May 22, 2017
RIC/AFT Advocacy For Tuition Program Continues
The RIFTHP local union 1819, representing Rhode Island College faculty, has initiated a campaign to support Governor Raimondo’s proposal for two years of tuition-free education at each of Rhode Island’s public higher education institutions. Rhode Island is 46th among the states in its support of public higher education and the Governor’s plan includes $2 million for RIC to improve its programs.
The Assembly is considering a revised proposal that would restrict the Governor’s tuition plan to CCRI. This would have a detrimental impact on Rhode Island College and would not benefit students seeking to attend a four year program.
RIC/AFT has initiated an electronic mail campaign to support Rhode Island College and the Governor’s proposal. To add your voice to the supporters of RIC and the RI Promise program, use this link (actionnetwork.org/letters/rho
Flynn Testifies on Senate Education Bills
RIFTHP President Frank Flynn testified on two bills in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, May 17th. S0884, introduced by Senator Hanna Gallo, would refine the definition of a network charter school. This is important because any new proposed network charter school requires local council approval. Senator Gallo, sponsor of last year’s bill to require local approval of any new network charter school, explained that RIDE did not consider a proposed K-8 school to be both an elementary and middle school during consideration of an application last year.
RIFTHP President Frank Flynn testified in support of the bill at the hearing. He expressed support of local approval and objected to efforts to consider a school across different levels to be a single charter school. He told the committee this reflects the RIDE practice of a former commissioner that allowed a system of multiple schools to be a single charter in order to accelerate charter school expansion. Flynn described a recent egregious example of an existing middle school charter to expand into an elementary school, initially adding grades 1 and 2. He explained that this was a clear example of a middle school creating an elementary school that should be considered a network requiring local approval. The bill was held for further study and is scheduled for a vote this week.
Flynn also testified on a bill related to Rhode Island’s Teacher Certification Standards Board. The eleven-member board, created in 2001, advises the Commissioner and the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education (CESE) on all matters related to teacher and administrator certification. The Board has two RIFTHP appointees and Frank Flynn is the current Board Chair.
S0885 by Senator William Conley, would require a report on the activities of the Certification Standards Board be given to state higher education institutions, the House Speaker and the Senate President no later than October 31, 2017. Flynn testified in support of the public reporting requirement of the bill while noting several technical issues with specific wording of the legislation. The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to consider the bill this week.
Contract Continuation Legislation Remains in Committee
The RIFTHP legislative priority is legislation that would require existing teacher and municipal worker contracts to continue until a new contract is negotiated by the parties. Recent judicial decisions in the Warwick Teachers’ Union contract dispute have highlighted the need for the legislation. In past years, the Senate has supported contract continuation as well as binding arbitration, but it has never passed the House. The bill has already been heard in the House Labor Committee but it has not yet been scheduled for a vote. To view a RIFTHP fact sheet on contract continuation legislation, click here.
Bill Introductions
Elimination of Post-Retirement Employment Restrictions
(S0140 Archambault, Senate Finance)
This bill would remove some of the restrictions on post-retirement re-employment of public employees.
Care of Medically-Fragile Students
(S0152 Gallo, Senate Health and Human Services)
(H5327 Amore, House Floor)
These bills would establish standards of practice for providers of clinical nursing services for medically-fragile students. This bill would also allow medically-fragile students to access clinical nursing services at home when the child’s absence from school is related to their life- threatening medical condition or is otherwise a health-related absence.
Public Records Exemption – Public Higher Education Research
(S0177 Sosnowski, Senate Judiciary)
(H5098 McEntee, Senate Judiciary)
These bills would provide that preliminary drafts, notes, impressions, memoranda, working papers and work products including those involving research at state institutions of higher education on commercial, scientific, artistic, technical or scholarly issues, whether in electronic or other format, would not be deemed a public record for purposes of public access to public records.
Emergency Reduction of School Year
(H5162 Fellela, House Health, Education and Welfare)
This bill would provide that when the Governor declares a state of emergency requiring the closing of schools, the lost day would not be made up at the end of the school year.
Substance Abuse Prevention Education
(S0306 Satchell, Senate Education)
(H5177 O’Brien, House Health, Education and Welfare)
These bills would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to consider incorporating substance abuse education into the health education curriculum.