R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-3-3.1: Work experience program.

The school committee of each city and town is authorized to adopt and implement a school-supervised and school-administered work experience and career exploration program (WECEP), under which students who have completed fourteen (14) years of age may be enrolled, notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, in a work experience career exploration program (WECEP) as approved by the wage/hour administrator of the United States Department of Labor in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., and 29 C.F.R. 570.1 et seq. (child labor regulations).