Education

in committee · Rhode Island · Senate Feb 13, 2026

SB 2527: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CURRICULUM

Provides that any school teaching sexual education to students shall provide the sexual education curriculum to every parent or guardian of a student, and the parent or legal guardian shall consent to the teaching of such sexual education curriculum.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRequires parental consent for sexual education curriculum, restricting implementation and limiting school autonomy in curriculum delivery.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 8170: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

Restore the rights of school administrators and staff members, who have retired to exceed the ninety-day (90) cap on post-retirement employment and work up to one hundred eighty (180) days during a school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill increases post-retirement work days for educators from 90 to 180, enhancing employment rights and supporting continued educational contributions by retired staff.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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passed · Rhode Island · Senate Jun 10, 2026

SB 2649: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RESIDENCE OF CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES -- IN-DISTRICT ACCESS TO OPEN PUBLIC SCHOOL SEATS

Ensures any public school with available seats, after completion of the initial enrollment period for students, shall make all open seats available to other students residing within the same school district.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures public schools offer available seats to district residents, expanding access to K-12 education within the district.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 8159: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

Provides that in local education agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines, then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly names 'PROPERTY TAX RELIEF' in title and adjusts education funding toward low-income districts, aligning with tax relief and equitable funding indicators.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirects increased per-pupil funding (50% student success factor) to schools with >45% low-income students, advancing educational equity through targeted resource allocation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax School Funding

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died · Rhode Island · Senate May 19, 2026

SB 2540: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- EDUCATION FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM

Establishes a new program where the per pupil funding, calculated annually by RIDE, would be transferred into a newly created educational funding account run by the children's scholarship fund to pay for educational expenses.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRedirects per-pupil funding to private scholarship accounts, defunding public education programs80% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRedirects per-pupil public funding to private scholarship accounts, diverting resources from public schools and weakening traditional public education funding streams.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 7596: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION

Exempts from the sales tax eligible school supplies, costing less than $50.00, purchased within one week prior to the commencement of the academic year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts school supplies under $50 from sales tax, providing direct tax relief for families on essential items.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts school supplies from sales tax, reducing costs for families and schools, directly supporting educational access and affordability for K-12.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax State Budget

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passed · Rhode Island · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 2524: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS -- STUDENT AND TEACHER CLASSROOM SAFETY

Establishes provisions for student and teacher classroom safety and provides the authority to remove students from classrooms. This act provides for student and educator protections from said removals.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes classroom safety protections for students and teachers, directly advancing educational safety standards without restrictions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Teachers

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signed · Rhode Island · Senate Jun 22, 2026

SB 2678: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

SB 2678 increases the monthly minimum retirement benefit paid to spouses, domestic partners, and former spouses of retired teachers. This change directly affects individuals who receive survivor benefits under the teachers' retirement system. The bill raises the minimum monthly payment amount without altering other retirement eligibility rules. It was introduced on February 27, 2026, and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases government spending on teacher retirement benefits, directly funding a public program through higher monthly payments without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases retirement benefits for teachers' families, directly supporting educator welfare and financial security within education policy.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions

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

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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

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