Bill Sponsors
Place, Hopkins, Roberts, Paplauskas, Nardone, Quattrocchi, Chippendale, and Fascia
Committee
House Education
Summary
Select
This legislation updates Rhode Island's education laws regarding curriculum standards. Currently, the state identifies high-quality curriculum materials for mathematics and English language arts that schools must adopt. This bill expands that requirement to include "science and technology." The Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with identifying approved science and technology curricula by January 31, 2026. Local school districts (LEAs) must subsequently select and implement one of these approved options by the start of the school year following June 30, 2026, unless they qualify for a waiver or an extension due to financial hardship.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Promotes educational equity by ensuring that students in lower-income districts have access to the same high-quality science and technology materials as those in wealthier districts.
- Maintains the requirement that selected curricula must be responsive to cultural and linguistic needs, supporting inclusivity within the classroom.
- Mandates professional development for teachers, ensuring that educators are properly supported and trained to implement new teaching materials effectively.
Cons for Progressives
- Explicitly aligns curriculum requirements with standardized testing (RICAS), which many progressives view as a flawed metric that narrows the educational experience.
- Reduces teacher autonomy and local control by forcing districts to choose from a state-approved list rather than allowing educators to design their own unique curriculum.
- May funnel public education funds toward large, corporate curriculum publishers rather than supporting open-source or locally developed educational resources.
Pros for Conservatives
- Increases accountability by requiring schools to align their teaching materials with state academic standards and standardized testing results.
- Includes a merit-based exemption that allows high-performing school districts (75% proficiency) to opt out of the state mandate, rewarding success.
- Ensures a focus on core academic subjects (science and technology) to prepare students for the workforce, rather than potentially subjective or non-academic topics.
Cons for Conservatives
- Diminishes local control by transferring decision-making power from locally elected school boards to the state Commissioner and unelected bureaucrats.
- Creates an unfunded mandate that forces local districts to spend taxpayer money on specific expensive curriculum packages and training.
- Expands the size and scope of state government influence over daily classroom operations, moving further away from decentralized governance.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Public School Students
- Science Teachers
- School Administrators
- School Committee Members
- Curriculum Publishers
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Amount unknown
Revenue Generated
None
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
Importance
Measures population affected and overall level of impact.
Freedom Impact
Level of individual freedom impacted by the bill.
Public Services
How much the bill is likely to impact one or more public services.
Regulatory
Estimated regulatory burden imposed on the subject(s) of the bill.
Clarity of Bill Language
How clear the language of the bill is. Higher ambiguity equals a lower score.
Enforcement Provisions
Measures enforcement provisions and penalties for non-compliance (if applicable).
Environmental Impact
Impact the bill will have on the environment, positive or negative.
Privacy Impact
Impact the bill is likely to have on the privacy of individuals.
Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to House Education
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Section 16-22-32 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-22 entitled "Curriculum [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — the Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:
16-22-32. High quality curriculum and materials.
(a)(1) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”) shall direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) to institute a process for reviewing and identifying curriculum and materials for mathematics, English language arts, and science and technology that meet the following requirements:
(i) Is aligned with the academic standards provided in § 16-22-30;
(ii) Is aligned with the curriculum frameworks provided in § 16-22-31;
(iii) Is aligned with the RICAS, or any other test that is adopted as a statewide standardized test; and
(iv) Is of high quality.
(2) The commissioner shall identify at least five (5) examples each of curricula for mathematics and English language arts pursuant to this section by no later than January 1, 2021, for science and technology pursuant to this section by no later than January 31, 2026, and again as required by the council’s procedures set forth in subsection (a)(8) of this section. Once identified, the curricula shall be made available to the public, subject to copyright considerations.
(3) The commissioner shall direct all local education agencies (“LEAs”) to select one of the identified high-quality curricula and materials by the time of their next adoption cycle, but in any case, no later than June 30, 2023, for mathematics and English language arts, and no later than June 30, 2026, for science and technology. LEAs shall select curriculum and materials that are responsive to the LEA’s cultural and linguistic needs, and support culturally responsive practices. LEAs shall implement the high-quality curricula and materials at the start of the school year that immediately follows the selection. If an LEA is unable to implement the high-quality curricula and materials fully due to financial hardship, the commissioner may grant the LEA an extension of time, provided that the LEA demonstrates continued efforts to complete the implementation.
(4) The commissioner shall institute a waiver process for LEAs that would like to use a curriculum other than any identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section. Part of that process may include, but is not limited to, asking the LEA to:
(i) Develop local curriculum goals;
(ii) Communicate the rationale for selecting the proposed curriculum over any of the curricula identified by the commissioner; and
(iii) Engage a third-party reviewer that has a proven track record of curriculum audits to review the proposed curriculum to ensure it aligns with state standards, establishes the scope and sequence of instruction, is of high quality, is culturally relevant, and to discuss any other strengths and weaknesses.
(5) Waiver determinations made pursuant to subsection (a)(4) of this section shall be appealable to the board of education. Any LEA may petition the commissioner to use a lower-cost curriculum program, if the program is substantially similar to other programs identified and approved by the commissioner. In order to petition for the lower-cost curriculum, the LEA shall present to the commissioner evidence that the LEA's proposed alternative curriculum is also of high quality and would be appropriate for the LEA's students.
(6) Any LEA that has at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its students meeting expectations on state assessments and also has no student subgroup identified for targeted assistance under Rhode Island’s accountability process may select and use curricula and materials other than any identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section for that subject area, only; provided, however, that if the LEA no longer has at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its students meeting expectations on state assessments, or if any student subgroup is identified for targeted assistance under Rhode Island’s accountability process, the LEA must select and implement one of the curricula identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section.
