Rhode Island § 16-87-7 - Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act

§ 16-87-7. Prekindergarten facilities.

(a) No later than December 31, 2022, the department of human services shall provide the speaker of the house and president of the senate with a report on the status of disbursement and impact of capital funds made available by the early learning facilities general obligation bond approved on March 2, 2021.

(b) The departments of elementary and secondary education and human services may also provide recommendations for programs and initiatives to ensure that early childhood education providers utilize facilities that meet licensing and facilities standards, in order to increase access to high-quality prekindergarten learning environments. Programs and initiatives may include, but shall not be limited to:

(1) Grant programs for facility planning and/or emergency facility maintenance;

(2) Establishing strategic partnerships between local education agencies and community-based early learning providers to make use of available space in existing facilities; and/or

(3) Technical assistance for providers to access capital, navigate licensing standards for facilities, and/or begin the facility improvement and development processes.