Committee
Rhode Island Senate Education Committee
Links
| Bill | Bill Name | Progress | Referral Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| H5088 | Mandates the use of a soft-shell helmet cover that adds a padded, soft-shell layer to the outside of a traditional football helmet, for students participating in Rhode Island interscholastic league football. | Dead | 06/11/2025 |
| H5162 | Incorporates the department of elementary and secondary education's SurveyWorks school climate indicators for evaluating the performance of LEAs and individual public schools. | Dead | 03/21/2025 |
| H5163 | Provides that the commissioner of elementary and secondary education directs all local education agencies to select one of the identified high-quality curricula and materials for science and technology no later than June 30, 2026. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 03/21/2025 |
| H5165 | Requires the school board or committees of cities and towns to establish a safety and behavioral health committee and also lays out the representation requirements committee responsibilities to ensure a stable learning environment for all students. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 05/02/2025 |
| H5176 | Prohibits an educational institution or school district from accessing or using location data for tracking a student's institutional device or personal device, except in limited circumstances. | Dead | 03/21/2025 |
| H5251 | Allows the school building administration or teachers in all grades to provide the opportunity for students to observe a brief moment of silence on every September 11. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 05/23/2025 |
| H5292 | Requires that the basic education program data collection information for students that attend career and technical education schools be charged to the receiving school district and not the sending school district. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 05/02/2025 |
| H5420 | Amends the definitions of a “pupil transportation vehicle” to a vehicle contrasted to seat not more than ten (10) passengers plus the operator, rather than the existing limit of eight (8) passengers. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 05/02/2025 |
| H5422 | Amends the certain provisions relative to school waste recycling and refuse disposal and requires reports of waste audits by educational entities and reports of program participation by vendors. | Dead | 06/20/2025 |
| H5593 | Amends the composition of the Urban Collaborative and provide that the collaborative be governed by a board of trustees. | Dead | 06/02/2025 |
| H5603 | Allows emergency preliminary certificates for teaching to be issued for up to a total of five (5) school years. | Dead | 06/02/2025 |
| H5838 | Would provide additional procedural safeguards for English as a second language learners and English language learners during the IEP process. | Dead | 06/11/2025 |
| S0019 | Allows for the establishment of innovation schools for the purpose of improving school performance and student achievement through increased autonomy and flexibility. | Dead | 01/23/2025 |
| S0020 | Directs the commissioner of postsecondary education to prepare a strategic plan for public higher education which is aligned with the goals of the board of education's strategic plan. | Dead | 01/23/2025 |
| S0021 | Extends teacher certifications without fee or penalty for three (3) or five (5) years for teachers who hold certifications as of July 1, 2025. | Dead | 01/23/2025 |
| S0022 | Reduces the time, from three (3) years to one year, required for a nonimmigrant foreign national student, who has resided in Rhode Island, to be eligible to pay the same in-state tuition as any other Rhode Island student. | Dead | 01/23/2025 |
| S0176 | Establishes the Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Disabilities Act. | Dead | 02/07/2025 |
| S0177 | JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- RIGHT TO AN ADEQUATE EDUCATION (Amends the constitution to guarantee Rhode Island residents with equal opportunity to receive an education that is adequate, equitable and meaningful and provides judicial enforcement of this provision.) | Dead | 02/07/2025 |
| S0178 | Requires every public school in Rhode Island to have a school library or library media center in a permanent and dedicated space available to students in grades K-12 with a librarian available. | Dead | 02/07/2025 |
| S0179 | Allows teachers in all grades to provide the opportunity for students to observe a brief moment of silence on every September 11. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 02/07/2025 |
| S0230 | Authorizes the school administration to issue an out-of-school suspension to students if they are a threat to the safety of others. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0231 | Establishes a task force managed by the children’s cabinet to develop recommendations to improve access to early intervention and early childhood special education services. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0232 | Prohibits an educational institution or school district from accessing or using location data for tracking a student's institutional device or personal device, except in limited circumstances. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0233 | Repeals the establishment of statewide academic standards for core subjects and the implementation into the curriculum of all public schools. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0234 | Requires transition planning for high school students with disabilities, who have a “504” plan, like the transition planning required for high school students with disabilities, who have an individualized education program (IEP). | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0235 | Requires the school board or committees of cities and towns to establish a safety and behavioral health committee and also lays out the representation requirements committee responsibilities to ensure a stable learning environment for all students. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 02/13/2025 |
| S0236 | Mandates the use of a soft-shell helmet cover that adds a padded, soft-shell layer to the outside of a traditional football helmet, for students participating in Rhode Island interscholastic league football. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0237 | Provides protections for students and parents against discrimination on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression in schools. Allows students to pray or engage in religious activities before, during or after school. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0238 | Promotes free expression and access of information by prohibiting the censorship of library materials. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 02/13/2025 |
| S0239 | Directs the departments of human services and education to work together to sustain and strengthen existing workforce development and compensation programs for educators working in licensed child care and early learning programs statewide. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0240 | Creates the Rhode Island Childcare Assistance Program that governs both family eligibility for the state’s childcare subsidy program and expands eligibility for the program to meet the federal eligibility benchmark. | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0247 | Provides that the early intervention program for developmentally disabled infants be under the jurisdiction of the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS). | Dead | 02/13/2025 |
| S0319 | Replaces the existing chapter on this subject by requiring school districts to organize concussion oversight teams, develop removal-from-play, return-to-play, and return-to-learn protocols, and develop a concussion brochure. | Dead | 02/21/2025 |
| S0320 | Requires all school districts to designate a certified athletic trainer at each high school within its district. | Dead | 02/21/2025 |
