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S 2094Higher Education

Education - The Onward We Learn Scholarship Act

Mandates that surplus funds from state college scholarship programs be used to reimburse "Onward We Learn" for student costs.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Jan 16, 2026Committee Senate Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation modifies the funding structure for the "Onward We Learn" scholarship program. It mandates that if there are any leftover funds in the state budget for the "Rhode Island Promise" (Community College of Rhode Island) or "Rhode Island Hope" (Rhode Island College) scholarship programs after all eligible students are paid, those surplus funds must be used to reimburse "Onward We Learn." The reimbursement is specifically for scholarships the organization paid on behalf of students attending those respective colleges during the fiscal year.

For younger readers

The state has special piggy banks set aside to help students pay for college at two specific schools: the community college and a state college. Sometimes, at the end of the year, there is money left over in these piggy banks. This new rule says that if there is extra money, the state must give it to a group called "Onward We Learn." This group helps students pay for school. So, instead of the money sitting there unused, it goes to pay back the group for helping students go to college that year.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
College StudentsOnward We Learn OrganizationCommunity College of Rhode IslandRhode Island CollegeTaxpayers
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Ensures that funds already allocated for public higher education remain within the educational system to support student access, rather than reverting to the general fund.
  • Strengthens the financial stability of "Onward We Learn," an organization dedicated to helping low-income and first-generation students access higher education.
  • Promotes equity by creating a mechanism to backfill scholarship costs for vulnerable student populations attending Rhode Island's public colleges.
  • Relies on surplus "leftover" funding rather than establishing a guaranteed, increased recurring appropriation, creating financial uncertainty for the program.
  • Could potentially be used as a justification by future legislators to freeze or cut direct appropriations to "Onward We Learn," arguing that surplus transfers are sufficient.
  • Ties reimbursements specifically to attendance at CCRI and RIC, potentially limiting the financial benefit if the organization supports students attending other institutions.
For Conservatives
  • Utilizes existing allocated funds more efficiently without requiring tax increases or new appropriations to support the scholarship program.
  • Ensures that taxpayer money designated for education is actually used for student tuition rather than being absorbed into administrative overhead or other unrelated areas.
  • Supports a non-profit organization rather than creating a new government bureaucracy to distribute the funds.
  • Prevents unspent budget surpluses from being returned to the general fund or to taxpayers, effectively locking that money into government spending cycles.
  • Creates an automatic transfer mechanism that reduces legislative oversight on how specific year-end surpluses are managed or reallocated.
  • Continues to subsidize higher education costs through government intervention rather than allowing market forces to dictate tuition rates and affordability.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 13 additions · 1 deletion

SECTION 1. Section 16-70-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-70 entitled "The Onward We Learn Scholarship Act [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — the Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 16-70-5. Budget and appropriations. The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as it deems necessary as the state’s share for the support and maintenance of the onward we learn scholarship program, including operational and scholarship support, and the. Should funds remain from the enacted budget in any fiscal year from the Rhode Island promise scholarship program after the community college of Rhode Island has satisfied all eligible scholarships associated with chapter 107 of title 16 (“Rhode Island promise scholarship”), the office of the postsecondary commissioner is directed to reimburse onward we learn for any scholarships that onward we learn has paid on behalf of its students who have attended the community college of Rhode island in that respective fiscal year. In addition, should funds remain from the enacted budget in any fiscal year from the Rhode Island hope scholarship program after Rhode Island college has satisfied all eligible scholarships associated with chapter 113 of title 16 (“Rhode Island hope scholarship pilot program act”), the office of postsecondary commissioner is directed to reimburse onward we learn for any scholarships that onward we learn has paid on behalf of its students who have attended Rhode Island college in that respective fiscal year. The state controller is authorized and directed to draw their orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of the appropriations upon receipt by the state controller of the proper voucher the office of the postsecondary commissioner may provide. The office of the postsecondary commissioner shall present the voucher to the state controller no later than the last day of the first month of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made and this appropriation shall be remitted to the accounts of the onward we learn scholarship program by the state treasurer no later than the last day of the second month of the fiscal year.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.