Strengthening K-12 Education
Raising educational outcomes will provide the state with a quality workforce that is ready for employment, college, and other skill training opportunities. By focusing on preparing our students to achieve their greatest potential, Rhode Island will be ready to meet future employment needs and provide businesses with well-trained employees.
Expanding Year-Round Out-Of-School Learning Opportunities
- As of July 2025, broke ground on Community Learning Centers in Central Falls, Coventry, East Greenwich, and Lincoln. A Governor McKee initiative, the Community Learning Centers will provide education, workforce development, and health monitoring programs in more than 20 communities across the state. Construction for many is actively under way and all will be complete by December 2026.
- Continued to support Attendance Matters RI, the state’s strategy to improve student attendance through the Student Attendance Leaderboard—a dashboard that has been accessed over 30,000 times since its launch and provides families, educators, and community leaders with real-time data on chronic absenteeism by school and district.
- Released new information that shows the impact that student chronic absenteeism has on students successfully graduating. According to the latest graduation data, students who were never chronically absent had a 4-year graduation rate of 96.2%, compared to a graduation rate of 58.9% for students who were chronically absent for all four years of high school.
- Launched the Math Matters RI campaign in 2025 to celebrate and elevate the importance of mathematics and boost math proficiency statewide. As part of the initiative, 25 municipalities received $2.1 million in Learn365RI
grants to expand access to math-focused programming both in and out of the classroom— funding more than 30 summer programs for students in kindergarten through ninth grade. To date, more than $10 million has been awarded across three rounds of Learn365RI grants.
- Hosted the Math Matters RI – Count Us In! Extravaganza in May 2025, a free statewide event sponsored by over a dozen local and national organizations and attended by more than 700 students, families, and educators. The extravaganza featured family-friendly activities including math games for all ages, a special Counted Out movie screening, a fireside chat with special guests, and workshops for parents and educators.
Investing in All Students
- Ranked 7th in the nation for public school systems, according to WalletHub’s 2025 analysis—earning strong marks in both quality (#8) and safety (#8) metrics—solidifying Rhode Island’s reputation for providing safe, high-performing K-12 education.
- Capped the local share holdback for public charter schools and mayoral academies to ensure greater financial predictability and stability for these established public schools in the FY 2026 budget.
- Signed legislation into law in 2025 requiring school districts to have a policy on cell phones and other electronic devices in schools to reduce distractions and maintain environments focused on learning.
Expanding Career and Technical Education Opportunities
- Launched the Blue Youth Innovation Grant program in collaboration with Rhode Island Commerce, the Department of Labor and Training (DLT), and the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) to increase student interest and skills in careers that support industries critical to the success of the Ocean Tech Hub. The Blue Youth Innovation Grant seeks to prepare at least 100 students for future learning and employment in up-andcoming industries critical to our national and regional economic development and security.
