TITLE 16
Education
CHAPTER 16-7.1
The Paul W.Crowley Rhode Island Student Investment Initiative [See Title
16 Chapter 97 The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]
SECTION 16-7.1-15
§ 16-7.1-15 The Paul W. Crowley Rhode
Island student investment initiative.
(a) Each locally or regionally operated school district shall receive as a base
the same amount of school aid as each district received in fiscal year
1997-1998, adjusted to reflect the increases or decreases in aid enacted to
meet the minimum and maximum funding levels established for FY 2000 through FY
2008. Each school district shall also receive school aid through each
investment fund for which that district qualifies pursuant to §§
16-7.1-8, 16-7.1-9, 16-7.1-10, 16-7.1-11, 16-7.1-12, 16-7.1-16 and 16-7.1-19.
These sums shall be in addition to the base amount described in this section.
For FY 2009 and FY 2010, the reference year for the data used in the
calculation of aid pursuant to § 16-7.1-8, § 16-7.1-9, §
16-7.1-10, § 16-7.1-11, § 16-7.1-11.1, § 16-7.1-12, §
16-7.1-16, § 16-7.1-19 and 16-77.1-2(b) shall be FY 2004. Calculation and
distribution of education aid under §§ 16-5-31, 16-5-32, 16-7-20,
16-7-20.5, 16-7-34.2, 16-7-34.3, 16-24-6, 16-54-4, and 16-67-4 is hereby
suspended. Provided, however, calculation and distribution of education aid
under § 16-7.1-10 is suspended for FY 2009 and FY 2010. School districts
may continue to maintain professional development programs and may reduce other
education programs to achieve savings during FY 2009 and FY 2010. The funding
of the purposes and activities of chapter 67 of this title, the Rhode Island
Literacy and Dropout Prevention Act of 1967, shall be the same amount of the
base amount of each district funded for that purpose in fiscal year 1997-1998.
In addition each district shall expend three percent (3%) of its student equity
and early childhood funds under the provisions of chapter 67 of this title.
(b) Funding for full day kindergarten programs in accordance
with § 16-7.1-11.1 shall be in addition to funding received under this
section.
(c) Funding distributed under §§ 16-77.1-2(b) and
16-64-1.1 shall be in addition to funding distributed under this section.
(d) For FY 2009, aid to school districts shall be reduced by
the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of payments to the
teachers' retirement system. The reduction for the Chariho regional school
district shall be prorated among the member communities. In addition, for FY
2009 aid to school districts shall be reduced by any amount of previously
appropriated school housing aid determined to be ineligible for reimbursement
in accordance with § 16-7-44.2. For FY 2009 aid shall also be reduced by
the amount of projected revenue for the period December 1, 2008 through June
30, 2009 from the permanent school fund. The projected revenue shall be
determined by annualizing actual earnings from the period May 12, 2008 through
November 30, 2008. The department of elementary and secondary education shall
reduce aid in two equal installments, payable in May and June; provided
however, that East Providence shall receive one payment of reduced aid in May.
For FY 2009, aid to school districts shall include thirty
eight million, three hundred twenty-four thousand, eight hundred twenty-two
dollars ($38,324,822) from federal fiscal stabilization funds offset by a like
reduction from general revenues. The distribution shall be in the same
proportion as general operating aid.
(e) Districts shall comply with the assurances and reporting
requirements provided in the federal guidance for the (ARRA) allocation and by
the commissioner of elementary and secondary education.
(f) There shall be an appropriation to ensure that total aid
distributed to communities in FY 2010 under this section and §§
16-7.1-11.1, 16-64-1.1 and 16-77.1-2(b) and excluding any FY 2009 Stabilization
reappropriations shall be as follows:
SEE THE BOOK FOR THE PROPER TABLE.
