Mayoral Academies are public charter schools, and would be authorized in law by slight changes to the state's existing and proven statute for such schools. Mayoral Academy charter schools must follow the same charter authorization process and the same accountability oversight as all other public schools under the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Board of Regents.
The Mayoral Academy bill updates the charter law to allow mayors to open these new public charter schools in partnership with successful non-profit organizatons. To allow extended school day, higher pay for performance, and assignment of the best teachers, this budget-neutral bill exempts Mayoral Academies from some restrictions in the current charter statute. The bill is budget neutral and does not allocate a single dollar of additional spending.
Although first introduced as H7874, the bill has now been added to the state budget as Budget Article 38. The bill is sponsored by House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, House Majority Whip Peter Kilmartin, and Representatives Vaudreuil, McManus and Silva. It enjoys the bipartisan support of the Governor's office. Mayor McKee and the coalition of Rhode Island mayors advocating this legislation are grateful to the House leadership for their support of this important bill.
Click here to read the text of the proposed legislation to enable Mayoral Academies.
