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S 3147Education

Education - Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act

This bill expands Rhode Island's prekindergarten programs to enroll at least 70% of three- and four-year-olds statewide.

Introduced33 Yea4 Nay1 Not voting
Population
Affected
28
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 27, 2026Committee Senate Education

Plain-English Summary

This bill expands Rhode Island's prekindergarten education program to offer high-quality early childhood education to at least 70% of all three- and four-year-old children in the state. It utilizes a mixed-delivery system that includes Head Start, public schools, and licensed childcare providers. The legislation establishes specific quality standards for these programs, such as class size limits, teacher certification requirements, and support for students with special needs and English language learners. Additionally, it requires that funding be adjusted to ensure prekindergarten teachers receive wages and benefits comparable to kindergarten teachers.

For younger readers

This bill changes the rules for preschools in Rhode Island. It sets a rule that at least 70 out of every 100 three- and four-year-old kids will be able to go to a good preschool. It lists rules these schools must follow, like how many kids can be in one class and making sure kids learn through playing. It also makes sure preschool teachers get paid the same amount of money as kindergarten teachers do.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Three- and four-year-old childrenParents of preschool-aged childrenEarly childhood educatorsChildcare providers and Head Start programsPublic school districts
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. The bill expands public education services, establishes regulatory standards for participating schools, and adjusts wage requirements for state-funded programs. It does not appear to infringe on free speech, due process, or protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Massively expands access to early childhood education, providing a generous public service that directly supports low-income and disadvantaged families.
  • Ensures fair labor standards and promotes economic justice by mandating that early childhood educators receive wages and benefits competitive with kindergarten teachers.
  • Mandates inclusive support for students with special needs and English language learners, advancing educational equity and systemic reform for marginalized groups.
  • Fails to guarantee universal (100%) prekindergarten access, settling for a target of 70%, which may still leave some disadvantaged children without early education.
  • Conditions the expansion of the program and the mandated wage increases on the phrase "as funds are available," leaving the initiative vulnerable to budget shortfalls and underfunding.
  • Relies on a mixed-delivery system that includes private childcare providers, which could potentially divert public education funds away from traditional public school districts.
For Conservatives
  • Utilizes a mixed-delivery system that includes private and family childcare providers, supporting private enterprise rather than creating a total government monopoly on early education.
  • Notes that early childhood education generates substantial government cost savings by reducing the future need for cash assistance, public welfare benefits, and incarceration.
  • Encourages alternative workforce development through apprenticeships and postsecondary credit for prior work experience, reducing the reliance on expensive, traditional four-year college degrees.
  • Significantly increases government spending and expands the welfare state by aiming to enroll 70% of all three- and four-year-olds in publicly funded prekindergarten.
  • Interferes with the free market by mandating that prekindergarten teacher wages and benefits be artificially inflated to match those of kindergarten teachers.
  • Imposes strict, centralized government regulations on private and family childcare providers regarding curriculum, class sizes, observations, and staffing ratios.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 52 additions · 2 deletions

SECTION 1. Sections 16-87-2 and 16-87-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-87 entitled "Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act" are hereby amended to read as follows: 16-87-2. Findings.

(a) The general assembly hereby finds that attending high quality early childhood education programs help children develop important social and cognitive skills and knowledge that prepares children to succeed in school. Research has shown long-lasting benefits for children who participate in very high quality, educationally focused early childhood programs. The benefits to children can also generate substantial government cost savings, including reduced need for special education services, reduced need for cash assistance and other public benefits, and reduced rates of incarceration.

(b) The general assembly finds that there are substantial numbers of children in Rhode Island entering kindergarten who are not adequately prepared to succeed in school. Early school failure may ultimately contribute to such children dropping out of school at an early age, failing to achieve their full potential, becoming dependent upon public assistance, or becoming involved in criminal activities.

