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-20-05-2.8 - Charter school contracts

Current through June 14, 2024
2.8.1
Charter school comprehensive service and management contracts
A. No charter school or charter school board
				  shall enter into any contract for comprehensive service and management which is
				  contrary to State or Federal law or regulations, which contravenes the written
				  policies of the Rhode Island Council, which does entail any financial or other
				  conflicts of interest, or which amends, alters, or modifies any provision of
				  the school's charter. To the extent that there is a conflict between the terms
				  of the charter and such a contract, the terms of the charter shall govern. All
				  charter school contracts shall be made available to the Commissioner and the
				  Auditor General upon request. Charter schools shall maintain financial records
				  in a format that allows the ready tracking of all expenditures of public
				  funds.
B. No charter school board
				  shall enter into a contract that would have the effect of reducing the charter
				  school board's ultimate responsibility for operation of its charter school, or
				  which would hinder the charter school board in exercising effective supervision
				  of the charter school it controls.
C. All charter school boards entering into
				  such contracts shall directly select, retain, and compensate the school
				  attorney, accountant, and audit firm.
D. All instructional materials, furnishings,
				  and equipment purchased or developed with public funds shall be the property of
				  the charter school, not the service provider.
E. The content of such contracts shall
				  include, but not be limited to:
1. The roles
				  and responsibilities of the school governing board and the service provider,
				  including all services to be provided under the contract;
2. The performance measures, consequences,
				  and mechanisms by which the school governing board will hold the provider
				  accountable for performance;
3. All
				  compensation to be paid to the provider, including all fees, bonuses, and what
				  such compensation includes or requires;
4. Terms of any facility agreement that may
				  be part of the relationship;
5.
				  Financial reporting requirements and provisions for the school governing
				  board's financial oversight;
6. All
				  other financial terms of the contract, including disclosure and documentation
				  of all loans or investments by the provider to the school, and provision for
				  the disposition of assets in accordance with Rhode Island General
				  Law;
7. Assurances that the school
				  governing board, at all times, shall comply with §§
												2.7(A) through (D)   of this Part;8. Respective responsibilities
				  of the governing board and service provider in the event of school closure;
				  and
9. Such information as required
				  by the Commissioner to ensure compliance with the provisions identified in this
				  chapter.