reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
RI Gen L § 16-12-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12 - Rights and Duties of Teachers Generally|Section 16-12-10 - Immunity for reports of suspected substance abuse.

§ 16-12-10. Immunity for reports of suspected substance abuse.Any teacher, school administrator, school guidance counselor, school psychologist, school drug counselor, school nurse, supervisor of attendance, attendance teacher, or attendance officer having reasonable cause to suspect that an elementary or secondary school student is abusing a controlled substance or alcohol, or is under the influence of a dangerous drug or alcohol, or has in his or her possession a controlled substance or alcohol, who reports this information to the appropriate elementary or secondary school officials pursuant to the school's drug policy, or if the school has no drug policy to the school's principal or the parents of the student under eighteen (18) years of age, or to a police agency, shall have immunity from any civil liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of the making of the report.History of Section.P.L. 1976, ch. 323, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 317, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12-11 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12 - Rights and Duties of Teachers Generally|Section 16-12-11 - Educator evaluations.

§ 16-12-11. Educator evaluations.(a) Any board of education-approved educator evaluation system for tenured teachers shall include, but not be limited to, the following provisions:(1) Any teacher who obtains or earns a rating of "highly effective," or a number "4," or any equivalent thereof shall, subsequent to such evaluation, be evaluated not more than once every three (3) years thereafter.(2) Any teacher who obtains or earns a rating of "effective," or a number "3," or any equivalent thereof shall, subsequent to such evaluation, be evaluated not more than once every two (2) years thereafter.(3) An annual conference shall be required for any "highly effective" or "effective" teacher included in subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) herein. Said conference shall be in accordance with a process and scope determined by each school district's educator evaluation committee.(b) The provisions of this section shall not prohibit annual evaluations in circumstances including, but not limited to:(1) Any teacher who may request an annual evaluation; or(2) Any teacher during his or her first year teaching under a new teaching certificate.(c) Any non-tenured teacher shall be evaluated annually.(d) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in subsection (a), principals may observe a teacher's classroom and classroom instruction at any time.(e) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in subsection (a), nothing herein shall preclude more frequent educator evaluations if they are included in a local school district's negotiated collective bargaining agreement entered into after July 1, 2014.(f) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in subsection (a), any concerns about a teacher's performance that arise at anytime shall be handled in accordance with local school district personnel policies and negotiated collective bargaining agreements.(g) Any regulations of the department of education providing for the evaluation of teachers shall be modified to conform with the provisions and schedule set forth herein; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to direct the department of education to act so as to jeopardize any current funding from a race to the top grant received by the state.History of Section.P.L. 2014, ch. 470, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-1 - Legislative purpose.

§ 16-12.1-1. Legislative purpose.The general assembly recognizes that administrators are not members of teacher collective bargaining units and, therefore, are not protected by the terms of teacher bargaining agreements. While clearly intending neither to interfere with the discretion of school committees to choose those who shall administer local schools nor to grant tenure to school administrators, the general assembly deems it necessary to the orderly and effective functioning of public education to inform school administrators of the bases or reasons for their suspension, dismissal, or nonrenewal of their employment relationship, and to afford administrators an opportunity to be heard before the school committee. Full disclosure of the bases or reasons for suspension, dismissal, or nonrenewal and the hearing which may follow, while providing administrators and school committees a meaningful hedge against mistaken or impermissible actions as well as an opportunity to question and confront those individuals whose judgment or allegations furnish the basis for the actions taken, are ultimately intended to erase harmful innuendo from any suspension, dismissal, or nonrenewal of an administrator.History of Section.P.L. 1979, ch. 372, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 291, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-2 - "Administrator" defined.

§ 16-12.1-2. "Administrator" defined.The term "administrator" as used in this chapter applies only to full time, certified professionals having the authority in the interest of a local or regional school district or school within a district to direct, supervise, advise, or manage; provided, however, the term "administrator" does not include superintendents of schools or assistant superintendents of schools. An "administrator" within a teacher bargaining unit, protected by the terms of a regional or local school committee teacher collective bargaining agreement, shall not be protected by the provisions of this chapter.History of Section.P.L. 1979, ch. 372, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-2.1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-2.1 - Termination of administrator.

§ 16-12.1-2.1. Termination of administrator.An administrator shall only be terminated for just cause including but not limited to declining enrollment or consolidation.History of Section.P.L. 1983, ch. 291, § 2.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-3 - Notice required - Hearing.

