ARTICLE 7 AS AMENDED

(a) There is hereby established a seven (7) member board of trustees, which shall govern

the Central Falls School District. With the exception of those powers and duties reserved by the

commissioner of elementary and secondary education, and the board of regents for elementary and

secondary education, the board of trustees shall have the powers and duties of school committees.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner of elementary and

secondary education, as the executive agent of the board of regents for elementary and secondary

education, is authorized to exercise in whole or in part care, control, and management over the

public schools of the Central Falls school district within the scope of authority of the board of

trustees and board of regents, whenever the commissioner deems such intervention to be necessary

and appropriate.

(b) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education shall appoint the members

of the board of trustees from nominations made by the commissioner of elementary and secondary

education. The chairperson shall also be selected in this manner. The board of regents shall

determine the number, qualifications, and terms of office of members of the board of trustees,

provided however, that at least four (4) of the members shall be residents of the city and parents of

current or former Central Falls public school students. The remaining three (3) shall be appointed

at large.

(c) The board of regents shall provide parameters for overall budget requests, approve the

budget, and otherwise participate in budget development.

(d) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall recommend parameters

for overall budget requests, recommend a budget, and otherwise participate in budget development.

(f) The board of trustees shall meet monthly and serve without compensation. The board

of trustees shall have broad policy making authority for the operation of the school, as well as the

following powers and duties:

(1) To identify the educational needs of the district;

(2) To develop educational policies to meet the needs of students in the school district;

(3) To appoint a superintendent to serve as its chief executive officer and to approve

assistant and associate superintendents from nominations made by the superintendent;

(4) To provide policy guidance and otherwise participate in budget development; and

(5) To develop staffing policies which ensure that all students are taught by educators of

the highest possible quality.

(g) The superintendent shall serve at the pleasure of the board of trustees with the initial

appointment to be for a period of not more than three (3) years; provided, however, that the terms

and conditions of employment are subject to the approval of the board of regents for elementary

and secondary education.

(h) It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to manage and operate the school on

a day-to-day basis. The superintendent's duties shall include the following:

(1) To be responsible for the care, supervision, and management of the schools;

(2) To recommend to the board of trustees educational policies to meet the needs of the

district, and to implement policies established by the board of trustees;

(3) To present nominations to the board of trustees for assistant and associate

superintendents and to appoint all other school personnel;

(4) To provide for the evaluation of all school district personnel;

(5) To establish a school based management approach for decision making for the operation

of the school;

(6) To prepare a budget and otherwise participate in budget development as required, and

to authorize purchases consistent with the adopted school district budget;

(7) To report to the board of trustees, on a regular basis, the financial condition and

operation of the schools, and to report annually on the educational progress of the schools;

(8) To establish appropriate advisory committees as needed to provide guidance on new

directions and feedback on the operation of the schools;

(9) With policy guidance from the board of trustees and extensive involvement of the

administrators and faculty in the school, to annually prepare a budget. The board of trustees shall

approve the budget and transmit it to the commissioner. The board of regents for elementary and

secondary education, upon recommendation of the commissioner of elementary and secondary

education, shall provide parameters for the overall budget request. Based on review and

recommendation by the commissioner, the board of regents shall approve the total budget and

incorporate it into its budget request to the governor and to the general assembly. Line item

budgeting decisions shall be the responsibility of the superintendent; and

(10) To negotiate, along with the chairperson of the board of trustees and his or her

appointed designee, all district employment contracts, which contracts shall be subject to the

approval of the commissioner of elementary and secondary education with the concurrence of the

board of regents.

(i) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to limit or otherwise interfere with the rights of

teachers and other school employees to bargain collectively pursuant to chapters 9.3 and 9.4 of title

28, to exercise rights afforded under any statute including, but not limited to, Title 16, or to allow

the commissioner, board of trustees or the superintendent to abrogate any agreement by collective

bargaining.

(j) The appointment of the special state administrator for the Central Falls School District

and the Central Falls School District Advisory Group, created by chapter 312 of the Rhode Island

Public Laws of 1991, will no longer be in effect upon the selection and appointment of the board

of trustees created in this section. All powers and duties of the special state administrator and the

Central Falls School District Advisory Group are hereby transferred and assigned to the board of

trustees created in this section, upon the selection and appointment of that board.

SECTION 2. Chapter 16-7 of the General Laws entitled "Foundation Level School Support

[See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by

adding thereto the following section: