1. (a) The department of elementary and secondary education shall establish, maintain, and operate, in accordance with the guidelines of the board of advisors created pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, a training and resource center to serve as a source of information regarding training and resources for early childhood and child care professionals which would:

   1. (1) Provide information regarding requirements and/or sources for licensure, approval, and certification;
   2. (2) Provide information regarding sources of training to meet specific needs;
   3. (3) Maintain contact with professional organizations, state departments, higher education institutions, and other resources for training;
   4. (4) Develop a newsletter for dissemination of vital information regarding topics as department of health alerts, changes in department of human services programs, and eligibility criteria for persons seeking child care;
   5. (5) Develop and conduct training for which no identified training source currently exists;
   6. (6) Develop a speakers’ bureau;
   7. (7) Maintain a calendar of events for early childhood/child care professionals; and
   8. (8) Provide any other services that the board of advisors shall deem necessary.
2. (b) To guide the department in the establishment, location, maintenance, and operation of the training and resource center, the department shall establish a board of advisors consisting of representatives from each of the following agencies, departments, professional associations, and educational institutions: department of children, youth, and families; department of human services; department of elementary and secondary education; department of health; Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young children; Rhode Island Early Childhood Resource Center; Rhode Island Association for Home Day Care; Rhode Island Day Care Director’s Association; Association for Childhood Education, Providence area; Rhode Island Head Start Director’s Association; Community College of Rhode Island; Rhode Island College; the University of Rhode Island; and any other agencies, departments, institutions, and associations as the advisory board shall prescribe.

History of Section.
P.L. 1987, ch. 364, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 509, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 13.