§ 16-12.1-3. Notice required — Hearing.Prior to taking final action dismissing or not renewing the employment of an administrator, and subsequent to suspending the employment of an administrator, a regional or local school committee shall provide the affected administrator with: (1) a concise, clear, written statement, privately communicated, of the bases or reasons for the suspension, dismissal, or nonrenewal, and (2) notification of the right of the administrator to a prompt hearing, which shall be at the election of the administrator, and the right to be represented by counsel at the hearing. Upon the request of a hearing by the administrator, prompt notification stating the time and place of the hearing shall be given. The time and place set for the hearing shall allow sufficient opportunity to the administrator for preparation without undue delay.History of Section.P.L. 1979, ch. 372, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-4 - Conduct of hearing.

§ 16-12.1-4. Conduct of hearing.The hearing shall be held before a quorum of the school committee. The administrator shall have the opportunity to present and cross-examine witnesses. Testimony shall be taken under oath and a full stenographic record shall be kept.History of Section.P.L. 1979, ch. 372, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-5 - Decision.

§ 16-12.1-5. Decision.Within a reasonable time, not to exceed thirty (30) days, after the conclusion of the hearing, the school committee shall render a concise, clear, written decision. The findings and conclusions in the decision shall be based exclusively on evidence received at the hearing or on reasonable inferences drawn from the evidence. A copy of the decision shall be promptly supplied to the administrator.History of Section.P.L. 1979, ch. 372, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-12.1-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-12.1 - School Administrators' Rights|Section 16-12.1-6 - Appeals.

§ 16-12.1-6. Appeals.An administrator aggrieved by a final decision of a school committee may obtain review under the provisions of chapter 39 of this title by petitioning the commissioner of elementary and secondary education within ten (10) days of receipt of the decision. When an appeal is taken, the school board shall forward a copy of the complete record of the case to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education.History of Section.P.L. 1979, ch. 372, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-13-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-1 - "Teacher" defined.

§ 16-13-1. "Teacher" defined.The term "teacher" as used in this chapter means every person for whose position a certificate issued by the department of elementary and secondary education is required by law.History of Section.P.L. 1946, ch. 1775, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 16-13-1.
RI Gen L § 16-13-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-2 - Annual contract basis - Automatic continuation.

§ 16-13-2. Annual contract basis — Automatic continuation.(a) Teaching service shall be on the basis of an annual contract, except as hereinafter provided, and the contract shall be deemed to be continuous unless the governing body of the schools shall notify the teacher, in writing, on or before March 1, that the contract for the ensuing year will not be renewed. If the dismissal or nonrenewal is based on fiscal exigency or program reorganization, the governing body shall notify the teacher on or before June 1 of the school year immediately preceding the school year in which the dismissal or nonrenewal is to become effective. Provided, however, that a teacher, upon request, shall be furnished a statement of cause for dismissal or nonrenewal of his or her contract by the school committee; provided further, that whenever any contract is not renewed, or the teacher is dismissed, the teacher shall be entitled to a hearing and appeal pursuant to the procedure set forth in § 16-13-4.(b) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit, or at any time to have prohibited, a school committee from agreeing, in a collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising out of a dismissal or nonrenewal of a nontenured teacher pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.History of Section.P.L. 1946, ch. 1775, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 16-13-2; P.L. 1970, ch. 222, § 1; 1995, ch. 387, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 335, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-13-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-4 - Statement of cause for dismissal - Hearing - Appeals - Arbitration.

§ 16-13-4. Statement of cause for dismissal — Hearing — Appeals — Arbitration.(a) The statement of cause for dismissal shall be given to the teacher, in writing, by the governing body of the schools. The teacher may, within fifteen (15) days of the notification, request, in writing, a hearing before the school committee or school board. The hearing shall be public or private, in the discretion of the teacher. Both teacher and school board shall be entitled to be represented by counsel and to present witnesses. The board shall keep a complete record of the hearing and shall furnish the teacher with a copy. Any teacher aggrieved by the decision of the school board shall have the right of appeal to the department of elementary and secondary education and shall have the right of further appeal to the superior court. Any decisions rendered must be approved by a majority of the full board. Members voting on a decision must have been in attendance at the hearing.(b) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit, or at any time to have prohibited, a school committee in a municipality or regional school district with an elected school committee, or the chief executive officer in a municipality with an appointed school committee from agreeing, in a collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising out of the nonrenewal, dismissal, and/or suspension of a teacher pursuant to §§ 16-13-2, 16-13-3, and/or 16-13-5.History of Section.P.L. 1946, ch. 1775, § 4; G.L. 1956, § 16-13-4; P.L. 1965, ch. 20, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 387, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 265, § 5; P.L. 2014, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 335, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 93, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 131, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-13-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-5 - Suspension for cause - Payment for period suspended.