(7) LEAs shall develop and execute a curriculum implementation plan that includes professional development to ensure that all teachers and administrators are prepared to implement LC003625 - Page 2 of 4 the new curriculum with the necessary skill and knowledge.
(8) The council shall develop procedures for updating the identification of curricula and materials pursuant to this section by no later than September 1, 2021. The procedures shall include a requirement that the council review and evaluate the identified curricula and materials regularly to ensure that the high quality of the curricula and materials is maintained. The review cycle shall begin in 2025, with subsequent reviews taking place in 2029, 2033, and every four (4) years thereafter.
(b) On or before December 1, 2020, and annually thereafter on or before December 1, the commissioner shall report to the governor, president of the senate, and the speaker of the house, regarding the progress toward fulfilling the requirements of this section, including, but not limited to, the high-quality curricula and materials identified, selected, and implemented by LEAs pursuant to this section.
(c) The state shall establish a professional development fund to provide professional learning to LEAs that elect to use prioritized curricula and materials in mathematics and English language arts as identified by the commissioner.
(d) For the purposes of this section, “local education agencies” (“LEAs”) shall include all of the following within the state of Rhode Island:
(1) Public school districts;
(2) Regional school districts;
(3) State-operated schools;
(4) Regional collaborative schools; and
(5) Charter schools.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
16-22-32. High quality curriculum and materials.
(a)(1) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”) shall direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) to institute a process for reviewing and identifying curriculum and materials for mathematics, English language arts, and science and technology that meet the following requirements:
(i) Is aligned with the academic standards provided in § 16-22-30;
(ii) Is aligned with the curriculum frameworks provided in § 16-22-31;
(iii) Is aligned with the RICAS, or any other test that is adopted as a statewide standardized test; and
(iv) Is of high quality.
(2) The commissioner shall identify at least five (5) examples each of curricula for mathematics and English language arts pursuant to this section by no later than January 1, 2021, for science and technology pursuant to this section by no later than January 31, 2026, and again as required by the council’s procedures set forth in subsection (a)(8) of this section. Once identified, the curricula shall be made available to the public, subject to copyright considerations.
(3) The commissioner shall direct all local education agencies (“LEAs”) to select one of the identified high-quality curricula and materials by the time of their next adoption cycle, but in any case, no later than June 30, 2023, for mathematics and English language arts, and no later than June 30, 2026, for science and technology. LEAs shall select curriculum and materials that are responsive to the LEA’s cultural and linguistic needs, and support culturally responsive practices. LEAs shall implement the high-quality curricula and materials at the start of the school year that immediately follows the selection. If an LEA is unable to implement the high-quality curricula and materials fully due to financial hardship, the commissioner may grant the LEA an extension of time, provided that the LEA demonstrates continued efforts to complete the implementation.
(4) The commissioner shall institute a waiver process for LEAs that would like to use a curriculum other than any identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section. Part of that process may include, but is not limited to, asking the LEA to:
(i) Develop local curriculum goals;
(ii) Communicate the rationale for selecting the proposed curriculum over any of the curricula identified by the commissioner; and
(iii) Engage a third-party reviewer that has a proven track record of curriculum audits to review the proposed curriculum to ensure it aligns with state standards, establishes the scope and sequence of instruction, is of high quality, is culturally relevant, and to discuss any other strengths and weaknesses.
(5) Waiver determinations made pursuant to subsection (a)(4) of this section shall be appealable to the board of education. Any LEA may petition the commissioner to use a lower-cost curriculum program, if the program is substantially similar to other programs identified and approved by the commissioner. In order to petition for the lower-cost curriculum, the LEA shall present to the commissioner evidence that the LEA's proposed alternative curriculum is also of high quality and would be appropriate for the LEA's students.
(6) Any LEA that has at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its students meeting expectations on state assessments and also has no student subgroup identified for targeted assistance under Rhode Island’s accountability process may select and use curricula and materials other than any identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section for that subject area, only; provided, however, that if the LEA no longer has at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its students meeting expectations on state assessments, or if any student subgroup is identified for targeted assistance under Rhode Island’s accountability process, the LEA must select and implement one of the curricula identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section.
(7) LEAs shall develop and execute a curriculum implementation plan that includes professional development to ensure that all teachers and administrators are prepared to implement LC003625 - Page 2 of 4 the new curriculum with the necessary skill and knowledge.
(8) The council shall develop procedures for updating the identification of curricula and materials pursuant to this section by no later than September 1, 2021. The procedures shall include a requirement that the council review and evaluate the identified curricula and materials regularly to ensure that the high quality of the curricula and materials is maintained. The review cycle shall begin in 2025, with subsequent reviews taking place in 2029, 2033, and every four (4) years thereafter.
(b) On or before December 1, 2020, and annually thereafter on or before December 1, the commissioner shall report to the governor, president of the senate, and the speaker of the house, regarding the progress toward fulfilling the requirements of this section, including, but not limited to, the high-quality curricula and materials identified, selected, and implemented by LEAs pursuant to this section.
(c) The state shall establish a professional development fund to provide professional learning to LEAs that elect to use prioritized curricula and materials in mathematics and English language arts as identified by the commissioner.
(d) For the purposes of this section, “local education agencies” (“LEAs”) shall include all of the following within the state of Rhode Island:
(1) Public school districts;
(2) Regional school districts;
(3) State-operated schools;
(4) Regional collaborative schools; and
(5) Charter schools.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.