§ 16-80-5 - Local partnerships. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-80-5

   § 16-80-5  Local partnerships. – (a) Local partnerships will be developed to provide a framework within whichlocal districts or consortia can develop school-to-work strategies which will:

   (1) Be integrated with education reform and schoolimprovement efforts;

   (2) Offer opportunities for all students to participate ineducation and training programs that will prepare students for high skill, highwage careers and result in certification of knowledge and skills through aprocess such as a certificate of initial mastery and a certificate of advancedmastery recognized by both the education and business communities;

   (3) Increase opportunities for continuing education, two (2)year or four (4) year colleges and other technical education experiences;

   (4) Engage families in multiple roles to support and enhanceopportunities for children to transition from school to work and to developin-depth partnerships with businesses, colleges, families and communityorganizations to offer technical and substantive student workplace experiencesfor schools;

   (5) Be part of the state's comprehensive education reform;

   (6) Be integrated with the state's school-to-work plan;

   (7) Be integrated with the state's workforce development planand economic reform initiative;

   (8) Offer opportunities for all students to participate inperformance-based education and training programs that will:

   (i) Enable students to earn portable credentials;

   (ii) Prepare the students for first jobs in high skill, highwage careers; and

   (iii) Increase their opportunities for further education,including education in a four (4) year college or university.

   (9) Utilize workplace as active learning environments in theeducational process by making employers and labor organizations joint partnerswith educators in providing opportunities for all students to participate inhigh quality, work-based learning experiences;

   (10) Build on and advance existing promising practices;

   (11) Be integrated with the local partnerships establishedthrough the local educational collaboratives and their transition centers.

   (b) In developing the school-to-work system, the emphasisshall be on a structure that is flexible to meet local school needs and isavailable to students as needed and appropriate. Students and parents shall beinvolved in the students' choices of career paths. The human resourceinvestment council's school-to-work subcommittee, for the purpose ofsuccessfully establishing and implementing the school-to-work system, shallendeavor to obtain the cooperation of employers, employees, unions, thecommission on higher education, post-secondary institutions and schooldistricts.

   (c) Programs and opportunities developed under this chaptershall not impair existing collective bargaining relationships, displace currentemployees, prevent rehiring laid-off employees, or impair promotion or jobtraining opportunities for current employees.