AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS (Amends the composition of the Urban Collaborative and provide that the collaborative be governed by a board of trustees.)

H7024

2026 -- H 7024
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LC003836
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Introduced By:
Representatives J. Lombardi, Hull, Ajello, Sanchez, Alzate, and Felix

Date Introduced:
January 09, 2026

Referred To:
House Education
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 16-3.1-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-3.1 entitled
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"Cooperative Service Among School Districts [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board
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of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-3.1-11. Urban collaborative.
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(a)(1) The urban collaborative shall be governed by a board of trustees, with the exception
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of those powers and duties reserved by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education.
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(2) The board of trustees of the urban collaborative shall consist of five (5) members
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including:
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(i) The superintendent of the Providence school district, or designee;
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(ii) The superintendent, or designee, of any other Rhode Island school district(s) as may be
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approved for inclusion by existing member districts in accordance with the urban collaborative’s
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bylaws; and
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(iii) The council on elementary and secondary education shall appoint the remaining
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members of the board of trustees of the urban collaborative with input from the commissioner of
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elementary and secondary education.
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(b) The urban collaborative's board of trustees is

Notwithstanding the provisions of any
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general or special law to the contrary, the school committees of the cities of Providence, Pawtucket,
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East Providence, Central Falls and other Rhode Island school districts as may be approved for
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inclusion by existing member districts in accordance with collaborative bylaws are
authorized and

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empowered to continue and/or initiate cooperative efforts to provide alternate education programs
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and/or diagnostic services required by law or regulation for students achieving limited success in
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traditional settings and to do all things necessary including, but not limited to utilization of
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technology, including television, all on a collaborative basis. The various school committees may
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assign and delegate to their respective school committee chairs or designee or superintendents of
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schools or designee, acting as a regional board any duties, responsibilities, and powers that the
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committees may deem necessary for the conduct, administration, and management of the urban
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collaborative. Beginning on July 1, 2013 the urban collaborative shall be funded pursuant to the
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provisions of § 16-7.2-3. The state share of the permanent foundation education aid shall be paid
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directly to the urban collaborative pursuant to the provisions of § 16-7.2-7. The local school district
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shall transfer the difference between the calculated state share of the permanent foundation
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education aid and the amount calculated pursuant to the provisions of § 16-7.2-7 to the urban
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collaborative, until the transition of the state share is complete. In addition, the local school district
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shall pay the local share of education funding to the urban collaborative as outlined in § 16-7.2-5.
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(c)
The urban collaborative shall be eligible to receive other aids, grants, Medicaid revenue,
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and any other revenue according to Rhode Island law, as though it were a school district. Federal
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aid received by the state shall be used to benefit students in the urban collaborative, if the school
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qualifies for the aid, as though it were a school district.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS
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This act would amend the composition of the urban collaborative in Providence and would
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provide that the urban collaborative would be governed by a board of trustees.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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