(a)  Each school district shall be reimbursed for expenditures for direct services and instructional programs. Reimbursement shall be made when these services and programs have been carried out in accordance with the requirements of state law and the board of regents’ regulations relating to programs and services for limited English proficient students.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 16-54-4

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.

(b)  For each fiscal year the following formula shall be used to distribute aid for limited English proficient students:

(1)  The following formula and definitions are to be used to determine the entitlement for each school district for students in programs or services for the limited-English proficient:

Net local cost for   Resident full-    
limited English   time equivalent    
proficient students X limited English X Share ratio = Incentive
(statewide)   student’s district   district    entitlement
     ____________
    Full-time equivalent
    limited English
    proficient students
    (statewide)

(2)  In the formula in subsection (b)(1) the terms have the following meanings:

(i)  “Incentive entitlement” means the sum payable to a local school district under this formula.

(ii)  “Net local cost for limited English proficient programs statewide” means the total net instructional expenditure in the reference year defined in §?16-7-16 of local schools for the support of programs, or service for limited English proficient students, including the funds distributed pursuant to this chapter, as the sum is determined by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. Federal funds shall be excluded from reimbursement.

(iii)  “Full time equivalency students” means that time spent by students in an approval program or service reimbursable under this chapter divided by the amount of time in a normal school day.

(iv)  “Share ratio” means the effective share ratio as calculated under §?16-7-20.

(3)  No school district shall receive for limited English proficient students more than one hundred percent (100%) of its expenditures in the reference year from a combination of state operations aid as calculated in accordance with §§?16-7-15 through 16-7-34 and reimbursement aid for limited English proficient students as calculated in accordance with this chapter.

(4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 7 of this title, for each fiscal year not more than five percent (5%) of the funds appropriated under this chapter should be used for departmental expenditures for the administration of this chapter.

(5)  If the sum appropriated by the state in any fiscal year for making payments to the cities and towns under this chapter are not sufficient to pay in full the total amount which all cities and towns are entitled to receive for the fiscal year, the maximum amount which all cities and towns are entitled to receive for the fiscal year is to be ratably reduced. In any given year the appropriation for implementation of this chapter shall not exceed two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000).

(6)  Reimbursement payments as calculated under this chapter shall be made according to §?16-7-17. All payments under this chapter shall be used exclusively to support programs and services for limited English proficient students.

(7)  Expenditure reports shall be submitted by the local school districts to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education in accordance with rules and regulations of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education. The commissioner shall make an annual financial and program evaluation report to the legislature on the status of state and local efforts.

History of Section.
P.L. 1982, ch. 286, § 2; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 59; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 51.