Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s education finance system continues to uphold the principle that funding follows the student, with FY2025 allocations of $2.0 billion for P–12 and $1.47 billion for higher education, representing about 25% of the state budget. Funding priorities highlight multilingual learners, absenteeism reduction, student wellness, facilities, and professional learning, while higher education emphasizes affordability, credential attainment, and PK–20 pathways. The funding formula remains unchanged since 2016, yet districts face declining enrollment, teacher shortages, and rising special education costs.