Children, Families, and Education

Even before the pandemic, families struggled to access affordable and equitable early learning opportunities and health services. The pandemic aggravated these problems and introduced new ones, such as disruptions to regular preventative care that is often the front door to services. These investments are aimed at providing Rhode Island children and families the supports they need to grow and succeed.

Some projects are also focused on education across the spectrum - from K-12 to adult learners returning to the classroom - to address learning loss and create new pathways of opportunity.

The project is providing $37.4 million in Child Care Retention Bonuses for full- and part-time educators at child care centers and licensed family providers, as well as $0.6 million in Child Care Family Provider Support to help launch new licensed family providers.

The Rhode Island Foundation provided general operating grants to nonprofit organizations that are working to address food insecurity, housing instability and homelessness prevention, and behavioral health needs.

The funds are being distributed to nonprofits that support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The project provided grants to pediatric primary care providers to rebound from pandemic-related delays in care. Additionally, the initiative provided performance bonuses to providers who adopted new training and workflow designs intended to screen children for healthy physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. 

This project is providing grants to Rhode Island's network of 19 adult education providers to create regional hubs, expand services, purchase devices and software, and integrate digital literacy.

The funding is supporting the Learn365RI initiative, with the goals of improving student learning outcomes and increasing three key metrics:

  1. Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System (RICAS) math and English language arts scores
  2. School attendance rates
  3. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates

The funds are supporting this program that helps child care businesses implement best practices, reduce staff turnover, onboard staff, and continue to provide high-quality early child care and education.

The funds are paying for a new workforce registry so that the State has an accurate list of past and present educators. This data will allow the State to survey educators on the working conditions in child care facilities and tailor policies to address these conditions and reduce staff turnover.

The funds are providing monthly retention payments to eligible direct care and support care staff, as well as sign-on bonuses to newly hired employees.

The project sought to rapidly reopen Early Intervention referrals by providing stabilization grants for providers. It also provided pay-for-performance bonus payments for meeting targets, such as recovering referrals at their 2019 levels, increasing the percentage of children referred who complete the eligibility process and engage in services, and reducing disproportionality for families with Medicaid coverage and families of color.

Rhode Island Reconnect provides free support to individuals in their pursuit of educational and workforce training advancement. Students receive the cultural, social, and economic capital to succeed. Navigators encourage student success by addressing barriers to completion, providing personalized academic coaching, and mentoring.

The project incentivized pediatric primary care providers to improve access to care, immunizations, and screenings, and to invest in the necessary staffing and infrastructure to rebound from pandemic-related delays in care.

Fresh Start provides working adults with tuition, fees, and books allowance support for up to one year at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI). Specifically, the program is supporting individuals who previously attended CCRI but have not earned a degree. 

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank used the funds to purchase food for its food pantries and agencies.

The project is supporting Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children’s capacity to improve the environmental rating scale scores for child care providers.

The Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner is providing a grant to the Rhode Island College Foundation to establish the Foster Care Youth Scholarship program, a last-dollar scholarship program for Department of Children, Youth, and Families foster care youth to attend Rhode Island College.