200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-05-6.4

Current through December 3, 2024

Section 200-RICR-20-05-6.4 - Recommendation and Report by the Commissioner

A. For any LEA subject to intervention and support pursuant to the Crowley Act, R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-7.1-5, the Commissioner (Commissioner) of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) shall define within the LEA's turnaround plan the academic and other progress measures that the LEA must meet to exit turnaround status.

1. Such progress measures shall, at a minimum:

a. Be customized to the particular reasons for which the LEA was first entered into turnaround status under the Crowley Act;

b. Be informed by input from community and other stakeholder engagement that helped inform the creation of the turnaround plan;

c. Include academic measures that align to relevant components of the local education agency accountability system, as identified in R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-97.1-1; and,

d. Include any additional progress measures identified for specific LEAs pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-7.1-5.1.

2. Other non-academic progress measures may include the successful completion of implementation milestones that address root causes that contributed to the LEA's entering of turnaround status.

B. Prior to the end of any order under the Crowley Act, and following input from a variety of community and other stakeholders, the Commissioner shall prepare a report and recommendation to the Council regarding the future of the LEA's turnaround status. The Commissioner shall:

1. Seek input from a variety of community and other stakeholders including, but not be limited to, students, families, community members, educators, school leaders, LEA school committee or board members, and municipal entity leaders, as applicable;

2. Consult with the LEA's school committee or board members prior to the issuance to the Council of any report and recommendation regarding the LEA's continued turnaround status; and,

3. Begin the process to create this report following the release of school and LEA accountability performance data, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-97.1-1, within the last year that the LEA is subject to an order under the Crowley Act.

C. The report accompanying the recommendation of the Commissioner to the Council shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the following:

1. If the LEA has:

a. made sufficient progress on the academic and other progress measures identified within its turnaround plan;

b. the capacity and readiness to continue to make progress on the academic and other progress measures, as identified within the LEAs turnaround plan, without the intervention and support provided pursuant to the Crowley Act.

2. If the LEA's local school committee or board has the capacity and readiness to:

a. support the LEA's continued progress on academic and other progress measures, as identified within the LEA's turnaround plan, without the intervention and support provided pursuant to the Crowley Act;

b. provide said support consistent with responsibilities outlined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-2-9, as well as other site-based management and governance best practices; and,

3. If the legally responsible municipal entity has the capacity and readiness to:

a. support the LEA's school committee or board to ensure the LEA's continued progress on academic and other progress measures, as identified within the LEA's turnaround plan, without the intervention and support provided pursuant to the Crowley Act; and,

b. demonstrate said support through the contribution of sufficient local funding to the local school committee or board necessary to sustain and continue the LEA's progress, including compliance with statutory maintenance of effort requirements as identified in the Crowley Act.

D. Informed by the above analysis, the Commissioner's report shall include a recommendation regarding the future of the LEA's turnaround status. The Commissioner's recommendation shall align to one of the following three options:

1. renew the existing turnaround plan, with potential amendments informed by the above analysis;

2. create a new turnaround plan; or,

3. exit the LEA from turnaround status and return control over the LEA to the LEA's respective local school committee or board.

E. If the Commissioner recommends a continuation of the LEA's turnaround status, the report to the Council shall also include, but not be limited to:

1. the time duration for the renewed or new turnaround plan; and,

2. an analysis as to whether any additional supports, prerogatives, and/or resources are needed, from either the state and/or local municipality, that could help make the turnaround plan more effective.

a. this analysis may be based on a review of the additional financial resources provided to the LEA caused by the LEA being placed in turnaround status, and the financial impact to the LEA of ending its turnaround status.

F. If the Commissioner recommends that the LEA be exited from turnaround status and returned to the control of the local school committee or board, the report to the Council shall also include:

1. the date for which the LEA shall officially exit turnaround status and be returned to the control of the local school committee or board, no later than the end of the term of the LEA's relevant order under the Crowley Act; and,

2. any recommendations by the Commissioner if the LEA's return to the control of the local school committee or board should be made subject to a transitional period pursuant to § 6.5 of this Part, below.

200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-05-6.4

Adopted effective 4/16/2024