Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 200 - Board of Education
Chapter 20 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education
Subchapter 10 - Academic Standards, Programs and Operations
Part 1 - Basic Education Program (200-RICR-20-10-1)
Section 200-RICR-20-10-1.1 - Setting Directions for the Local Education Agency
Universal Citation: 200 RI Code of Rules 20 10 1.1
Current through December 26, 2024
1.1.1 AUTHORITY, SCOPE, AND PURPOSE OF THE BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
A. The
Basic Education Program (BEP) is a set of regulations promulgated by the
Council on Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to its delegated
statutory authority to determine standards for the Rhode Island public
education system and the maintenance of local appropriation to support its
implementation under R.I. Gen. Laws §
16-60-4.
B. The BEP must be read in concert with all
other applicable legal mandates, under both federal and state law, in order to
ascertain the full rights afforded to every student in the Rhode Island public
education system. The BEP, along with the other applicable regulations and
standards promulgated and adopted by the Council on Elementary and Secondary
Education, is designed to ensure that high-quality education is available to
all public school students, regardless of where they reside or which school
they attend. The standards set forth in this title are designed to be
measurable in order to determine compliance with the law and, more generally,
to determine whether equality of educational opportunity is being provided at
the local level.
C. Central to the
concept of equal educational opportunity is the presence of a basic level of
academic and support programs that demonstrate substantial compliance with
established qualitative standards, coupled with a demonstrated commitment to
continuous improvement, including a sufficiency of resources dedicated to those
efforts. Though each Local Education Agency (LEA) may offer additional options
to its students, each student must be provided equal access to at least the
services that are described in these regulations. It is not required that every
school offer every service detailed in the BEP, but it is required that LEAs
ensure equal access to mandated services for each and every student.
Information gathered as a result of measuring LEA compliance with the BEP will
allow different constituencies to bring an informed perspective to the ongoing
process of improving the Rhode Island public education system. The BEP is
regulatory in nature and, as such, has full force of law.
1.1.2 Council on Elementary and Secondary Education Expectations for a Statewide Education System
A. Establishing Requirements for the Basic
Education Program.
1. The mission of the
Council on Elementary and Secondary Education is to lead and support schools
and communities in ensuring that all students achieve at the high levels needed
to lead fulfilling and productive lives, to succeed in academic and employment
settings, and to contribute to society.
2. In order to fulfill its mission, the
Council on Elementary and Secondary Education has articulated the requirements
for the BEP for all LEAs that ensure that every public school student will have
equal access to a high quality, rigorous, and equitable array of educational
opportunities from PK-12. The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education has
established substantive and measurable standards and requirements for
curriculum, instruction, and assessment systems; student and family supports
for academic work and career success; and administration, management, and
accountability. In establishing these requirements, the Council on Elementary
and Secondary Education was intentional in its integration of 21st century
student skills and outcomes, i.e., the economic, civic, language, cultural, and
global competencies Rhode Island students will need to become lifelong learners
and global citizens.
B.
Aligned and Cohesive Education System Dedicated to Continuous Improvement
1. The Council on Elementary and Secondary
Education believes that an aligned and cohesive education system is required in
order to ensure that all Rhode Island students are adequately prepared for life
beyond secondary education. This aligned and cohesive education system shall be
focused on student achievement and student mastery of skills needed to succeed
as lifelong learners, workers, and citizens. To accomplish the delivery of a
sound, high-quality education to every student, the school, LEA, and state must
ensure that policies, programs, and systems are connected and directed toward
the common purpose of improving achievement for all students. The Council on
Elementary and Secondary Education recognizes that this aligned, cohesive
system actively operates within the larger context of social, human, and
education systems that affect all Rhode Islanders throughout their
lives.
2. The BEP provides a
framework with which the state and LEA can work in concert to improve education
results for all students in Rhode Island. The BEP is anchored in the philosophy
of continuous improvement and is characterized by collaboration and teamwork
among the education partners who share a commitment to improving education. The
BEP requires that all public education systems be aligned and integrated so as
to support student achievement.
C. Building Capacity for a Cohesive and
Aligned System
1. The Council on Elementary
and Secondary Education acknowledges that implementing an aligned, cohesive
system requires a long-term investment in building the capacity of individuals,
institutions, and educational communities to develop the knowledge, skills, and
resources for effecting sustainable improvement.
2. The four essential capacities that require
ongoing development at every level of the system include:
a. Focused, visionary, accountable
Leadership;
b. Active, responsive,
dynamic Personnel Supports;
c.
Organized, accessible, transparent Infrastructure; and,
d. High quality, rigorous, and authentic
Content.
3. The presence
or absence of capacity-building - from state to district, from district to
school, and from school to classroom - is the determinative factor in the
success or failure of educational improvement efforts.
