PROVIDENCE – Thirty public school districts across the state received close to $3.8 million in grants aimed to support launches or expanding extended student learning programing in alignment with Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s new “Learn 365 RI” initiative, McKee and the R.I. Department of Education announced Tuesday.
Back in April, McKee launched Learn 365 RI, which he says is a new strategy to help boost education in Rhode Island and exceed Massachusetts’ academic levels by 2030. Along with shifting education beyond 180 days, McKee’s plan also proposes a goal to cumulatively add at least 1 million out-of-school learning time per year.
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To reach the goal, the state allocated $4 million in state emergency education relief funds received from the federal government to help students and families recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program’s goal is to improve learning outcomes in three key areas. Those areas are higher math and English language scores on the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System exams, school attendance rates and Free Application for Federal Student Aid completion rates.
In a statement, McKee says state and local leaders, by working together, will ensure that students will have the support and resources to recover and excel academically. R.I. Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green said in her respective statement Tuesday the funding is “direct investments” to expand education access to help “get our students back on track.”
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The funding ranges from $50,000 to $400,000. Barrington, Bristol, Cranston, Coventry, Cumberland, East Greenwich, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Lincoln, Little Compton, New Shoreham, North Smithfield, Portsmouth, Providence, Richmond, Scituate, Warwick, Warren, West Warwick, Westerly and Woonsocket all are receiving the standard $50,000 grants.
Nine districts are receiving six-figure grants. The districts, and their amounts, are:
- Burrillville – $286,990
- Central Falls – $394,564
- East Providence – $340,000
- Middletown – $203,445
- Newport – $345,000
- North Kingstown – $305,000
- Pawtucket – $310,000
- Smithfield – $240,000
- South Kingstown – $325,000
Multiple school districts have since signed pledges to be part of Learn 365 RI, and now some received funding to be allocated toward the initiative. However McKee’s Learn 365 RI education plan has been met with skepticism and educators moving forward want additional details for state leaders as to how it will work.
(Update: Corrects number of districts receiving funding to 30, Barrington, Cranston, Cumberland, Providence, Warren, and Westerly added as recipients)
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
