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SB 2783

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MAYORAL ACADEMIES

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Hanna Gallo and 3 co-sponsors

Establishes mayoral academies with a governance board of mayors from participating towns and lottery-based admissions to ensure multi-city enrollment and equity.

06/05/2026 Referred to House Education
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Bill Summary · SB 2783

Summary of SB 2783 (Rhode Island, 2026) – An Act Relating to Education: Mayoral Academies

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes and governs “mayoral academies” as a distinct type of charter school in Rhode Island.
  • Clarifies the governance structure for such academies, focusing on representation and voting rights on the governing board.
  • Ensures participation and admission processes align with charter school concepts, including lottery-based admissions when demand exceeds capacity.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition and eligibility of a mayoral academy (Section 16-77.4-1(a)):

    • A mayoral academy is a charter school created by a mayor (acting through a nonprofit organization) that enrolls students from more than one city or town, including both urban and non-urban areas.
    • Admissions must be lottery-based to ensure an equal number of enrollments.
    • Governance:
    • The board of trustees or directors must include representatives from each included city or town.
    • The board must be chaired by a mayor from an included city or town.
    • Voting rights on the board are restricted to the mayors from each included city or town (or, if a town has no mayor, the town administrator). Nonvoting advisory members from each included city or town may also be on the board.
    • The mayor from each included city or town (or the town council, via resolution/ordinance, if no mayor exists) must approve the participation of the mayoral academy in the proposed charter or expansion.

  • Adoption and admissions (Section 16-77.4-1(b)):

    • No child is required to attend a mayoral academy, and no teacher is required to teach there.
    • The local school committee must facilitate transfers for students who opt out and for those who wish to enroll in the mayoral academy, as capacity allows.
    • If applications exceed available spaces, admissions are determined by lottery.

  • Effective date:

    • The act becomes effective upon passage.

Who/what is affected

  • Local governments (cities and towns) participating in or considering establishment/expansion of mayoral academies.
  • Mayors or town administrators who would serve as the voting members of the academy’s governing board.
  • School committees and districts hosting mayoral academies, which must coordinate transfers for students both into and out of the academies.
  • Students and families seeking enrollment in mayoral academies, subject to lottery-based admission when over-subscribed.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: Introduced March 4, 2026, referred to Senate Education.
  • Hearing/consideration: Scheduled for May 13, 2026 (per action history).
  • Immediate effect: Upon passage, the new governance framework for mayoral academies would take effect.

Notes on implementation

  • The bill places exclusive voting power on elected mayors (or town administrators) from each participating municipality, with nonvoting advisory representation allowed.
  • Emphasizes broad catchment (multiple cities/towns) and lottery-based admissions to promote equity in access.
  • Requires cooperation from local school committees for transfer processes, preserving student choice within the public education system.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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