A Rhode Island Foundation Blue Ribbon Commission is calling for a major overhaul of the state's school funding formula, recommending the state increase its share of K-12 education costs from the current 38% to relieve pressure on municipal property taxes. The commission proposes expanding the formula to cover transportation, special education, and teacher pension costs while requiring municipalities to make minimum contributions based on property wealth.

Rhode Island's General Assembly returns January 6 facing major challenges including looming Medicaid cuts that will remove 33,500 residents from coverage, a fragile healthcare system with provider shortages, and federal funding uncertainties. House Speaker Shekarchi calls it the most challenging session in his six years leading the chamber, with priorities including healthcare reform, housing affordability, and workforce development.

House Education Committee Chair Rep. Joseph McNamara pre-filed legislation to establish a statewide zero-tolerance anti-hazing policy for school sports, with penalties including team suspensions and season cancellations, following recent incidents at Smithfield and Rogers High Schools.

A Stanford University study found that Rhode Island charter school students gained the equivalent of 90 extra days of learning in English and 88 days in math annually, attributing the nation-leading results to 2017 regulatory reforms that simplified charter evaluation and renewal procedures.

A coalition of unions and school districts expanded their lawsuit against the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Education Department, adding disability rights group The Arc and challenging new interagency agreements that transfer department responsibilities to other federal agencies.