innovation plan 7
developed by the applicant. The arbitrator shall, within fourteen (14) days of the close of the 8
hearing, submit a decision which shall be final and binding on the parties. 9
(b) Upon receipt of an innovation plan regarding an innovation school, a school committee 10
shall hold at least one public hearing on the innovation plan. After the public hearing, but not later 11
than sixty (60) days after the receipt of the innovation plan, the school committee shall, on the basis 12
of the quality of the plan and in consideration of comments submitted by the public, undertake a 13
final vote to authorize the innovation school for a period of not more than five (5) years. Approval 14
of the majority of the school committee as fully constituted shall be required to authorize an 15
innovation school. If the approval is not obtained, an innovation plan committee may revise the 16
innovation plan and: 17
(1) In the case of a new school, submit the revised plan to the school committee for a 18
subsequent vote; or 19
(2) In the case of a conversion, submit the revised plan to the teachers in the school that is 20
proposed for conversion for a vote; provided, however, that the plan meets the requirements for 21
approval, submit the revised plan to the school committee for a subsequent vote. A school 22
committee shall vote on a revised plan submitted pursuant to this subsection within sixty (60) days 23
of the receipt of such plan and contract. 24
(c) All innovation schools authorized shall be evaluated by the superintendent at least 25
annually. The superintendent shall transmit the evaluation to the school committee and the 26
commissioner of elementary and secondary education. The purpose of the evaluation shall be to 27
determine whether the school has met the annual goals in its innovation plan and assess the 28
implementation of the innovation plan at the school. If the school committee determines, on the 29
advice of the superintendent, that the school has not met one or more goals in the innovation plan 30
and that the failure to meet the goals may be corrected through reasonable modification of the plan, 31
the school committee may amend the innovation plan as necessary. After the superintendent 32
assesses the implementation of the innovation plan at the school, the school committee may, on the 33
advice of the superintendent, amend the plan if the school committee determines that the 34
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amendment is necessary in view of subsequent changes in the district that affect one or more 1
components of the plan, including, but not limited to, changes to contracts, collective bargaining 2
agreements or school district policies; provided, however, that an amendment involving a 3
subsequent change to a teacher contract shall first be approved by teachers at the school under the 4
procedures in this chapter. 5
(d) If the school committee determines, on the advice of the superintendent, that the school 6
has substantially failed to meet multiple goals in the innovation plan, the school committee may: 7
(1) Limit one or more components of the innovation plan; 8
(2) Suspend one or more components of the innovation plan; or 9
(3) Terminate the authorization of the school; provided, however, that the limitation or 10
suspension shall not take place before the completion of the second full year of the operation of the 11
school and the termination shall not take place before the completion of the third full year of the 12
operation of the school. 13
16-77.5-7. Extension of authorization. 14
(a) At the end of the period of authorization of an innovation school approved pursuant to 15
this chapter, the leadership of the school may petition the school committee to extend the 16
authorization of the school for an additional period of not more than five (5) years. Before 17
submitting the petition, the leadership of the school shall convene a selection of school 18
stakeholders, including, but not limited to, administrators, teachers, other school staff, parents and 19
external partners, as applicable, to discuss whether the innovation plan at the school requires 20
revision and to solicit recommendations as to the potential revisions. After considering the 21
recommendations of the stakeholder group, the leadership of the school and the applicable 22
superintendent shall jointly update the innovation plan as necessary; provided, however, that a 23
proposal regarding a new waiver or exemption from the local teacher's union contract shall be 24
approved by teachers at the school. Approval of the majority of the school committee as fully 25
constituted shall be required to extend the period of authorization of an innovation school. If the 26
approval is not obtained, the leadership of the school and superintendent may jointly revise the 27
innovation plan and submit the revised plan to the school committee for a subsequent vote. If the 28
school committee does not extend the authorization of the school, the leadership of the school may 29
seek the authorization from the commission on elementary and secondary education. The 30
commission shall vote on the requested extension within sixty (60) days of its receipt for approval 31
of such extension. 32
(b) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the "commissioner") shall, 33
to the extent practicable, be responsible for the following: 34
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(1) The provision of planning and implementation grants to eligible applicants to establish 1
innovation schools; 2
(2) Provision of technical assistance and support to eligible applicants; 3
(3) The collection and publication of data and research related to the innovation schools 4
initiative; 5
(4) The collection and publication of data and research related to successful programs 6
serving English language learners attending innovation schools; and 7
(5) The collection and dissemination of best practices in innovation schools that may be 8
adopted by other public schools. 9
(c) The board of education shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement 10
the provisions of this section. Annually, the commissioner shall report to the board of education, 11
the house and senate committees on education, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the 12
senate president, on the implementation and fiscal impact of this chapter. 13
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 14
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- INNOVATION SCHOOLS
***
This act would allow for the establishment of innovation schools for the purpose of 1
improving school performance and student achievement through increased autonomy and 2
flexibility. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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