AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS -- CHARTER SCHOOL REFORM (Allows charter schools to engage in nontraditional approaches to learning.)

H7525

2026 -- H 7525
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LC004885
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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
-- CHARTER SCHOOL REFORM

Introduced By:
Representative David J. Place

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
House Education
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 16-3.1 of the General Laws entitled "Cooperative Service Among
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School Districts [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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16-3.1-22. Nontraditional approaches to learning.

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(a) Any charter school may offer nontraditional approaches to learning or methods
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differing from traditional education approaches from mainstream education. Each charter school
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shall offer progressive, student-centric and task-based approaches to learning, and shall not focus
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on learning by memorization or a reading approach to learning.
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(b) The Rhode Island department of education shall review all applications for charter
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schools providing nontraditional approaches to learning to ensure the nontraditional criteria is a
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sufficient substitute for a traditional education.
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SECTION 2. Section 16-77-3.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-77 entitled
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"Establishment of Charter Public Schools [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of
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Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-77-3.1. Legislative purpose.
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(a) The purpose of this chapter is to provide an alternative within the public education
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system by offering opportunities for entities identified in § 16-77-2.1 to establish and maintain a
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high performing public school program according to the terms of a charter. The key appeal of the

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charter school concept is its promise of increased accountability for student achievement in
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exchange for increased school autonomy.
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(b) Charter public schools are intended to be vanguards, laboratories, and an expression of
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the on-going and vital state interest in the improvement of education. Notwithstanding the
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provisions of this section or any law to the contrary, a charter school shall be deemed to be a public
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school acting under state law and subject to the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. § 6101,
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et seq., title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d, et seq., title IX of the educational
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amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq., § 794 of title 29, and part B of the Individuals With
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Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1411, et seq. All students and prospective students of a
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charter school shall be deemed to be public school students, having all the same rights under federal
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and Rhode Island law as students and prospective students at a non-chartered public school. These
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charter public schools shall be vehicles for research and development in areas such as curriculum,
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pedagogy, administration, materials, facilities, governance, parent relations and involvement,
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social development, instructor’s and administrator’s responsibilities, working conditions, student
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performance and fiscal accountability. It is the intent of the general assembly to create within the
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public school system vehicles for innovative learning opportunities to be utilized and evaluated in
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pilot projects. The provisions of this chapter are to be interpreted liberally to support the purposes
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set forth in this chapter and to advance a renewed commitment by the state to the mission, goals,
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and diversity of public education.
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(c) It is the intent of the general assembly to provide opportunities for teachers, parents,
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pupils, and community members to establish and maintain public schools that operate
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independently as a method to accomplish all of the following:
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(1) Improve pupil learning by creating schools with rigorous academic standards in all
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basic areas of instruction for high pupil performance;
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(2) Increase learning opportunities for all pupils, with special emphasis on expanded
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learning experiences for pupils who are identified as educationally disadvantaged and at-risk;
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(3) Encourage the use of innovative teaching methods;
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(4) Create opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the
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learning program at the school site;
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(5) Provide parents and pupils with expanded choices in the types of educational
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opportunities that are available within the public school system;
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(6) Hold the schools established under this chapter accountable for meeting publicly
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promulgated, measurable, state and charter-based pupil academic results, and provide the schools
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with a method to implement performance-based and/or other student-based accountability systems,

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while providing a means to restrict the expansion of ineffective charter public schools; and
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(7) Encourage parental and community involvement with public schools.
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(d) No private or parochial schools shall be eligible for charter public school status, nor
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shall a charter public school be affiliated in any way with a sectarian school or religious institution.
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Any charter public school authorized by this chapter shall be nonsectarian and nonreligious in its
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programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations. The board of
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regents shall not approve a charter to a school whose overall operation or education program is
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managed by a for profit entity.
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(e) The commissioner is empowered to promulgate rules and regulations consistent with
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this chapter, in conformance with chapter 35 of title 42, for the creation and operation of charter
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public schools. These rules and regulations shall set forth the process for rescission of state approval
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of a charter public school, including appropriate protections to ensure the continued provision of
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education services to the students of the charter public school whose charter is rescinded.
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(f) All charter public schools shall adhere to financial record keeping, reporting, auditing
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requirements, and procedures as required by the Rhode Island department of education and in
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accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.
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(g) No more than thirty-five (35) charters shall be granted. At least one-half (½) of the total
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number of charter public schools in the state shall be reserved for charter school applications which
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are designed to increase the educational opportunities for at-risk pupils.
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(h) Any charter school, whose charter has not been renewed, shall have their formerly
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allotted seats, reallocated to a school that is authorized to offer nontraditional approaches to
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learning or methods, pursuant to §16-3.1-22.
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SECTION 3. 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
-- CHARTER SCHOOL REFORM
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This act would allow charter schools to engage in nontraditional approaches to learning,
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which must be reviewed by the department of education, and would also require that seats allocated
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to a charter school, whose charter has not been renewed, be reallocated to a school which offers
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nontraditional approaches and methods to learning.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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