In addition to the amounts listed above, the department of
elementary and secondary education shall allocate monthly to each school
district all funds received into the permanent school fund pursuant to §
42-61.2-7, as amended by chapter 13 of the 2008 Public Laws entitled "An Act
Relating to State Affairs and Government", up to $14.1 million, in the same
proportion as the aid distribution in the FY 2009 enacted appropriations act.
This special provision shall not limit entitlements as
determined by application of other formula provisions in this section.
(g) For FY 2009 payments to charter public schools shall be
reduced by the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of
payments to the teachers' retirement system. The reduction for district
sponsored charter schools shall be incorporated in the sponsoring school
district's aid as noted in subsection (f). Aid to charter public schools shall
be reduced in the April quarterly payment. For FY 2009, charter public school
funding is as follows:
Beacon Charter School 1,512,785
Blackstone Academy 1,469,349
Compass 614,485
Paul Cuffee 4,449,006
CVS Highlander 2,596,782
International 2,863,818
Kingston Hill Academy 736,784
Learning Community 3,669,529
NE Laborer's 1,508,866
Textron 2,361,370
Times 2 Academy 6,870,410
(h)(1) For FY 2010, payments to charter public schools shall
be reduced by the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of
payments to the teachers' retirement system. The reduction for district
sponsored charter schools shall be incorporated in the sponsoring schools
district's aid as noted in subsection (f). For FY 2010, payments to charter
public schools shall be reduced by one million four hundred sixty-three
thousand three hundred sixty-seven dollars ($1,463,367) based on the charter
schools' share of total FY 2009 enacted education aid, including school
districts and state schools. For FY 2010, a distribution of stabilization funds
per the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) totaling one million four
hundred seventy-one thousand eighty-seven dollars ($1,471,087) shall be
allocated to charter public schools proportionately based on their share of
total FY 2009 enacted education aid, including school districts and state
schools.
(2) For FY 2010, payments to charter public schools shall be
further reduced by one million one hundred fifty-eight thousand one dollars
($1,158,001) based on the charter schools' share of total FY 2010 originally
enacted education aid. For FY 2010, an additional distribution of stabilization
funds per the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) totaling one
hundred ninety-seven thousand seven hundred fifty-two dollars ($197,752) shall
be allocated to charter public schools proportionately based on their share of
total FY 2010 originally enacted education aid.
(3) Public charter schools shall comply with the assurances
and reporting requirements provided in the federal guidance for the (ARRA)
allocation and by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education.
(i) There shall be deducted from the final aid payment to
each school district any amounts owed to the state at the end of the fiscal
year for transportation of the district's students under the statewide
transportation system established pursuant to R.I.G.L. 16-21.1-7 and 16-21.1-8.
Districts shall receive monthly invoices summarizing the basis of the
transportation fees charged. Any such deductions in aid shall be transferred to
the statewide student transportation services restricted receipt account.
(j) The provisions of R.I.G.L. 16-26-7.1 notwithstanding,
districts shall be assessed tuition to cover the costs of educational services
that are additional to the core deaf and hard of hearing education program that
is provided to resident students at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. This
tuition shall be based on a graduated tuition schedule that is based on the
varying needs of students. The department of elementary and secondary education
shall develop and implement the schedule. Districts shall receive monthly
invoices summarizing the basis for the tuition charged. There shall be deducted
from the final aid payment to each school district at the end of the fiscal
year any amounts owed to the state for these additional educational services.
(k) Children with disabilities. (1) Based
on its review of special education within the context of Rhode Island school
reform, the general assembly recommends addressing the needs of all children
and preventing disability through scientific research based, as described in
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title 1, Part B, Section 1208 [20
U.S.C. § 6368], reading instruction and the development of Personal
Literacy Programs for students in the early grades performing below grade level
in reading and implement a system of student accountability that will enable
the state to track individual students over time. Additionally, the department
of elementary and secondary education must provide districts with rigorous
criteria and procedures for identifying students with learning disabilities and
speech/language impairments. Additional study is required of factors that
influence programming for students with low incidence disabilities; those with
disabilities that severely compromise life functions; and programming for
students with disabilities through urban special education. Alternatives for
funding special education require examination.