D. Functions and Indicators for the Education
System
1. In order to ensure implementation of
the BEP, the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education directs the
Commissioner of Education, with appropriate input from affected constituencies,
to establish a set of functions and performance indicators at all levels of the
education system. The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education directs the
Commissioner to design and implement a clear and focused quality assurance
system for monitoring and improving the effectiveness of the systems. The
Commissioner shall develop and issue applicable guidance to ensure LEA
implementation.
1.1.3 Expectations for the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Implementing the Basic Education Program
A. Responsibilities
of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
1. The primary responsibility of the Rhode
Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) is to ensure the
full implementation of the Rhode Island Comprehensive Education Strategy (CES)
by developing and implementing a standards-based approach for each element of
the BEP. The BEP sets forth or incorporates standards established by the
Council on Elementary and Secondary Education in all regulated areas deemed
essential to guarantee the provision of a minimally adequate education for all
public school students. It is the responsibility of RIDE to develop relevant
standards for adoption by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, to
develop and maintain systems to accurately measure compliance with said
standards, to develop statewide operational systems that reduce costs and
burdens at the local level, to work with each LEA to improve performance at the
local level, and to ensure that the LEA is effective in support of its
schools.
B. Functions of
the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
1. RIDE fulfills its leadership role in
ensuring an alignment of effort in the full implementation of the BEP
requirements by carrying out the following functions:
a. Establishing clear expectations for
systems, educators, and students;
b. Providing systems with the capacity and
resources to enable LEAs to meet state expectations;
c. Ensuring quality assurance and quality
control of LEA efforts through an effective system of indicators, data
collection, analysis, and public reporting; and
d. Leveraging innovative partnerships to
ensure fidelity of implementation and to overcome barriers to
improvement.
2. In
carrying out its leadership role, RIDE has a responsibility to exercise its
authority under state and federal law to intervene in LEAs and schools that are
not closing student achievement gaps, are not continuously improving, or are
not reaching state performance standards.
1.1.4 Expectations for the Local Education Agency in Implementing the Basic Education Program
A. Responsibilities of the Local Education
Agency
1. The primary responsibility of the
LEA is to create and sustain high quality learning environments that meet the
standards set forth in the BEP. In these regulations, the LEA includes the
governing board, central-level and school-level personnel. The LEA shall ensure
that learning is at all times the ultimate focus of every individual employed
by the agency. Full implementation of the BEP requires that student learning be
the primary reference point for decision making, responsive policy development,
resource allocation, and personnel assignment and evaluation.
2. To carry out its primary responsibility,
each LEA requires able, informed leadership and management at all levels of its
system (governing board, central administration, school and classroom) that can
guide, motivate, and support implementation of the BEP. The administration,
management and accountability of LEA leadership are specified in §§1.4.1,
1.4.2, and 1.4.3 of this Part.
3.
Each LEA shall ensure that its schools are compliant with the BEP, as well as
with all other requirements related to student achievement as measured by state
and local assessments. To fulfill these responsibilities, the LEA shall
identify and/or develop appropriate measures to ensure LEA effectiveness and
efficiency that shall include, but not be limited to, the seven LEA functions
identified by RIDE. This integrated framework of functions, outlined below,
builds a common language regarding the specific collective behaviors that are
required in order to improve learning for both students and educators and
serves as a common point of reference for school, district, and state agency
operations and improvement efforts.
B. Functions of the Local Education Agency
1. Each LEA shall address seven core
functions in order to ensure that all of its schools are providing an adequate
education to every student:
a. Lead the Focus
on Learning and Achievement. The LEA shall provide on-site direction that
continuously guides site-based leadership; identify expectations and
accountability for implementation of proven practices; and address barriers to
implementation of identified educational goals.
b. Recruit, Support, and Retain Highly
Effective Staff. The LEA shall recruit, identify, mentor, support, and retain
effective staff; build the capacity of staff to meet organizational
expectations; and provide job-embedded professional development based on
student need.
c. Guide the
Implementation of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. The LEA shall
provide access to rigorous, guaranteed, and viable curricula for all students;
ensure differentiated instructional strategies, materials, and assessments; and
build systems that provide opportunities for common planning and
assessment.
d. Use Information for
Planning and Accountability. The LEA shall develop and implement
proficiency-based comprehensive assessment systems; distribute results of
measured school progress and student performance; and maintain responsive and
accessible information systems.
e.
Engage Families and the Community. The LEA shall implement effective family and
community communication systems; engage families and the community to promote
positive student achievement and behavior; and provide adult and alternative
learning opportunities integrated with community needs.
f. Foster Safe and Supportive Environments
for Students and Staff. The LEA shall address the physical, social, and
emotional needs of all students; ensure safe school facilities and learning
environments; and require that every student has at least one adult accountable
for his or her learning.
g. Ensure
Equity and Adequacy of Fiscal and Human Resources. The LEA shall identify and
provide requisite resources to meet student needs; allocate fiscal and human
resources based on student need and overcome barriers to effective resource
allocation at the school level.
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