§ 16-2-15 - Location of schools – Control of property. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-2-15

   § 16-2-15  Location of schools –Control of property. – (a) The school committee shall locate all schoolhouses, and shall not abandon,close, or change the location of any without good cause; and, unless providedby law, the school committee of each city or town shall have the care andcontrol of all public school buildings and other public school property of thecity or town, including repairs of the buildings and the purchase of furnitureand other school equipment.

   (b) The school committee of any city or town may providepublic school housing for the city or town by lease of buildings or portions ofbuildings, furniture, and other school equipment, subject to the followingprovisions:

   (1) During the period or periods to which the lease appliesthe property leased shall be public school property of the city or town in allrespects to the same effect as any public school building of the city or town;

   (2) The lease shall provide for use and occupancy of periodsat least the same as or equivalent to the periods during which public schoolbuildings of the city or town are used and occupied;

   (3) As applied to rooms for instruction the lease shallprovide for exclusive use and occupancy during the periods of the lease and mayprovide for common or concurrent use and occupancy of other areas of theproperty;

   (4) The use and occupancy under the lease may be for purposeof instruction at particular grade levels or in particular courses of study andmay provide for consecutive use and occupancy of specified areas of theproperty provided that total use and occupancy under this lease complies withthe provisions of subsection (b)(2).

   (c) Upon application of the school committee of any city ortown, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education may prescribe byregulation standards for the leases in accordance with this chapter and inaccordance with the Constitution, laws, and education policies and programs ofthe state. The expenses of the city or town under the lease shall constituteexpenditures to support the basic program pursuant to the provisions of§§ 16-7-15 to 16-7-34.