| S0321 | Requires certified athletic trainers to be trained in the administration of epinephrine auto-injectors (epi-pens) and would require such professionals to be equipped with the medication while performing professional activities. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 02/21/2025 |
| S0322 | Establishes "The Children's Cardiac Safety Act", and provide for childhood cardiac screening based on modules that incorporate current best practices. | Dead | 02/21/2025 |
| S0323 | Provides that the commissioner of elementary and secondary education directs all local education agencies to select one of the identified high-quality curricula and materials for science and technology no later than June 30, 2026. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 02/21/2025 |
| S0389 | Provides that no new network charter school application shall be granted. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0390 | Would provide for better communication between sending and receiving districts regarding students receiving special education services. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0391 | Requires every elementary and secondary school within the State of Rhode Island to provide and maintain clearly visible and easily accessible trauma kits within the school. It also provides immunity if assistance is rendered. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0392 | Requires that one third of all Rhode Island teachers, each year for the next 3 years, be trained in the basic emergency and response skills curriculum ("BEARS"), specifically in hand-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation/Heimlich maneuver/bleeding control. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0393 | Permits students at failing schools to enroll in any public school and also established the Rhode Island education revitalization fund to provide funding to the school choice program. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0394 | Establishes guidelines for the expansion of high-quality public prekindergarten education programs for children ages three (3) and four (4) to increase children’s school readiness. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0395 | Provides that any school teaching sexual education to students shall provide the sexual education curriculum to every parent or guardian of a student, and the parent or legal guardian shall consent to the teaching of such sexual education curriculum. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0396 | Enables parents to review public school learning materials/object if the parent decides that the material is harmful. Also a parent may withdraw their student from the activity or class where the material is used and request an alternative assignment. | Dead | 02/26/2025 |
| S0397 | Reduces the course time required to become a school bus driver for applicants who have a valid commercial driver’s license. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 02/26/2025 |
| S0633 | Requires the names of any noncredentialled school employee who is terminated for good and just cause, to be furnished to the department of education. | Dead | 03/07/2025 |
| S0634 | Enables the Providence School Board to authorize local school-based councils to enhance communication between the board and the individual schools. | Dead | 03/07/2025 |
| S0635 | Requires immediate notification to the person in charge of the educational program when a child has a cardiac emergency and the head of the educational program must notify the department of education within 24 hours. | Dead | 03/07/2025 |
| S0636 | Amends the definitions of a “pupil transportation vehicle” to a vehicle contrasted to seat not more than ten (10) passengers plus the operator, rather than the existing limit of eight (8) passengers. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 03/07/2025 |
| S0637 | Requires the department of elementary and secondary education and DOH to adopt policies, rules and regulations for the administration of seizure rescue medications for children who have been medically identified as having epilepsy/seizure disorder. | Dead | 03/07/2025 |
| S0638 | Develops standards of civics education in grades K-12 teaching history in the state of Rhode Island, representative government, the rights and duties of actively engaged citizenship, principals of democracy, and media literacy. | Dead | 03/07/2025 |
| S0639 | Creates the School Libraries Act. | Dead | 03/07/2025 |
| S0640 | Updates the statutory terminology by replacing the phrase "institutions of higher learning" with that of "educational institutions" and redefines child daycare centers as educational institutions. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 03/07/2025 |
| S0745 | Amends the teachers' tenure act for Providence public school teachers and provides a process for the dismissal and demotion for teachers or other persons assigned full-time to the school. | Dead | 05/09/2025 |
| S0746 | Changes salary minimum schedule for providence teachers. | Dead | 05/09/2025 |
| S0747 | Allows the Providence public School district by reason of a substantial decrease of pupil population within its school system, to suspend teachers in numbers necessitated by the decrease in pupil population and provide a process for any suspensions. | Dead | 05/09/2025 |
| S0771 | Requires every public school to have a policy regarding the use of personal electronic devices on school grounds. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 03/14/2025 |
| S0772 | Increases the number of state child care licensing inspectors to meet the national recommended average of one inspector for every fifty (50) to sixty (60) child care providers. | Dead | 03/14/2025 |
| S0773 | Provides that the school year for all public schools, including traditional public and public charter schools, independent charter schools, and mayoral academies, would start on the same date of each calendar year. | Dead | 03/14/2025 |
| S0774 | RELATING EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | Dead | 03/14/2025 |
| S0860 | Allows the board of regents to appoint a receiver to manage a school district with the authority described in § 16-7.1-5.2 relating to state intervention in the Providence public school district. | Dead | 03/21/2025 |
| S0861 | Allows when authorized by the board of regents, the commissioner to designate a receiver for the district with all the powers of the superintendent and school committee. | Dead | 03/21/2025 |
| S0887 | Protects against discrimination based on disability in federally funded programs and activities, even if there is a change in the federal law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 03/27/2025 |
| S0888 | Provides that only a mayor or town administrator could be a voting member of the board of directors or trustees for a mayoral academy. | Dead | 03/27/2025 |
| S0889 | Amends the definition of “dual enrollment” to encompass all Rhode Island public higher education institutions and amends all statutory references regarding the same. | Dead | 03/27/2025 |
| S0922 | Requires the board of regents to adopt support and intervention strategies consistent with Comprehensive Education Strategy and SALT in one district at a time. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 03/28/2025 |
| S0937 | Requires that the basic education program data collection information for students that attend career and technical education schools be charged to the receiving school district and not the sending school district. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted | 04/04/2025 |
| S0971 | Establishes a prekindergarten seat finder to support families in accessing high quality early childhood education programs for three (3) and four (4) year old children. | Dead | 04/16/2025 |
| S0972 | Amends the composition of school bus districts within the state to provide transportation to students in grades kindergarten through 12. | Dead | 04/16/2025 |