§ 16-13-5. Suspension for cause — Payment for period suspended.(a) Section 16-13-4 shall not prevent the suspension of a teacher for good and just cause. Prior to the suspension of a teacher as provided in this section, the school committee shall hold a pre-suspension hearing to determine if a suspension is warranted, and at the pre-suspension hearing, shall consider any available evidence and afford the teacher or his or her counsel an opportunity to respond to that evidence. In the event a teacher is suspended or otherwise not permitted to perform his or her duties prior to the presuspension hearing, then the teacher shall be paid his or her regular salary during that period.(b) Whenever a teacher is suspended by a school committee, the school committee shall furnish the teacher with a complete statement of the cause(s) of the suspension and, upon request, shall afford the teacher a hearing and appeal pursuant to the procedure set forth in § 16-13-4. If the teacher shall be vindicated as a result of the hearing or any appeal the teacher shall be paid in full for the period of suspension, and provided further, that during the period of suspension, all medical and insurance benefits shall remain in full force and effect.(c) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or at any time to have prohibited a school committee in a municipality or regional school district with an elected school committee, or the chief executive officer in a municipality with an appointed school committee, from agreeing, in a collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising out of the suspension of a teacher pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.History of Section.P.L. 1946, ch. 1775, § 5; G.L. 1956, § 16-3-5; P.L. 1986, ch. 94, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 357, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 387, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 265, § 5.
RI Gen L § 16-13-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-6 - Suspension because of decrease in school population - Seniority - Reinstatement.

§ 16-13-6. Suspension because of decrease in school population — Seniority — Reinstatement.(a) A school board may, by reason of a substantial decrease of pupil population within its school system, suspend teachers in numbers necessitated by the decrease in pupil population; provided, however, that suspension of teachers shall be in the inverse order of their employment unless it is necessary to retain certain teachers of technical subjects whose places cannot be filled by teachers of earlier appointment; and, provided further, that teachers who are suspended shall be reinstated in the inverse order of their suspension. No new appointments shall be made while there are available teachers so suspended.(b) Notice of suspension under this section and § 16-13-5 shall be given, in writing, by the governing body of schools on or before June 1 notifying the teacher that his or her employment for the ensuing year shall be suspended, provided however, notice by that date need not be provided in the instance of an emergency performance-related cause.History of Section.P.L. 1946, ch. 1775, § 6; G.L. 1956, § 16-13-6; P.L. 1992, ch. 170, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 335, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-13-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-7 - Continuity unimpaired by military service.

§ 16-13-7. Continuity unimpaired by military service.Absence from teaching because of serving one's country shall not impair the continuing service status.History of Section.P.L. 1946, ch. 1775, § 7; G.L. 1956, § 16-13-7.
RI Gen L § 16-13-8 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-13 - Teachers' Tenure|Section 16-13-8 - Continuity of tenure upon transfer.

§ 16-13-8. Continuity of tenure upon transfer.Any teacher in continuing service who voluntarily resigns and transfers to another community in Rhode Island without interrupting his or her professional career, shall be considered to remain under tenure unless the teacher is notified to the contrary, in writing, prior to March 1 of the second school year in which the teacher transfers. If the dismissal or nonrenewal is based on fiscal exigency or program reorganization, the teacher shall be notified, in writing, prior to June 1 of the second (2nd) school year in which the teacher transfers.History of Section.G.L. 1956, § 16-13-8; P.L. 1964, ch. 139, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 335, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-14-1 - 16-14-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-14 - Education of Teachers|Section 16-14-1 - 16-14-6 - Repealed.

§ 16-14-1 — 16-14-6. Repealed.History of Section.G.L. 1909, ch. 63, §§ 9, 17, and 18; P.L. 1912, ch. 839, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 84, §§ 8-10; G.L. 1923, ch. 65, § 18; P.L. 1932, ch. 1950, § 1; P.L. 1935, ch. 2250, § 149; G.L. 1923, ch. 84, §§ 14-16; P.L. 1938, ch. 2575, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 176, §§ 8-11, 15-17; G.L. 1938, ch. 176, § 18; P.L. 1943, ch. 1354, § 1; P.L. 1952, ch. 3040, § 1; P.L. 1954, ch. 3368, § 3; G.L. 1956, §§ 16-14-1 — 16-14-6; P.L. 1957, ch. 69, § 1; Repealed by P.L. 1977, ch. 238, § 6; P.L. 1980, ch. 395, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-15-1 - 16-15-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-15 - Teachers' Pensions|Section 16-15-1 - 16-15-12 - Repealed.

