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3/16/2021
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House OKs McNamara bill that would allow school districts to raise funds to help pay for field trips
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 STATE HOUSE — The House of Representatives today passed legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston) that would allow school districts to raise the money necessary to fund field trips.
The legislation (2021-H 5079) would allow a school district to request or accept a donation from a student or the student’s parent or legal guardian, in whole or in part, for the cost of district-sponsored field trips, provided that the district would pay the costs to meet any deficit that may remain after efforts to raise funds have concluded.
“Field trips are an important part of learning, enriching the curriculum, strengthening observation skills by immersing children into sensory activities,” said Representative McNamara, a former educator who chairs the House Education Committee. “The current policy of the Department of Education regarding the way these activities can be funded has caused many school districts to do away with field trips entirely. That’s just unacceptable, because they are vital in increasing a child’s knowledge of specific subjects, even generating the interest, enthusiasm and passion for subjects that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.”
Two years ago, many school districts canceled field trips in the wake of a Rhode Island Department of Education policy that was established in April by the former commissioner, Dr. Ken Wagner. The policy stated that school departments may not charge students to participate in public school field trips. Since it was interpreted that no fund raising could be done for these trips either, the policy effectively eliminated the field trips in many places.
The legislation proposed by Representative McNamara with the support of House leadership would codify the ability of school districts to request money while establishing that all requests for donations include a written statement that all donations are voluntary, and no student will be denied participation or attendance for failure to donate. No students would be individually identified in regard to the donations.
The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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