R.I. Gen. Laws
Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-2-11 (2026)

General powers and duties of superintendent

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) The superintendent of schools employed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall, under the direction of the school committee, have the care and supervision of the public schools and shall be the chief administrative agent of the school committee. The superintendent shall have any duties as are defined in this section and in this title and any other duties as may be determined by the school committee, and shall perform any other duties as may be vested in him or her by law. In addition to the care and supervision of public schools and the appointment of employees of the district, it shall be the duty of the superintendent:

(1) To implement policies established by the school committee.

(2) To recommend educational plans, policies, and programs to meet the needs of the district.

(3) To recommend policies governing curriculum, courses of instruction, textbooks, and transportation of students.

(4) To comply with provisions of federal and state law and local charter provisions and ordinances.

(5) To have administrative responsibility for the school system.

(6) To appoint principals for each public school within the district at levels of compensation determined in accordance with policies established by the school committee.

(7) To appoint administrators and other personnel not assigned to individual schools. Also, to appoint, at the recommendation of the principal, personnel at individual schools in accordance with policies established by school district policies and collective bargaining agreements.

(8) To oversee the personnel function of the school department consistent with personnel standards, policies, and the table of organization established by the school committee.

(9) To provide for the evaluation of department personnel appointed by the superintendent.

(10) To prepare a school budget for consideration by the school committee.

(11) To authorize purchases consistent with the adopted school budget, policies and directives of the school committee, and applicable municipal policies, ordinances, and charter provisions.

(12) To be responsible for keeping the records of the school system.

(13) To report to the school committee on a regular basis the financial condition of the school system.

(14) To oversee discipline in the school system.

(15) To evaluate all schools within the school system and to report to the school committee the conformity with regulations of the council on elementary and secondary education and the policies, programs, and directives of the school committee.

(16) To report to the school committee on the operation of the school system, including an annual report on the district’s progress.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to limit or interfere with the rights of teachers and other school employees to collectively bargain pursuant to chapters 9.3 and 9.4 of title 28, or to allow any school superintendent to abrogate any agreement reached by collective bargaining.

(c) If at any time during the fiscal year the superintendent of schools determines, or is notified by the city or town chief charter officer or treasurer, that the estimated school expenses may exceed all revenue appropriated by the state or city or town or otherwise for public schools in the city or town, the superintendent of schools shall recommend to the school committee and shall, in order to provide for continuous regular public school operations consistent with the requirements of § 16-2-2 without regard to financial conditions, subsequently report to the city or town treasurer and chief charter officer what action will be taken to prevent an excess of expenditures, encumbrances, and accruals over revenues for public schools in the city or town.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 1975–1997 · leading case: T & S Serv. Assocs. Inc. v. Crenson, 505 F. Supp. 938 (D.R.I. 1981).
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T & S Serv. Assocs. Inc. v. Crenson, 505 F. Supp. 938 (D.R.I. 1981). · cites it 6× “Wert, the chief administrative agent of the Committee pursuant to R.I.Gen.Laws § 16-2-11, is also liable to the Plaintiff T & S for compensatory damages.”
Schiavulli v. Sch. Comm. of Town of No. Providence, 334 A.2d 416 (R.I. 1975). · cites it 2× “Section 16-2-11. Nothing has happened in the past 50 years that would cause us to abandon the rationale of Murphy .”
Asadoorian v. Warwick Sch. Comm., 691 A.2d 573 (R.I. 1997). “Under the direction of the school committee, the superintendent is charged with “the care and supervision of the public schools,” § 16-2-11(a), and with “appointing] all school department personnel,” § 16—2—11(a)(7).”
Sch. Comm. of Providence v. Bd. of Regents for Educ., 429 A.2d 1297 (R.I. 1981). “General Laws 1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 16-2-11, now amended by P.L. 1980, ch. 152, § 2, delegates the direct care and supervision of the school system in each town and city to the superintendent.”
Smith v. Harris, 560 F. Supp. 677 (D.R.I. 1983). “at § 16-2-11. The School Committee has final authority, however, for the engagement of teachers.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-2-11(a) — 1 case
Asadoorian v. Warwick Sch. Comm., 691 A.2d 573 (R.I. 1997). “Under the direction of the school committee, the superintendent is charged with “the care and supervision of the public schools,” § 16-2-11(a), and with “appointing] all school department personnel,” § 16—2—11(a)(7).”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.