A new three-year charter school moratorium in Rhode Island is raising concerns that it could weaken workforce competitiveness and limit options for families.
The measure, signed on June 18 by Gov. Daniel J. McKee, halts new charter schools and prevents expansions of existing charters for three years. It also permanently reduces the statewide cap from 35 to 28 charter schools.
Supporters say the freeze will stabilize funding for school districts, keep control local and ease concerns about declining enrollment.
But critics, including the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and a local chamber of commerce, argue that the suspension narrows education options as Rhode Island competes with neighboring Massachusetts for families and skilled workers.
“At a time when many parents and employers remain concerned about educational outcomes and workforce readiness across our region, limiting access to innovative school models is a step in the wrong direction,” said Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce CEO Erin Donovan-Boyle.
For RIPEC CEO and President Michael DiBiase, charter schools’ academic performance is central to strengthening the state’s workforce and retaining families.
A 2019 Stanford University study found Rhode Island charter school students posted stronger academic gains than peers in traditional districts, he said. And in February, a RIPEC report found that charters outperform districts in reducing absenteeism.
“Charter public schools are one of the few bright spots in Rhode Island’s K-12 system,” DiBiase said. “Limiting that opportunity for working families is a terrible idea.”
Those academic and attendance gains often shape whether working families choose to stay in – or move to – Rhode Island, said Chiara Deltito-Sharrott, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Charter Public Schools.
“Education is a major component families look at when making decisions about moving to Rhode Island,” she said.
With charter expansion now paused, she said skilled workers may factor that constraint into where they choose to live and work.
DiBiase said families comparing Rhode Island with neighboring states will quickly see differences. RIPEC has found that Massachusetts continues to outperform Rhode Island on key education metrics.
That also matters to employers weighing where to expand and where workers choose to build careers, DiBiase said.
Meanwhile, demand for charter schools already far exceeds supply, according to Deltito-Sharrott. League figures show about 6,000 students remain on charter school waitlists annually.
Charter schools, she said, are heavily concentrated in Rhode Island’s lowest-performing communities, where families often have limited in-district options.
In Providence, Pawtucket and Woonsocket – where RIPEC data shows persistent gaps in student performance – supporters argue that charters provide an education alternative.
The moratorium has halted the proposed De La Comunidad Bilingual Charter School in Providence, which had completed its 18-month approval process. It was expected to add roughly 600 seats over eight years.
“When access contracts, it doesn’t just affect classrooms – it reshapes opportunity,” said Janie Segui Rodriguez, founder and CEO of Stop the Wait RI.
The legislation was introduced by Sen. Melissa Murray, D-Woonsocket, and Rep. Mary Duffy Messier, D-Pawtucket, before being signed into law by McKee, long a champion of mayoral academy charter schools. The lawmakers and McKee’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez said access to a good education remains a major factor for many families.
“If you want people to stay here, you have to make sure they see a future here,” she said.
