Education (Early Childhood)

passed · Rhode Island · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 3147: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ACT

Establishes guidelines, rules and regulations for the implementation and expansion of prekindergarten education programs for children ages 3-4 to increase children’s school readiness statewide.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes guidelines for expanding prekindergarten education programs for ages 3-4, increasing school readiness statewide.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

Track

passed · Rhode Island · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 3077: AN ACT RELATING EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

Specifies that pre-k programs for three (3) – and four (4) – years olds be added to programs to increase access to voluntary, free, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands pre-k programs for 3-4 year olds, indicating increased funding for education services and public programs75% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands access to free pre-kindergarten programs for 3-4 year olds, directly enhancing early education access and quality.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Early Childhood K-12 Education School Funding

Track

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 19, 2026

SB 2817: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- TAX CREDITS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATIONS

Includes individuals as contributors. Increases annual credit cap by percentage amount of unused credits. Increases the tax credit rate percentage. Establishes scholarships of $750,000 to disadvantaged students and $250,000 to pre-K students.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases tax credits and establishes scholarship funding for disadvantaged and pre-K students, advancing education funding and providing tax relief.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides tax credits for scholarship contributions and establishes scholarships for disadvantaged and pre-K students, expanding educational access and funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Early Childhood School Choice Student Financial Aid

Track

passed · Rhode Island · Senate Jun 11, 2026

SB 2834: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS -- EARLY INTERVENTION EXTENSION--BRIDGE TO PRESCHOOL

This bill allows children in Rhode Island with developmental disabilities to continue receiving early intervention services until September 1 if their third birthday falls between May 1 and August 31, addressing a current service gap before they transition to preschool programs. The legislation requires the state's Department of Human Services to create a plan by July 1, 2026, to implement this extension while seeking necessary federal approvals, with full implementation expected by January 1, 2028. By extending services beyond the traditional cutoff date, the bill aims to ensure uninterrupted support for children during their transition from early intervention to early childhood special education services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill extends early intervention services for children with disabilities, improving educational access and support before preschool transition.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Special Education

Track

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 2433: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES -- QUALITY OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION AND SCHOOL-AGE CHILD CARE THROUGH VOLUNTARY QUALITY RATING SYSTEM

SB 2433 establishes a presumption that school-age child care programs operating within RIDE-certified school buildings (public, charter, or approved non-public K-12 schools) automatically meet facility-based quality rating requirements. This means physical space features like room layout, furnishings, and storage - typically assessed under tools like SACERS - will be treated as compliant or neutral in quality ratings, without lowering a program’s score. The bill does not alter existing licensing, health, safety, or enforcement standards; it only streamlines the rating process for programs in certified school buildings. This change applies to all school-age child care programs licensed under Title 42, Chapter 12.5.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationStreamlines quality rating for school-based child care, removing facility barriers to support educational access and infrastructure in K-12 settings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood K-12 Education

Track

in committee · Rhode Island · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 7688: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- RHODE ISLAND CHILD CARE FOR ALL ACT

HB 7688 establishes the Rhode Island Child Care for All Act, creating a new Office for Early Learning by June 2028 to centralize and improve the state’s child care system. It directly affects families with young children (by reducing costs to under 7% of income), child care providers (through annual funding to cover costs beyond family fees), and early educators (by requiring wage supplements to match K-12 standards). Key provisions include consolidating child care administration from other agencies, funding providers to expand affordability and quality, and developing a statewide system offering free pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds alongside accessible care for children from birth to age 12. The bill aims to address current market failures by treating child care as a public good, similar to K-12 education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds to reduce child care costs (under 7% income), fund providers, and pay educator wage supplements via new office appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirectly funds early educators' wages to match K-12 standards, reduces family costs for child care, and centralizes early learning system to expand access and support educators.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires wage supplements for early educators to match K-12 standards, directly improving compensation for child care workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood K-12 Education Tags Children

Track

passed · Rhode Island · Senate Jun 11, 2026

SB 2667: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM--RHODE ISLAND CHILD CARE IS ESSENTIAL ACT

SB 2667, the "Rhode Island Childcare Is Essential Act," would expand eligibility for Rhode Island's state childcare assistance program to align with federal standards. This change would directly affect low-income working families who currently may not qualify for state childcare subsidies under current rules. The key mechanism is adjusting the state's income and asset thresholds to match the federal benchmark, potentially allowing more families to access subsidized childcare. The bill aims to increase access to affordable childcare for working parents without adding new state costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands state childcare subsidies, increasing government spending on essential services for low-income families.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands childcare assistance for low-income working families, removing a barrier to educational access by enabling parental employment and stable childcare for children.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands childcare subsidies for low-income working families, enabling continued employment and reducing financial barriers to work.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

Track

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 7581: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

HB 7581 creates new state funding streams for specific education needs in Rhode Island school districts. It provides direct funding for special education costs exceeding 4x the core foundation amount, career and technical education program setup/maintenance, voluntary pre-K access, and transportation costs for students in regional districts or out-of-district non-public schools. The bill also establishes stabilization funds for Central Falls, Davies, and the Met Center schools, and offers regional school districts a two-year bonus (2% then 1% of state aid) for regionalization. School districts seeking reimbursement must share costs if total requests exceed available funds, with the Department of Education prorating allocations annually. This bill primarily affects public school districts, special education programs, and regional education entities across Rhode Island.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new state funding streams for education programs including special ed, career training, and pre-K, directly increasing public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates new state funding streams for special education, career/tech programs, pre-K access, transportation, and stabilization funds for specific schools.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill explicitly allocates funds for 'transportation costs for students in regional districts' as part of education funding, directly supporting transportation services within its scope.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Early Childhood School Funding Special Education

Track

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 8130: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ACT

Allows municipalities participating in the state prekindergarten program to accept students from outside the municipality under certain conditions and establishes a lottery for enrollment in the program.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands pre-K access by allowing out-of-municipality enrollment via lottery, increasing program availability for more students.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

Track

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 7905: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES -- QUALITY OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION AND SCHOOL-AGE CHILD CARE THROUGH VOLUNTARY QUALITY RATING SYSTEM

HB 7905 establishes a voluntary quality rating system for early childhood education and school-age childcare programs operating in RIDE-certified school buildings. It sets specific quality standards that providers can meet to earn a rating, aiming to improve program quality through a structured, non-mandatory framework. The bill directly affects childcare providers in certified school settings by offering a pathway to recognition based on established criteria. This system encourages quality enhancements without imposing mandatory requirements on participating programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes voluntary quality standards for childcare in schools to improve program quality, directly enhancing early education access and quality within K-12 infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

Track