Rhode Island § 16-92-6 - Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children

§ 16-92-6. Placement and attendance.

(a) Course placement. When the student transfers before or during the school year, the receiving state school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational courses based on the student’s enrollment in the sending state school, educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state, or both, if the courses are offered. Course placement includes, but is not limited to, honors, international baccalaureate, advanced placement, vocational, technical and career pathways courses. Continuing the student’s academic program from the previous school and promoting placement in academically and career challenging courses should be paramount when considering placement. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement and continued enrollment of the student in the course or courses.

(b) Educational program placement. The receiving state school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state or participation or placement in like programs in the sending state. Such programs include, but are not limited to: (1) Gifted and talented programs; and (2) English as a second language (ESL). This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.

(c) Special education services. (1) In compliance with the federal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C.A. § 1400 et seq., the receiving state shall initially provide comparable services to a student with disabilities based on his or her current Individualized Education Program (IEP); and (2) In compliance with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 794, and with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. §§ 12131 —12165, the receiving state shall make reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of incoming students with disabilities, subject to an existing 504 or Title II Plan, to provide the student with equal access to education. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.

(d) Placement flexibility. Local education agency administrative officials shall have flexibility in waiving course or program prerequisites, or other preconditions for placement in courses or programs offered under the jurisdiction of the local education agency.

(e) Absence as related to deployment activities. A student whose parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined by the compact, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted additional excused absences at the discretion of the local education agency superintendent to visit with his or her parent or legal guardian relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or guardian.