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SB 2625

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 4 co-sponsors

SB 2625 shifts inter-district CTE/pathways costs to reflect actual lower-cost delivery and requires quarterly status reporting and actual transportation cost payments by sending di

05/13/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2625

Summary of SB 2625 (2026) — Rhode Island

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes requirements for inter-district communication and cost-sharing related to state-approved career and technical education (CTE) programs of choice and pathways education programs.
  • Aims to ensure timely reporting, clearer financial responsibilities, and more predictable transportation costs when a student attends a program outside their home district (sending district) at a receiving district.

Key provisions

  • Effective date

    • Applies July 1, 2026.

  • Definitions and scope

    • Applies to students enrolled in, accepted to, or attending a state CTE program of choice or a pathways education program approved by the Rhode Island Career and Technical Education Board, when the program is outside the student’s home district (sending district).

  • Inter-district reporting requirements (receiving district to sending district)

    • Receiving districts must report back to the sending district on a quarterly basis regarding the student’s status.
    • Reports must include significant changes in circumstances, such as withdrawal, non-participation, or matriculation changes.

  • Cost-sharing for program delivery

    • If the receiving district’s cost to provide the program is lower than the per-pupil expenditure of the sending district, the sending district’s responsibility for the student’s education costs shall be limited to the lower cost calculated by the receiving district.
    • This creates a potential limit on the sending district’s tuition-like cost obligation based on the actual lower-cost delivery of services by the receiving district.

  • Transportation costs

    • The sending district is responsible for paying only the actual cost of transporting the student to the receiving district.
    • This clause overrides conflicting provisions in existing transportation statutes (specifically chapter 21.1 of title 16 related to transportation of pupils beyond city and town limits).

  • Regulatory authority

    • The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

Who is affected

  • Sending districts (home districts) of students who attend CTE or pathways programs outside their home district.
  • Receiving districts that host students from other districts for CTE/pathways programs.
  • Students enrolled in or accepted to state-approved CTE or pathways programs outside their home district.
  • Transportation administrators within sending districts (due to revised transportation cost responsibilities).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Law takes effect: July 1, 2026.
  • For the period after July 1, 2026, districts must begin compliance with:
    • Quarterly status reporting from receiving to sending districts.
    • Application of cost-sharing rules if the receiving district’s per-pupil cost is lower than the sending district’s per-pupil expenditure.
    • Payment of actual transportation costs by the sending district.
  • Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is authorized to issue implementing rules and regulations to operationalize these provisions.

Practical impact

  • Potentially lower costs for sending districts when the receiving district can provide the program at a lower per-pupil cost.
  • More transparent and timely communication about students’ participation and status in CTE/pathways programs.
  • Clearer funding and transportation responsibilities between districts, reducing ambiguities in inter-district arrangements.
  • Administrative requirement for districts to track and report quarterly changes in student status.

Notes

  • The bill is introduced and referred to the Senate Labor & Gaming Committee, with a scheduled hearing date noted in the action history.
  • Bill sponsor group includes multiple state senators with co-sponsors.

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

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