patch.com: Rhode Island lawmakers have sponsored legislation to provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students regardless of family income, rolling out in three phases starting with elementary schools in the 2027 to 2028 school year.

The Providence City Council formed a time-limited working group to prepare for its budget and oversight responsibilities when PPSD returns to local control. The group will receive briefings from finance professionals and governance experts, and aims to deliver a findings report by June 5, 2026.

A new NWEA analysis finds that children who were infants during COVID are now falling below pre-pandemic benchmarks in reading and math as they reach first and second grade. Kindergarten scores held steady, but reading gaps among early elementary students remain stubbornly stalled.

Antisemitic symbols and messages were found at three East Greenwich schools this week, weeks after a racist graffiti incident at a fourth school in the district. Superintendent Thomas Kenworthy is working with law enforcement and plans age-appropriate community education in response.

Former Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says harm done to the Department of Education over the past year will take decades to repair, citing the closure of seven civil rights enforcement offices and threats to Title III language acquisition grants for multilingual learners.