§ 16-21.1-1 - General purposes. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-21.1-1

   § 16-21.1-1  General purposes. – This chapter shall be construed and applied to:

   (1) Create a state plan for the busing of pupils beyond cityor town limits, in recognition of the legislative policy to encourage theestablishment of and continuance of consolidated and regional schools;

   (2) Provide a unified statewide busing service;

   (3) Afford to pupils who attend public schools theopportunity at the election of the school committee of the city or town inwhich the pupils reside to attend a public school, either full time or parttime, outside of the city or town which provides a program or curriculum notavailable within the city or town in which the pupil resides, as authorized by§ 16-3.1-1 et seq.;

   (4) Afford to children with disabilities equal educationalopportunity;

   (5) Afford bus transportation to pupils who attend nonpublicnonprofit schools which are consolidated, regionalized, or otherwiseestablished to serve residents of a specific area within the state, and who maybe counted for purposes of reimbursement to cities and towns under the stateaid formula provided by § 16-7-22 et seq.;

   (6) Conserve valuable natural resources by reducing thenumber of vehicles necessary to transport pupils to school; and

   (7) Provide for the transportation of public school studentswho attend schools located outside of the city or town in which they reside, toprotect the health, safety, and welfare of pupils who live at such distancesfrom the schools which they attend as to make it impractical or hazardous torequire the pupil to walk to school.