TITLE 16
Education
CHAPTER 16-77.4
Mayoral Academies [See Title 16 Chapter 97 The Rhode Island Board
of Education Act]
SECTION 16-77.4-2
§ 16-77.4-2 Procedure for creation of a
mayoral academy.
(a) Any persons or entities eligible to establish a mayoral academy may submit
a proposed charter to the commissioner. The proposed charter shall:
(1) Be submitted to the commissioner no later than December
1st of the school year before the school year in which the mayoral academy is
to be established;
(2) Describe a plan for education, including the mission,
objective, method of providing a basic education, measurable student academic
goals that the mayoral academy will meet, and process for improving student
learning and fulfilling the charter and fulfilling state and national
educational goals and standards;
(3) Provide a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days of
instruction to students per year;
(4) Indicate performance criteria that will be used to
measure student learning and to comply with the charter, state, and national
educational goals and standards;
(5) Include an agreement to provide a yearly report to
parents, the community, the school committee of the sending districts, and the
commissioner, which indicates the progress made by the mayoral academy during
the previous year in meeting the charter objectives;
(6) Present a plan for the governance, administration, and
operation of the mayoral academy, including the manner in which the governing
board of the school will be chosen, the nature and extent of parental,
professional educator, and community involvement in the governance and
operation of the mayoral academy, and the means of ensuring accountability to
the commissioner, the sending school district(s), and the board of regents;
(7) Identify the building that will house the mayoral academy
and from whom and under what terms and conditions it is to be provided;
(8) Describe what support services will be provided by the
sending school district(s) and under what terms and conditions those services
are to be provided, and describe what support services the mayoral academy will
obtain directly from third parties and, to the extent known, under what terms
and conditions those services are to be provided;
(9) Explain the procedures that will be followed to ensure
the health and safety of pupils and staff;
(10) Describe enrollment procedures including the permissible
criteria for admission in accordance with applicable state and federal law,
along with a policy or policies that outline outreach and recruitment programs
to encourage the enrollment of a diverse student population;
(11) Explain the student discipline procedures;
(12) Explain the relationship that will exist between the
proposed mayoral academy and its employees, including the terms and conditions
of employment and the qualifications that the employees must meet. Teachers and
administrators in mayoral academies must be certified pursuant to state law and
regulation.
(13) Each mayoral academy established pursuant to this
chapter may, by written notice to the commissioner of elementary and secondary
education, elect to have this subsection apply (or not apply) to its teachers,
administrators, and employees:
(i) Teachers and administrators in a mayoral academy shall be
entitled to prevailing wages and benefits as enjoyed by other public school
teachers and administrators;
(ii) Teachers and administrators in a mayoral academy shall
be entitled to participate in the state teachers' retirement system under
chapter 8 of title 36;
(iii) Employment in a mayoral academy shall be considered
"service" as that term is defined in chapter 16 of this title.
(14) Identify with particularity the state laws, state
regulations, and school district rules from which variances are sought in order
to facilitate operation of the mayoral academy. Explain the reasons for each
variance and the alternative method by which the concern that gave rise to the
regulation or provision will be addressed;
(15) Provide a financial plan including a proposed budget for
the term of the charter, and an annual audit of the financial and
administrative operations of the mayoral academy, and the manner in which the
funds allocated to the mayoral academy will be managed and disbursed;
(16) Provide procedures by which teaching personnel and
parents can legally challenge decisions of the governing board of the mayoral
academy which do not conform to the mayoral academy's charter; and
(17) Provide a copy of the proposed bylaws of the mayoral
academy.
History of Section.
(P.L. 2010, ch. 84, § 6; P.L. 2010, ch. 107, § 6.)