Appropriates nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($950,000) to establish a bilingual education support fund within the department of elementary and secondary education and provides for implementation of support and access to bilingual education.
SB 2208 establishes a board of trustees to govern the urban collaborative, which includes Providence and other participating Rhode Island school districts. The board will be appointed by member districts (one member plus one additional for every 30 students attending the collaborative), and it will manage collaborative programs for students needing alternative education services. The bill ensures the collaborative receives state education funding directly and prevents Providence from being removed from the collaborative without its school board's approval during state oversight of Providence schools. It also clarifies that the collaborative qualifies for all state and federal education funding as a school district.
Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the community college of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.
HB 7393, the "Rhode Island Childcare Is Essential Act," expands eligibility for childcare assistance to families with incomes at or below 85% of the state median income, aligning with federal guidelines. This change directly affects low-income families with children under 12 who need childcare to work, attend job training, or enroll in college. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to provide free childcare for families at or below 100% of the federal poverty level and a sliding fee scale (capping at 7% of income) for others. It also maintains a $1 million liquid assets limit for eligibility and emphasizes meeting federal "equal access" standards for childcare rates.
Exempts from the sales tax eligible school supplies, costing less than $30.00, purchased within one week prior to the commencement of the academic year.
HB 7054 establishes guidelines to expand and sustain public prekindergarten programs for all Rhode Island children aged 3 and 4. It requires the state to ensure at least 70% of these children enroll in high-quality programs through a mixed delivery system including public schools, Head Start, and licensed child care. The bill mandates research-based quality standards covering teacher qualifications, class sizes, curriculum, and support for children with special needs or who are learning English. It also requires competitive wages for prekindergarten teachers (comparable to K teachers) and directs 30% of new prekindergarten funding to expand infant and toddler care programs. The law directly affects children, early educators, and child care providers across Rhode Island.
SB 2216 would require all school employees with regular student contact to undergo comprehensive background checks. It mandates applicants to provide 20 years of employment history at schools or child-contact roles, along with written authorization for employers to disclose records. Applicants must answer specific questions about past child abuse or sexual misconduct investigations, and schools must verify this information through direct contact with previous employers. The bill includes penalties for false disclosures (up to $500 civil fines) but is currently proposed legislation introduced in the Rhode Island Senate (2026-01-23).
Provides that a student's enrollment in Medicaid would be included in calculating and determining the student success factor for use in the foundation education-aid formula.
Establishes a new high-cost special education fund to pool resources and generates income to support excess costs associated with providing services to special education students.
SB 2366 amends Rhode Island's personal income tax code to modify how tuition savings program contributions are treated for tax purposes. It allows taxpayers to subtract up to $500 ($1,000 for joint returns) annually from federal adjusted gross income for contributions made to Rhode Island's tuition savings program, with specific restrictions on what qualifies as a deductible contribution. This affects residents using the tuition savings program who claim tax deductions for contributions. The bill also clarifies rules for nonqualified withdrawals from these accounts and their tax treatment. The changes apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