§ 16-15-1 — 16-15-12. Repealed.History of Section.G.L. 1907, ch. 1468, §§ 1, 2; G.L. 1909, ch. 69, §§ 1, 2, 4, 5; P.L. 1909, ch. 401, § 1; P.L. 1914, ch. 1090, § 1; P.L. 1915, ch. 1213, § 1; P.L. 1917, ch. 1500, § 1; P.L. 1921, ch. 2053, § 1; P.L. 1921, ch. 2054, § 1; P.L. 1921, ch. 2182, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 72, §§ 1 through 6; P.L. 1926, ch. 776, § 1; P.L. 1931, ch. 1707, § 1; P.L. 1937, ch. 2507, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 195, §§ 1 through 7; P.L. 1939, ch. 693, § 1; P.L. 1946, ch. 1717, §§ 1, 2; P.L. 1948, ch. 2101, § 4; impl. am. P.L. 1948, ch. 2102, § 4; P.L. 1948, ch. 2129, § 1; P.L. 1948, ch. 2130, § 1; impl. am. P.L. 1951, ch. 2752, § 21; P.L. 1952, ch. 3000, §§ 1, 3; P.L. 1955, ch. 3462, §§ 1, 2; G.L. 1956, §§ 16-15-1 through 16-15-12; P.L. 1958, ch. 208, § 1; impl. am. P.L. 1959, ch. 44; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 47; P.L. 1989, ch. 403, § 3; Repealed by P.L. 1992, ch. 306, art. II, § 1, effective January 1, 1993.
RI Gen L § 16-15-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-15 - Teachers' Pensions|Section 16-15-13 - Additional pension and retirement grants - Declaration of policy.

§ 16-15-13. Additional pension and retirement grants — Declaration of policy.The state pension systems for teachers of public education have proved to be inadequate to meet the special needs of retirement during this period of sharply increasing costs of living. A completely adequate retirement system for teachers is an essential responsibility of the state in providing sound public education. Therefore, §§ 16-15-13 to 16-15-15 are designed to provide additional state aid for retired teachers in order to make the teaching profession more attractive to qualified teachers and to provide for the security and welfare of education in the state.History of Section.P.L. 1959, ch. 124, § 1.
RI Gen L § 16-15-14 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-15 - Teachers' Pensions|Section 16-15-14 - Annual grant for teachers retiring after July 1, 1949.

§ 16-15-14. Annual grant for teachers retiring after July 1, 1949.(a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay an additional annual retirement grant of four hundred dollars ($400) per year for a payment of a pension of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) annually to every retired teacher who qualified for either a pension or retirement benefits under the provisions of this chapter.(b) It shall also annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay an additional pension grant which when added to the existing pension will provide a maximum annual pension of two thousand dollars ($2,000) to any retired teacher on an ordinary disability pension who has twenty (20) or more years of teaching service credit in the retirement system and to any retired teacher under the maximum plan who has twenty (20) or more years of teaching service credit in the retirement system who retired after July 1, 1949, and whose present annual pension under the provisions of chapter 16 of this title is less than two thousand dollars ($2,000).(c) This grant shall be an annual state grant and shall be in addition to any and all amounts being paid from any state pension or retirement system and in addition to any payments from a retirement or pension system of any city or town.(d) All money appropriated in accordance with the amended provisions of this chapter for the retired teachers shall be administered by the department of elementary and secondary education, and all money appropriated in accordance with the amended provisions of chapter 16 of this title for the retired teachers shall be administered by the retirement division in the department of treasury.History of Section.P.L. 1959, ch. 124, § 2; P.L. 1966, ch. 274, § 2.
RI Gen L § 16-15-14.1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 16-15 - Teachers' Pensions|Section 16-15-14.1 - Additional retirement grants for state college and school teachers - Payment.

§ 16-15-14.1. Additional retirement grants for state college and school teachers — Payment.(a) The general assembly shall also annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay an additional retirement grant which when added to the existing pension will provide for the payment of a pension of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) annually to every retired teacher who qualified for and is receiving retirement benefits for teaching at Rhode Island College, the University of Rhode Island, or other state schools whose present annual pension is less than two thousand dollars ($2,000). This additional grant shall be an annual state grant and shall be in addition to any and all amounts being paid from the state pension or retirement system and shall be administered by the retirement division in the department of treasury.(b) These grants shall be apportioned into monthly benefits and shall be disbursed monthly.History of Section.P.L. 1966, ch. 274, § 3.