Empowerment Schools
- The RIFTHP urges members to let the Assembly know of their opposition to the Governor’s Empowerment Schools proposal by using the following link: (petition). The proposal would impair school district funding, entangle RIDE in member ratification votes, and diminish certification requirements.
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Bills on the Move
The following bills were passed by either the House or Senate and have now been transferred to their respective opposite Chamber:
- Schools – Posting Child Abuse Hotline
(H7516 Johnston, Senate Judiciary)
This bill would require posting in every public school of a sign providing the telephone number of the child abuse hotline. The bill passed the House on 5/3 on a vote of 70-0-5. It was then transferred to the Senate Judiciary Committee where is was heard on 5/17.
- School Building Authority – Voter Approval
(H7551 DeSimone, Senate Finance)
This act would permit cities and towns to borrow any amount from the School Building Authority Capital Fund to fund the LEA’s share of total project costs without voter approval prior to July 1, 2016. After July 1, 2016, voter approval would be required for loans in excess of $500,000. The bill passed the House on 4/26 on a vote of 54-13-8. It was then transferred to the Senate Finance Committee where it was heard on 5/17.
- K-5 Recess
(H7644 Fogarty, Senate Education)
This bill would require public schools to provide students in grades kindergarten through five (5) with at least twenty (20) minutes of free-play recess each school day. It passed the House on 5/10 on a vote of 66-5-3. It was then transferred to the Senate Education Committee the same day.
Charter School Funding Debated
- On Thursday, May 19th, RIFTHP lobbyist James Parisi testified in support of two bills submitted by Rep. Jean Phillipe Barros. H7965 would permit school districts to withhold a portion of tuition to mayoral academy charter schools for pension costs they incur and mayoral academies do not. For years, mayoral academies have been overfunded because their staff are not in ERSRI even though the schools are funded by districts based on actual district costs which includes ERSRI payments. Passage of the legislation would permit districts to save $1.8 million in funding now being provided to Mayoral Academies. Mayoral Academy supporters opposed the bill and labeled their less expensive pension benefit as “innovation.”
- Another bill by Rep. Barros, H7067, would require the elimination of local payment for charter school tuition. RIFTHP testified in support of the concept that if schools are created by the state without local approval, then local taxpayer dollars should not be required to leave districts in the form of payment to state-approved charter schools.