2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 16 - Education
CHAPTER 16-21.1 - Transportation of School Pupils Beyond City and Town Limits
§ 16-21.1-8 - Statewide transportation system for all students to be established.

SECTION 16-21.1-8

   § 16-21.1-8  Statewide transportation system for all students to be established. – Notwithstanding the regional structure created in this chapter, the department of elementary and secondary education, in collaboration with the office of statewide planning of the department of administration, and the Rhode Island public transit authority shall conduct a comprehensive study of all current transportation services for students in Rhode Island school districts in order to develop a plan for the creation and implementation of a statewide system of transportation of all students to and from school. The statewide school transportation system for all students shall be provided through a competitive request for proposals to which vendors of transportation services may respond. Effective upon the implementation of this statewide system of transportation for all students, each school committee shall purchase the transportation services for their own resident students by accessing this integrated statewide system of transportation on a fee-for-service basis for each child; provided, however, that any school committee that fulfills its transportation obligations primarily through the use of district-owned buses or district employees may continue to do so. The goals of the statewide system of transportation for all students shall be the reduction of duplication of cost and routes in transporting children from the various cities and towns using different buses within and between each city and town, the improvement of services to children through the development of shorter ride times and more efficient routes of travel, and the reduction of cost to local school committees through achieving efficiency in eliminating the need for each school district to contract for and provide these transportation services separately. The comprehensive study of all current transportation services for students in Rhode Island school districts and development of a plan for a statewide system of transportation of all students to and from school shall be completed, with a report to the general assembly by March 30, 2008.