(c) Furthermore, the general assembly finds that there is an existing infrastructure of early childhood programs in Rhode Island serving preschool age children in full-day and half-day programs that is supported through state and federal investments in child care, Head Start and special education. It is the goal of the general assembly to support a system of publicly-funded, high quality prekindergarten education programs that are operated through a diverse delivery network, including child care, Head Start and public school districts.

(d) The general assembly also finds that Head Start programs have provided comprehensive services and high-quality early childhood education to children and families for decades, improving children’s cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills as well as reducing family conflict and improving family educational attainment and self-sufficiency. Rhode Island invests state funds to sustain and expand access to Head Start, support more competitive teacher salaries, and help programs meet their federally-required twenty percent (20%) state or local funding match. (d)(e) By enacting this law, the general assembly acknowledges the need to adequately prepare all children to succeed in school by providing access to publicly-funded high quality prekindergarten education programs for all children ages three (3) and four (4) through both the state managed prekindergarten program and the federally-managed Head Start program. 16-87-4. Early childhood workforce development.

(a) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall work with other state departments and private philanthropy to establish the department of human services to sustain and expand the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood program, a statewide, comprehensive, research-based early childhood workforce development scholarship program to expand the number of early childhood educators who have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and who work with children from birth to age five (5). (b)(1) In furtherance of the goals set forth in this chapter, no later than January 1, 2023, the governor’s workforce board shall convene a working group comprised of representatives from the department of elementary and secondary education, department of human services, office of the postsecondary commissioner, the RI early learning council, organized labor, and early childhood education industry employers, whose purpose shall be to identify barriers to entry into the early childhood education workforce, and to design accessible and accelerated pathways into the workforce, including, but not limited to, registered apprenticeships and postsecondary credit for prior work experience.

(2) No later than April 1, 2023, the working group shall provide the general assembly with recommendations for addressing the barriers to workforce entry and implementing the solutions identified by the working group; the recommendations shall outline any administrative and legislative action that would be required by participating agencies to implement the recommendations.

SECTION 2. Chapter 16-87 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 16-87-8. Prekindergarten implementation and expansion.

(a) The state prekindergarten program model, managed by the department of elementary and secondary education, shall be sustained and, as funds are available, expanded in a mixed- delivery system that includes Head Start programs, local education agencies, licensed center-based childcare providers, and licensed family childcare providers or family childcare networks in order that no less than seventy percent (70%) of all children ages three (3) and four (4) are enrolled in high-quality prekindergarten options.

(b) The department of elementary and secondary education is hereby authorized to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations for the implementation of the state-managed high- quality prekindergarten options.

(c) Research-based quality standards for the state-managed prekindergarten program shall be defined in rules and regulations promulgated by the department and shall meet or exceed the recommended quality standards for state preschool programs outlined by the National Institute for Early Education Research or the federal Head Start Performance Standards. Quality standards shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) Teacher education and certification;

(2) Class size and staff ratios;

(3) Learning time;

(4) Developmentally appropriate, evidence-based learning standards;

(5) Curriculum prioritizing developmentally appropriate, play-based learning;

(6) Access, inclusion and support for students with special needs, including a system to ensure delivery of high-quality, inclusive early education services required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to children with developmental delays and disabilities who are enrolled in community-based programs which may or may not be located in the same municipality where the child lives;

(7) Support for English language learners;

(8) Professional development;

(9) Child assessments; and

(10) Observations and coaching to improve practice.

(d) To whatever extent deemed appropriate and efficient by the department, quality standards may be differentiated by prekindergarten education setting and include federal support and oversight for the Head Start Performance Standards, such that every provider in a mixed delivery model is able and expected to meet research-based quality standards.

(e) Funds to sustain and expand the state prekindergarten program managed by the department of elementary and secondary education and funds to sustain and expand access to Head Start programs in Rhode Island, managed by the department of human services, shall be allocated and regularly adjusted to ensure teacher wages and benefits are competitive with similarly qualified kindergarten teacher wages and benefits.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.