EDUCATION -- SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS, the official text

H8326 2026 -- H 8326 ======== LC006134 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS Introduced By: Representatives Biah, Read, Speakman, Chippendale, Paplauskas, Potter, Cruz, McNamara, J. Lombardi, and Hull Date Introduced: March 20, 2026 Referred To: House Education It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 16-2 of the General Laws entitled School Committees and 2 Superintendents [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] is hereby 3 amended by adding thereto the following section: 4 16-2-3.1. School calendar flexibility during declared states of emergency. 5 (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation requiring a minimum 6 number of school days or instructional hours for public schools in the state, any day or days during 7 which a public school is closed due to a state of emergency declared by the governor of the State 8 of Rhode Island shall be deemed excused for purposes of compliance with the minimum school 9 days calendar requirements, 10 (b) School districts and public schools shall not be required to submit individual waiver 11 requests to the Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education for instructional 12 days missed as a result of a declared state of emergency. 13 (c) Any school day canceled due to a declared state of emergency shall not be required to 14 be made up by extending the school year, adding additional school days, or otherwise modifying 15 the approved school calendar. 16 (d) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education may issue general guidance 17 to school districts regarding emergency closures, but shall not require individual waivers for 18 closures occurring during the officially declared state of emergency period. 19 (e) The provisions of this section shall apply only to school closures resulting directly from 1 a natural disaster, severe weather event, public safety emergency, or other emergency conditions 2 for which the governor has issued an official state of emergency declaration. 3 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC006134 ======== LC006134 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS *** 1 This act would provide that any schools days a public school is closed due to a declared 2 state of emergency would be deemed excused for purposes of compliance with minimum school 3 days calendar requirements. 4 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC006134 ======== LC006134 - Page 3 of 3