About Education in Rhode Island
Education leaders and advocates collaborated for over a year to establish a long-term education plan for Rhode Island and then worked with the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University to identify a set of measures to track collective progress. DataSpark at the University of Rhode Island is managing on-going data collection and visualization efforts.
A 10-year plan for Pre K thru 12 education Rhode Island
The Long Term Education Planning Committee, a 26-member group of educators, policymakers and leaders from the nonprofit and for-profit sectors convened at the request of the Foundation, worked together to develop a 10-year plan for improving education in Rhode Island. Click on a link below to read the plan, “Chart a Course, Stay the Course: Rhode Island’s Path to a World Class Public Education System."
In addition to a vision for the future of public education in Rhode Island, the plan includes a set of four priorities and accompanying strategies, including aligning the state funding formula with both state and local needs and sustaining a rigorous, statewide assessment system. The vision, priorities, strategies and associated suggested next steps were developed and endorsed by the full Committee.
Our Vision
Rhode Island’s world-class public education system prepares all students to succeed in life and contribute productively to the community.
- Put students at the center, ensuring that school is rewarding, engaging and responsive to interests and needs
- Respect, enable, empower and value teaching
- Serve students who are being left behind and close achievement and opportunity gaps
- Deliver relevant learning so students are prepared for the current and future economy
Our Priorities
- Root the public education system in rigorous standards, aligned curriculum and instruction, and ongoing assessment.
- Invest in the development and retention of excellent teachers, education support professionals, and school leaders who reflect the community they serve.
- Commit to meaningful and sustained investments that promote excellence and distribute resources equitably based on student, school, and community needs.
- Institute governance structures that are coherent and effective, with clear roles and responsibilities at the state, district, and school levels.
Evaluation Framework
The committee identified a set of approximately 35 indicators, in partnership with Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University and DataSpark at the University of Rhode Island that this site is tracking to help benchmark, measure progress, and drive local strategies and tactics. These indicators, and this site, will help identify educational inequities.
Through the data presented on these pages it is apparent that Rhode Island has persistent and significant disparities in race, ethnicity, and income across a number of educational outcomes. We will also use the data to highlight promising practices in districts and schools across the state to demonstrate how we can move toward an improved system for our students.
Who We Are: The Long Term Education Planning Committee
The committee includes representatives from all corners of the education sector in Rhode Island. Committee members have worked together, with input from the community, to identify the most pressing needs and commit to state-level coordination and institutional decision-making that will address those needs over the long-term.