Authorizes the City of Central Falls to issue bonds and notes in an amount not exceeding $25,000,000 to finance the construction, renovation, improvement, alteration, repair furnishing and equipping of schools and school facilities in the city.
This bill allows children in Rhode Island with developmental disabilities to continue receiving early intervention services until September 1 if their third birthday falls between May 1 and August 31, addressing a current service gap before they transition to preschool programs. The legislation requires the state's Department of Human Services to create a plan by July 1, 2026, to implement this extension while seeking necessary federal approvals, with full implementation expected by January 1, 2028. By extending services beyond the traditional cutoff date, the bill aims to ensure uninterrupted support for children during their transition from early intervention to early childhood special education services.
SB 2452 allocates $100,000 in the 2026-2027 budget to support mental health and emotional well-being for children in out-of-school time (OST) programs serving K-12 students across Rhode Island. The bill provides funds for staff training in trauma-informed practices, peer support groups, culturally responsive materials, and wellness-focused activities within community-based after-school and summer programs. Eligible programs must use funds flexibly to address local needs while prioritizing high-need communities and geographic diversity. The Rhode Island Afterschool Network will administer the grants through a competitive process and submit annual reports on program reach and outcomes.
This bill establishes a new fund within the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to support bilingual education programs in public schools. The primary mechanism is a grant program that provides financial assistance to school districts, community organizations, and universities for planning and implementing dual language instruction models, particularly in areas with high numbers of multilingual learners. Additionally, the legislation creates a strategy to increase the number of certified bilingual teachers by streamlining certification processes and funding professional development. Eligible recipients must adhere to specific high-quality standards and focus on developing curricula and staffing plans that serve students in both English and their home languages.
Ensures any public school with available seats, after completion of the initial enrollment period for students, shall make all open seats available to other students residing within the same school district.
Ends transaction fees for school lunches in all districts. This act requires at least one no-fee payment method for school lunches and a full disclosure whether fees will be charged by a payment platform.
Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether they are publicly or privately run to maintain on site a functional AED while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools.
Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the community college of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.
SB 2101 establishes Rhode Island's Medical Primary Care Scholarship Program to address provider shortages. It provides up to five $70,000 annual scholarships per year for medical students and five $47,000 annual scholarships for nurse practitioner or physician assistant students. Recipients must agree to work in Rhode Island primary care for a period matching their scholarship duration (4 years for med students, 2 years for NPs/PAs) and sign a promissory note for funds received. The program, administered by the Department of Health and Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, aims to recruit and retain primary care providers to meet the state's growing healthcare needs.
Requires all schools and educational institutions to develop and implement a school safety plan that would provide for immediate access to school facilities by first responders in an emergency.
