Bill > S0393

This bill introduces the Failing School Choice Act, which allows students attending schools in the bottom 15% of performance in Rhode Island to transfer to other public schools with available capacity. The bill establishes a comprehensive school choice program where students from underperforming schools can enroll in alternative public schools within the same transportation region. Receiving schools will be reimbursed state aid per student, with full tuition costs covered for students with special needs. The bill includes provisions for student eligibility, including restrictions on students who have been repeatedly suspended or expelled. Students granted school choice can continue attending their chosen school through the highest grade level offered by their original school. The bill also creates the Rhode Island Education Revitalization Fund (RIERF), which will be financed by a statewide property tax on private and nonprofit post-secondary institutions, with the tax amount based on the institution's endowment. Transportation for school choice students will be provided by the sending school district or the RIERF, with specific rules about transportation regions. The Rhode Island Department of Education will be responsible for implementing the program, reclassifying schools every five years, and determining each school's functional capacity for accepting school choice students.

Education

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