§ 16-7.1-15 - The Paul W. Crowley Rhode Island student investment initiative. [Effective until July 1, 2010.]. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-7.1-15

   § 16-7.1-15  The Paul W. Crowley RhodeIsland student investment initiative. [Effective until July 1,2010.]. – (a) Each locally or regionally operated school district shall receive as a basethe same amount of school aid as each district received in fiscal year1997-1998, adjusted to reflect the increases or decreases in aid enacted tomeet the minimum and maximum funding levels established for FY 2000 through FY2008. Each school district shall also receive school aid through eachinvestment 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, the reference year for the data used in the calculation of aidpursuant 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 ofeducation 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. School districts may continue to maintainprofessional development programs and may reduce other education programs toachieve savings during FY 2009. The funding of the purposes and activities ofchapter 67 of this title, the Rhode Island Literacy and Dropout Prevention Actof 1967, shall be the same amount of the base amount of each district fundedfor that purpose in fiscal year 1997-1998. In addition each district shallexpend three percent (3%) of its student equity and early childhood funds underthe provisions of chapter 67 of this title.

   (b) Funding for full day kindergarten programs in accordancewith § 16-7.1-11.1 shall be in addition to funding received under thissection.

   (c) Funding distributed under §§ 16-77.1-2(b) and16-64-1.1 shall be in addition to funding distributed under this section.

   (d) For FY 2009, aid to school districts shall be reduced bythe equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction of payments to theteachers' retirement system. The reduction for the Chariho regional schooldistrict shall be prorated among the member communities. In addition, for FY2009 aid to school districts shall be reduced by any amount of previouslyappropriated school housing aid determined to be ineligible for reimbursementin accordance with § 16-7-44.2. For FY 2009 aid shall also be reduced bythe amount of projected revenue for the period December 1, 2008 through June30, 2009 from the permanent school fund. The projected revenue shall bedetermined by annualizing actual earnings from the period May 12, 2008 throughNovember 30, 2008. The department of elementary and secondary education shallreduce aid in two equal installments, payable in May and June; providedhowever, that East Providence shall receive one payment of reduced aid in May.

   For FY 2009, aid to school districts shall include thirtyeight million, three hundred twenty-four thousand, eight hundred twenty-twodollars ($38,324,822) from federal fiscal stabilization funds offset by a likereduction from general revenues. The distribution shall be in the sameproportion as general operating aid.

   (e) There shall be an appropriation to ensure that total aiddistributed to communities in FY 2009 under this section and §§16-7.1-11.1, 16-64-1.1 and 16-77.1-2(b) shall be as follows:

   SEE THE BOOK FOR THE PROPER TABLE.

   In addition to the amounts listed above, the department ofelementary and secondary education shall allocate monthly to each schooldistrict 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 ActRelating to State Affairs and Government", up to $14.1 million, in the sameproportion as the aid distribution in the FY 2009 enacted appropriations act.

   This special provision shall not limit entitlements asdetermined by application of other formula provisions in this section.

   (f) For FY 2009 payments to charter public schools shall bereduced by the equivalent savings that are realized due to a reduction ofpayments to the teachers' retirement system. The reduction for districtsponsored charter schools shall be incorporated in the sponsoring schooldistrict's aid as noted in subsection (e). Aid to charter public schools shallbe reduced in the April quarterly payment. For FY 2009, charter public schoolfunding 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 HillAcademy 736,784

   Learning Community 3,669,529

   NE Laborer's 1,508,866

   Textron 2,361,370

   Times 2 Academy 6,870,410

   (g) Children with disabilities. (1) Based on itsreview of special education within the context of Rhode Island school reform,the general assembly recommends addressing the needs of all children andpreventing disability through scientific research based, as described in the NoChild Left Behind Act of 2001, Title 1, Part B, Section 1208 [20 U.S.C.§ 6368], reading instruction and the development of Personal LiteracyPrograms for students in the early grades performing below grade level inreading and implement a system of student accountability that will enable thestate to track individual students over time. Additionally, the department ofelementary and secondary education must provide districts with rigorouscriteria and procedures for identifying students with learning disabilities andspeech/language impairments. Additional study is required of factors thatinfluence programming for students with low incidence disabilities; those withdisabilities that severely compromise life functions; and programming forstudents with disabilities through urban special education. Alternatives forfunding special education require examination.

   (2) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnishany advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to the general assemblyand its agents that is deemed necessary or desirable by the study to facilitatethe purposes of this section.