Home Nonprofit & Education Education State launches new math skills initiative, provides $2.1M in grants for support

State launches new math skills initiative, provides $2.1M in grants for support

By

James Bessette

-

02/13/2025

McKee math matters — GOV. DANIEL J. MCKEE speaks Thursday at Asa Messer Elementary School in Providence to launch the statewide Math Matters RI initiative. / COURTESY GOV. DANIEL J. MCKEE

PROVIDENCE – State officials on Thursday announced a new initiative to promote the importance of mathematics in local schools, as well as award multiple communities seven figures worth of grants to improve math skills. Gov. Daniel J. McKee, R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green and Providence Public School District Superintendent Javier Montañez unveiled the statewide Math

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PROVIDENCE – State officials on Thursday announced a new initiative to promote the importance of mathematics in local schools, as well as award multiple communities seven figures worth of grants to improve math skills. Gov. Daniel J. McKee, R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green and Providence Public School District Superintendent Javier Montañez unveiled the statewide Math Matters RI campaign. Additionally, 38 communities around Rhode Island will receive $2.1 million in Learn365RI grants aimed at improving math skills, and $725,000 more is allocated as a state set-aside for statewide intervention and support, officials say. The grants range from $15,000 to $225,000, which is what the city of Providence is getting. Three other communities – Pawtucket, Cranston and Woonsocket – received grants exceeding $100,000. Officials say the new program further focuses on improving math instruction and learning, citing positive trends in math Rhode Island Common Assessment System test results that have rebounded past pre-COVID-19-pandemic achievement levels. Despite growth in the RICAS, state officials say SAT proficiency in math – 21.7% – is still below what they were in 2018-19 [31.2%]. The grants, officials say, will support out-of-school time learning programs strongly focusing on math programs for students currently enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8. Also, grant recipients can offer math camps during the April vacation break, after-school and/or weekend programming and a four-week summer math program via Math Matters RI. “[R.I. Department of Education] is working diligently to expand access to high-quality math instruction for students and math-focused professional learning for teachers,” Infante-Green said in a statement, “and we know that the funds made available to communities through the governor’s Learn365RI initiative will complement and strengthen our efforts to improve math understanding and skills.” 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 X at @James_Bessette.