Requires the names of any noncredentialled school employee who is terminated for good and just cause, to be furnished to the department of education.
Impact
This bill impacts existing laws regarding teacher tenure and employment practices in the educational sector significantly. By institutionalizing the process of reporting terminations, the amendment seeks to create a centralized tracking system for noncredentialled employee terminations. The information gleaned from these reports could potentially influence hiring practices and educational policies by providing hiring authorities with insights into past employment decisions within schools, thereby promoting transparency and possibly preventing future terminations without valid cause.
Summary
Bill S0633 proposes an amendment to the Rhode Island education laws to establish a requirement for schools that terminate noncredentialled employees for good cause. Specifically, when a noncredentialled employee is terminated, the governing body of the school must report the employee's identity and the reason for their termination to the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education within a specified timeframe. This process aims to maintain a record of terminated noncredentialled employees and the causes of termination, thereby increasing accountability within the school system.
Contention
Notable points of contention may arise surrounding the definition and treatment of noncredentialled employees within schools. While proponents of the bill argue that it ensures accountability for terminations and could enhance the integrity of educational staffing, critics may contend that it could dissuade schools from making necessary employment decisions out of fear of bureaucratic backlash. Furthermore, the bill's stipulation that the list of terminated employees not be made public raises questions about transparency and whether it adequately protects the interests of both employees and schools.
Requires employer to furnish items and conditions of employment and a pay stub explaining how wages were calculated/reasons for deductions/allows the employee to file a court action against employer for violation.
Requires employer to furnish items and conditions of employment and a pay stub explaining how wages were calculated/reasons for deductions/allows the employee to file a court action against employer for violation.
Requires the departments of elementary and secondary education and health to adopt policies/rules/regulations for the administration of seizure rescue medications for children who have been medically identified as having epilepsy/seizure disorder.
Requires employers to provide each employee of a warehouse distribution center, upon hire, with written description of quotas applicable to the employee within defined time periods and adverse employment action for failure to meet the quota.
Requires specific actions and procedures that a public school district or the department of elementary and secondary education shall follow as a part of their proposal to phase out, merge or close a public school.
Requires the department of children, youth and families (DCYF) to conduct periodic comprehensive needs assessments to determine whether the department's programs and services meet the needs of children and families.
Requires the department of children, youth and families (DCYF) to conduct periodic comprehensive needs assessments to determine whether the department’s programs and services meet the needs of children and families.
Provides amendments to the Rhode Island Works Program regarding eligibility and cash assistance, and repeals the termination of benefits to a family because of failure of a family member to enter into or comply with an individual employment plan.
Incorporates the department of elementary and secondary education's SurveyWorks school climate indicators for evaluating the performance of LEAs and individual public schools.