Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 200 - Board of Education › Chapter 20 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education › Subchapter 05 - General and School Operations › Part 2 - Charter School Regulations (200-RICR-20-05-2) › Section 200-RICR-20-05-2.5 - Charter revocation and expiration

Current through June 14, 2024
2.5.1
Good
				  Cause
With the advice and consent of the Council, the
					 Commissioner shall have authority to institute charter revocation proceedings.
					 Before requesting authority to institute revocation procedures, the
					 Commissioner, when student and the public welfare permits, shall notify the
					 Charter school in writing specifying the facts and issues which may justify
					 charter revocation and shall discuss with the charter school the deficiencies
					 at issue and allow the charter school to attain compliance within a reasonable
					 length of time. Charters may be revoked at any time for good cause as specified
					 in R.I. Gen. Laws §§
											16-77.2-4,
					  16-77.3-4,
					 and 16-7.4-4.
2.5.2
Procedure for revocation
The notice and hearing procedures required in contested
					 cases under the Rhode Island Administrative Procedures Act (R.I. Gen. Laws
					 Chapter 42-35) shall be used in charter revocation proceedings. At a revocation
					 hearing a Charter may be sustained, revoked, or placed on probation. If a
					 charter school is placed on probation, a specific period of time shall be
					 established for the charter school to meet standards and requirements that the
					 Commissioner deems necessary for the school to demonstrate improvement. Failure
					 to meet these standards and requirements, as determined by the Commissioner,
					 shall result in termination of the charter.
2.5.3
Charter expiration
A. Charters shall be granted for a fixed term
				  not to exceed five years.
B. Before
				  the conclusion of this five year period, the Council may conduct a review of
				  the school's charter. The decision by the Council to renew a charter shall be
				  based upon the following:
1. The presentation
				  of affirmative evidence regarding the success of the school's academic program
				  as defined by the academic goals established in the charter for increasing
				  academic achievement for all groups of students in which the number of students
				  in a category is sufficient to yield statistically reliable information,
				  including:
a. Economically disadvantaged
				  students;
b. Students from major
				  racial and ethnic groups;
c.
				  Students with disabilities; and,
d.
				  Students with limited English proficiency.
2. The presentation of affirmative evidence
				  regarding the viability of the school as an organization as defined by the
				  organizational performance goals established in the charter; and,
3. The faithfulness of the school to the
				  terms of its charter;
4.
												§2.2.4(B)(1) of this Part shall be weighted most heavily in the Board's
				  decision to renew a charter.
C. The Commissioner will gather evidence
				  regarding these issues from a renewal application and from other information,
				  including but not limited to, a school's annual reports, financial audits, test
				  results, and site visit reports. Renewed charters shall be written according to
				  the provisions outlined in §2.2.4(B)(8) of this Part. If the Council does
				  not conduct renewal hearings for an existing charter, the charter shall renew
				  for another five year period. If the Council recommends that a charter not be
				  renewed, the charter school may request an administrative hearing, and, shall
				  have the burden of proof to demonstrate that the school has met the terms of
				  its charter and other applicable legal requirements.