§ 16-7.1-1 - Legislative findings.
SECTION 16-7.1-1
§ 16-7.1-1 Legislative findings. –(a) Legislative intent. (1) The intent of this legislation isto enact a comprehensive state education aid funding program which addressesfour (4) fundamental principles:
(i) Closing the inequitable resource gaps among schooldistricts and schools;
(ii) Closing inequitable gaps in performance and achievementamong different groups of students, especially those correlated with poverty,gender, and language background;
(iii) Targeting investments to improve student and schoolperformance; and
(iv) Establishing a predictable method of distributing stateeducation aid in a manner that addresses the over-reliance on the property taxto finance education.
(2) This legislation is further designed to accelerate theimplementation of the State Comprehensive Education Strategy. The strategy isan action plan for ensuring that all children achieve at high levels and becomelifelong learners, productive workers, and responsible citizens. The standardfor expected student achievement is currently being set at a high level both bythe board of regents and in Rhode Island's districts and schools. Highstandards must be supported and these expectations must now be reached by allour students. All the state's children must enjoy the success that comes withproficiency in skill and knowledge.
(b) Evaluation of success. Improved student andschool performance is the key measure of the success of Rhode Island's schools.This success cannot occur without investment based on the four (4) fundamentalprinciples as stated in subsection (a) of this section. The success of theseinvestments shall be evaluated based on: accountability for student and schoolperformance; accountability in terms of whether the state's investment issufficiently adequate and equitable to support improvement in performance; andon accountability for district and school expenditures.