(2) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish
any advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to the general assembly
and its agents that is deemed necessary or desirable by the study to facilitate
the purposes of this section.
(l) For FY 2011, aid to school districts shall be reduced by
the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of payments to the
teachers' retirement system. The reduction for the Chariho regional school
district shall be prorated among the member communities. For FY 2011, aid to
school districts shall be further reduced by twenty million four hundred ninety
thousand one hundred thirty-seven dollars ($20,490,137) from the FY 2010
originally enacted level based on the school district's share of total FY 2010
originally enacted education aid, including aid to state schools and charter
schools. For FY 2011, a distribution of federal stabilization funds made
available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), in the
amount of seventeen million four hundred thirty-one thousand nine hundred four
dollars ($17,431,904), shall be allocated to school districts proportionately
based on their share of total FY 2010 originally enacted education aid,
including aid to state schools and charter schools.
(m) There shall be an appropriation to ensure that total aid
distributed to communities in FY 2011 under this section and §§
16-7.1-11.1, 16-64-1.1 and 16-77.1-2(b), excluding any FY 2009 and FY 2010
Stabilization reappropriations, shall be as follows:
SEE THE BOOK FOR THE PROPER TABLE.
In addition to the amounts listed above, the department of
elementary and secondary education shall allocate monthly to each school
district all funds received into the permanent school fund pursuant to §
42-61.2-7, as amended by chapter 13 of the 2008 Public Laws entitled "An Act
Relating to State Affairs and Government", up to $14.1 million, in the same
proportion as the aid distribution in the FY 2009 enacted appropriations act.
This special provision shall not limit entitlements as
determined by application of other formula provisions in this section.
(n) For FY 2009 payments to charter public schools shall be
reduced by the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of
payments to the teachers' retirement system. The reduction for district
sponsored charter schools shall be incorporated in the sponsoring school
district's aid as noted in subsection (g). Aid to charter public schools shall
be reduced in the April quarterly payment. For FY 2009, charter public school
funding is as follows:
Beacon Charter School 1,512,785
Blackstone Academy 1,469,349
Compass 614,485
Paul Cuffee 4,449,006
CVS Highlander 2,596,782
International 2,863,818
Kingston Hill Academy 736,784
Learning Community 3,669,529
NE Laborer's 1,508,866
Textron 2,361,370
Times 2 Academy 6,870,410
(o) For FY 2011, payments to charter public schools shall be
reduced by the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of
payments to the teachers' retirement system. The reduction for district
sponsored charter schools shall be incorporated in the sponsoring schools
district's aid as noted in subsection (g). For FY 2011, payments to charter
public schools shall be further reduced by one million seventy-six thousand
nine hundred forty-one dollars ($1,076,941) from the FY 2010 originally enacted
education aid based on the charter schools' share of total FY 2010 enacted
education aid, including aid to school districts and state schools. For FY
2011, a distribution of federal stabilization funds made available through the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), in the amount of one million
forty-eight thousand six hundred dollars ($1,048,600), shall be allocated to
charter public schools proportionately based on their share of total FY 2010
originally enacted education aid, including aid to school districts and state
schools.
History of Section.
(P.L. 1998, ch. 31, art. 31, § 3; P.L. 1999, ch. 31, art. 23, § 3;
P.L. 2000, ch. 55, art. 20, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 77, art. 22, § 2;
P.L. 2002, ch. 65, art. 18, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 376, art. 9, § 7;
P.L. 2004, ch. 595, art. 23, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 117, art. 13, § 6;
P.L. 2006, ch. 246, art. 19, § 2; P.L. 2007, ch. 73, art. 21, § 2;
P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 38, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 151, § 1; P.L. 2008,
ch. 182, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 5, art. 13, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 68, art.
3, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 23, art. 13, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 151, art. 5,
§ 1.)
