Articles from Rhode Island Education News

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RI Schools to Request Reduction of School Year

Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angelica Infante Green is planning to request an emergency reduction of the school year from the state Council on Elementary and Secondary Education following the historic Blizzard of 2026, which dumped nearly 38 inches of snow statewide and set a new Rhode Island snowfall record. Several districts have already exhausted their built-in snow day buffers, raising the prospect of extending the school year into July if waivers are not granted.

https://turnto10.com/news/local/rhode-island-schools-to-request-reduction-of-sch…

Lima: Why An Unfunded Civics Mandate Risks Our Future

Hillary Lima of Generation Citizen argues that Rhode Island's 2021 Civic Literacy Act, which requires students to demonstrate civic proficiency to graduate, has become an unfunded mandate with no dedicated resources for teacher training or curriculum development. She warns that without state funding to back the requirement, the quality of civic education in Rhode Island will continue to depend almost entirely on a student's zip code, deepening inequality in democratic participation.

https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/02/17/why-an-unfunded-civics-mandate-risks-o…

Report Backs State Intervention on Chronic Absenteeism

A new report from the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council finds that chronic absenteeism has dropped to 22% statewide, down from a pandemic peak of 34%, with Providence and Central Falls leading the way through data driven outreach and family partnerships. Advocates are now calling on the state to formalize proven intervention strategies and require consistent attendance policies across all districts, warning that progress remains uneven and that some schools still see absenteeism rates above 40%.

https://www.oceanstatemedia.org/education/we-know-what-works-advocates-say-state…

Legislators Defend Existence of DOE

U.S. House Democrats gathered at a spotlight forum to push back against the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, including interagency agreements that transfer core departmental functions to other federal agencies. Ranking member Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia warned that the administration has repeatedly bypassed Congress in its moves to scale back public education, and lawmakers called for strong opposition to any attempt to shutter the agency.

https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/02/11/repub/democrats-defend-the-actual-exis…

Newport High School Principal Placed on Leave

Rogers High School Principal Jared Vance has been placed on administrative leave through the end of the school year following an independent investigation into the October 2025 assault of a student with special needs in the boys locker room. The investigation, conducted by former Rhode Island State Police Colonel Steven O'Donnell, found systemic failures in communication, supervision, and disciplinary accountability, and issued 27 recommendations for reform.

https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/02/12/newport-high-school-principal-placed-o…

From Head Start to Civil Rights, 8 Ways Administration Has Reshaped Education

The Trump administration has dramatically reshaped federal education policy in its first year through cuts to grants for deaf and blind students, rural teacher programs, and Wi-Fi hotspots, while closing five of ten Head Start regional offices, freezing billions in school funding, and redirecting civil rights enforcement away from equity programs toward investigations of diversity initiatives and transgender student policies.

https://www.the74million.org/article/from-head-start-to-civil-rights-8-ways-trum…

Townsend: Why Native American Curriculum Should be Taught Throughout K-12

Education advocates argue that Native American history and culture should be integrated throughout K-12 curriculum rather than limited to single lessons, citing research showing improved outcomes for Native students and better cultural understanding for all students when Indigenous perspectives are woven throughout social studies, science, and other subjects.

https://www.the74million.org/article/why-native-american-curriculum-should-be-ta…

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