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H 7453Education

To Approve, Publish and Submit to the Electors a Proposition of Amendment to the Constitution - Right to an Adequate Education

Proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee an equitable, adequate education for all children and allows lawsuits against the state for noncompliance.

Held for study
Population
Affected
85
Email Legislator
Introduced Jan 30, 2026Committee House State Government & Elections

Plain-English Summary

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Rhode Island Constitution that would establish a fundamental right to a public education for all children in the state. If approved by the General Assembly, the amendment will be placed on the ballot for voters to decide at the next statewide general election.

The amendment specifically alters Article XII of the state constitution to mandate that the state and the General Assembly guarantee an 'equitable, adequate and meaningful education' to every child. Furthermore, it introduces a strict judicial enforcement mechanism, allowing individuals or entities who are harmed by the state's failure to meet this standard to file lawsuits in Superior Court seeking declaratory and injunctive relief.

If passed by the legislature and subsequently approved by a majority of voters, these constitutional changes would take effect on January 1, 2027. This represents a significant shift in state law by making educational adequacy a judicially enforceable constitutional right, potentially opening the door to court-mandated changes in how Rhode Island funds and manages its public schools.

For younger readers

This bill asks voters if they want to change the state constitution to guarantee that every child gets a good and fair education. If the state doesn't provide this, people would be allowed to take the state to court to force them to fix the problem.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Public school studentsParents and guardiansPublic school teachers and administratorsSchool districtsState legislatorsRhode Island taxpayers

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

Low - The bill itself is a constitutional amendment and follows the standard legislative process for referring an amendment to the voters.

Estimated cost
Not specified
Estimated revenue
Not specified

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Establishes education as a fundamental constitutional right for all children.
  • Promotes equity in school funding and resources across different districts.
  • Provides a powerful legal avenue for parents and advocates to hold the state accountable for underfunded or failing schools.
  • Relies on the court system for enforcement, which can be a slow and expensive process for marginalized communities.
  • The terms 'adequate' and 'meaningful' are subjective and could be interpreted narrowly by conservative judges.
  • Does not explicitly mandate a specific funding formula or new revenue source to achieve these goals.
For Conservatives
  • Reaffirms the state's fundamental duty to educate its citizens, which is essential for a functioning republic and strong economy.
  • Could lead to improved educational outcomes and workforce readiness.
  • Allows local entities to hold the state government accountable if it fails to meet its basic obligations.
  • Opens the state to costly, endless litigation over the subjective definition of an 'adequate' education.
  • Shifts power over education policy and state budgets from elected legislators to unelected judges.
  • Could force massive, court-mandated tax increases to fund new education spending requirements.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 11 additions · 4 deletions

RESOLVED, That a majority of members elected to each house of the general assembly voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State be proposed to the qualified electors of the State in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the Constitution for their approval and that it take the place of Article XII, Sections 1 and 2, which are hereby amended, effective January 1, 2027, to read as follows: ARTICLE XII OF EDUCATION

Section 1. Duty of general assembly to promote schools and libraries Fundamental right to a public education and the duty to promote public libraries. -- The diffusion of knowledge, as well as of virtue among the people, being essential to the preservation of their rights and liberties, it shall be the duty of the general assembly to promote public schools and public libraries, and to adopt all means which it may deem necessary and proper to secure to the people the advantages and opportunities of education and public library services. In furtherance of the duty to establish and maintain a system of free public schools, it shall be the additional duty of the general assembly and the state to guarantee an equitable, adequate and meaningful education to each child.

Section 2. Perpetual school fund. -- The money which now is or which may hereafter be appropriated by law for the establishment of a permanent fund for the support of public schools, shall be securely invested and remain a perpetual fund for that purpose. Judicial enforcement. -- This article shall be judicially enforceable. Any person or entity injured or threatened with any injury because of any noncompliance with its provisions shall be entitled to bring an action in Superior Court to enforce these provisions and to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief for any violation thereof.

RESOLVED, That this amendment shall take the place of

Section 1 and Section 2, Article XII, of the Constitution, effective January 1, 2027; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for general officers of the state; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall cause the said proposition of amendment to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, city, ward, or district meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the town, city, ward, and district meetings to be held as aforesaid shall be warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town, city, ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.