Rhode Island

Approximately a decade ago, the Rhode Island state legislature reformed their state's public schools funding formula. This reform included novel principles to the ways in which funding "follow[ed]" students and a mechanism allowing "for disproportion in funding for local education agencies (LEAs) considering differences in per-pupil funding."¹ During the 2020 Rhode Island legislative session, these reforms were reviewed by a Special Legislative Task Force and substantive recommendations were made. Additionally, Rhode Island legislated changes to public school funding. There were nearly 30 bills² presented during the legislative session that could have impacted education and school funding, yet it was not a bill that led to funding changes, instead it was a global pandemic, COVID-19. This pandemic not only impacted school funding but also led to the closure of schools and implementation of online learning.

Funding priorities for p-12 and higher education

Rhode Island enacted over $1.047 billion in P-12 education funding for the fiscal year (FY) 2020.³ Funding priorities in P-12 public school education included early childhood education, extension of school resource officer programs, and afterschool and extended day programs. While some of these programs, e.g. early childhood and reducing class sizes, have been funding priorities in previous legislative sessions, other priorities, e.g. school resource officer (SRO) programs designated to provide additional funding for newly hired SROs, were new. Further, with the pandemic and the passage of federal legislation such as the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Rhode Island increased aid to P-12 schools by $46.4 million.⁴ The majority of this funding, $41.7 million, was allocated "to purchase technology to support online learning, and administrative planning during long-term school closures".⁵ Finally, due to school closures, an SAT Waiver was written, reducing testing funds by $500,000 during FY 2020.

Rhode Island enacted $184,800,000 to higher education (HE) funding for FY 2020. The HE funding priorities included scholarship programs for students pursuing medical professions and monies to support the identification of post-secondary students who were eligible to receive an exemption from paying nonresident tuition at public universities or colleges. Yet, it was the additional $29.5 million of funding received from the CARES Act that supported another priority. This priority would focus on emergency aid to HE students in the form of student grants. These monies were not eligible for all HE students, instead, "Only students who receive federal financial aid [were] eligible for the emergency aid. This exclude[d] undocumented and foreign students, as well as students enrolled exclusively in online coursework."⁶

Changes to funding formula for p-12

While there were not changes to the P-12 funding formula, the Special Legislative Task Force to Study Rhode Island's Education Funding Formula released their findings and recommendations. Among these findings was quantifying the amount of additional funds that were generated since the change in the funding formula. Released in this report, the chairman of the state's task force stated, "Now reaching full implementation, the formula [that was implemented in 2010] has delivered 280 million additional dollars to schools across our state…"⁷ Additionally, the task force made 15 recommendations. These recommendations included requirements for the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) to annually publish the "state and local share calculations as part of the budget process,"⁸ improve efficacy, and address issues related to the weight and programing for English language learners, students who have been identified as living in poverty, and students who have special needs. Additionally, the SLTF recommended adopting a "Massachusetts-style model, where the total amount of an LEA's budget… can be allocated to charter school tuitions [and] is tied to an LEA's student performance data and providing superintendents in LEAs with power to approve students to attend pathways at alternative LEAs."

Pressing state issues affecting p-12 and/or higher education funding

While the goals from Rhode Island's strategic plan, 2020 Vision for Education,⁹ included many priorities, e.g. early childhood education, teacher and leader support, the most pressing issue affecting P-12 and...