Former Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says harm done to the Department of Education over the past year will take decades to repair, citing the closure of seven civil rights enforcement offices and threats to Title III language acquisition grants for multilingual learners.
The Central Falls City Council approved a resolution backing the SABE Act, which would build a stronger pipeline of bilingual and dual language educators in Rhode Island. The bill is still awaiting hearings in the House and Senate Finance Committees.
The Brown Daily Herald editorial board urges Brown University to direct its $50 million federal workforce development commitment toward teacher training programs, noting that $1.5 million of the first round of grants is already funding a bilingual educator credential program at the Community College of Rhode Island expected to produce up to 180 new teachers for Providence schools.
A Brown University Annenberg Institute paper finds the academic gap between the highest and lowest achieving students has grown significantly since 2005, driven largely by stagnation and steep COVID learning losses among struggling students, with gaps widening fastest in traditional public and Catholic schools.
Rhode Island joined a coalition of 17 states led by Massachusetts filing suit in federal court in Boston to block a Trump administration mandate requiring colleges to submit seven years of detailed admissions data by March 18, arguing the rushed requirement violates student privacy protections and imposes an unmanageable burden on institutions.
URI Feinstein College of Education seniors will take part in the first URI and Milken Network professional development conference during spring break, offering workshops on classroom management, trauma-informed practices, resume review, and career guidance as student teachers complete their residency placements across Rhode Island school districts.
Senate Democrats and education advocates marked one year since the U.S. Department of Education initiated sweeping mass layoffs, with Sen. Mazie Hirono leading a Capitol press conference to highlight the impact of staffing cuts on students and families as the Trump administration continues efforts to wind down the 46-year-old agency.
The Providence City Council passed a resolution calling for the Providence Public Schools to be returned to local elected control, ending the state oversight that has governed the district since 2019.
A Rhode Island lawmaker has launched a survey to gather information about students experiencing extended absences from school, as part of efforts to better understand and address chronic absenteeism in the state.
A Rhode Island House panel heard no opposition to legislation that would establish a statewide zero tolerance hazing policy for school sports, including penalties such as team suspensions and mandatory anti hazing pledges from coaches and athletes.
Copyright © 2026 Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP).All Rights Reserved. Union Made Website: Union Web Services