House OKs bill to assist pregnant, parenting teens

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The House of Representatives has approved legislation that would re-establish the Sheila C. “Skip” Nowell Academy.

The academy focuses on the diverse needs of pregnant and parenting teens as a state school.

The bill, supported by the Department of Education, would also change the operating structure of the academy to establish an agreement among school districts.

Representative McNamara, chairman of the House Committee on Education shared:

“This is a unique structure that will enable students who are at risk of failure to have the support they need, keep them in school, and give them daycare for their children. It would allow any student in any school district to apply for this alternative program that is geared specifically for their needs.”

The academy previously existed for 12 years as a charter school and has offered daycare services to parenting students.

Changing the academy to a public state high school would give the appropriate long-term needs to continue building its foundation of giving pregnant and parenting students what they need.

The Department of Education shared that enrollment would be referral-based.

This measure now moves to the Senate.

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