[complete report]

LAW

Year Passed

1995; last amended in 2010.

Rank

14th weakest of the nation's 41 charter laws.

Grade

D

GENERAL DATA

• Charter freedoms limited by contract rules

• Modest cap improvements in 2010 led to new growth but narrow approval process remains

• Mayoral academies, operated by successful ESPs, are given more operational and personnel freedom

INDEPENDENT OR MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - NO

Approval

State Board of Regents, after the charter has been approved by the local school committee or the state commissioner of elementary and secondary education.Mayoral academies apply directly to Regents.

Appeal

None

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED

Cap

Yes. 35 charters allowed in state and half of charters in state must be reserved for at-risk students. (New approvals contingent on approval and appropriation by state.)

OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY

State

No.Waiver requests considered on a case-by-case basis. Virtual schools are not allowed. Contracts or ESP partnerships limited to mayoral academies.

Local

No.Waiver requests considered on a case-by-case basis. Fiscal autonomy dependent on negotiation with school district.Mayoral academies have more freedoms than other charter schools regarding personnel.

Teacher Freedom

No. Teachers are covered by district bargaining agreement, unless otherwise negotiated and approved.Mayoral academy employees exempt from collective bargaining. Charter schools must participate in state’s retirement system.

EQUITY

Student Funding

• Funding follows students based on district of residence.

• State deducts 5 percent from the formula and gives that money to the school district as impact aid.

• The new weighted student formula, which will begin in 2011-12 will give charters more equitable funding. Charter schools will be funded using the same proposed funding formula for conventional schools. Local monies will come direct from the district.

• Funds pass through the district and state.

"It is the intent of the general assembly that funding pursuant to this chapter shall be neither a financial incentive nor a financial disincentive to the establishment of a charter school. Funding for each charter public school shall consist of state revenue and municipal or district revenue in the same proportions that funding is provided for other schools within the school district in which the charter public school is located. (b) The amount of funding which shall be allocated to the charter public school by the school district shall be equal to a percentage of the total budgeted expenses of the district which is determined by dividing the number of students enrolled in the charter public school by the total resident average daily number of students in the school district." [§ RI 16-77-6]

Facilities Funding

None