[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6624521,"mediaKeyId","2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951","parentId",2766182,"title","Bill to create a statewide pre‑K seat finder draws support from providers, researchers and a national tech vendor","audioSeconds",2450,"startMs",55000,"endMs",2505000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951&start=55&end=2505","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951/thumbnail_55000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6624521/Rhode-Island/Bill-to-create-a-statewide-preK-seat-finder-draws-support-from-providers-researchers-and-a-national-tech-vendor","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624521-2437fbeb6f2bed93876b1c263abbf3aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034846&Signature=f2CkH5coPef~U1BhpkzKG2C5cfxUrj6emc~YRlMb9vf~zqKHxuHoSimSyrFetW5Q9aXOGJoikJgz-4KpVp7vKaPIQzhJJE0bC~V2kv2NTovIDfCQixT~r86dVQQQR04L5kQQB0Z9PyZbgCdRMB64NWjFVcC214rMZPafFNNZFErS6BKdYpKOQEzRTz5YeH2BBZj4QgdNLS55YeSQuDMG1HXWnj7N18h01NQh~WF~yQP-4lVwFJTH1u8CDJQb90K5dBhwXHm3SL6J63xjEfGYiTgvnbLswkmZ7qltQfM0MlREyV7IgJ6biUGApl4AQdQhd9KrgqasymGcwKCFmD2bOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Rhode Island","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Michelle Cross Smith, sponsor of House Bill 5,596, told the House Education Committee the bill would create a centralized pre‑K \"finder\" to help families locate available public pre‑kindergarten seats across Rhode Island.

\"At times around, families often struggle to find availability of high quality pre k programs for their children,\" Representative Michelle Cross Smith said as she introduced the bill. She said the tool would \"streamline the search process, ensuring parents can easily locate and enroll their children in high quality learning programs.\"

Jonathan Adler, vice president of government relations for WonderSchool, testified the technology would reduce the time families spend calling multiple providers and could increase enrollment in state‑funded pre‑K seats. \"Now by giving families better access to real time information, the finder will ensure that more children can enter pre k on on time, be better prepared for kindergarten and and importantly beyond kindergarten,\" Adler said.

Antonio, director of program implementation and policy at the Hassenfeld Institute at Brown University School of Public Health, testified in support and framed the bill as an equity and public‑health tool. \"Early childhood education programs have long term positive impacts on children's physical, mental, and social health outcomes, particularly for children from low income and minority households,\" Antonio said, urging the committee to consider the bill as a way to reduce access barriers for first‑generation immigrant and non‑English speaking families.

WonderSchool representatives and other witnesses described the bill as a narrowly targeted pilot that would initially focus on the cohort of children served by Rhode Island's public pre‑K seats. Witnesses variously cited a range of figures for that population; one speaker described \"about 5,000 kids,\" while others described a smaller pilot universe of \"3,000 to 5,000\" public pre‑K seats. Witnesses emphasized the bill as a pilot rather than a statewide listing of every licensed childcare slot.

Committee members pressed witnesses on procurement, ongoing costs, and who would be required to participate. Representative Kislak and other members emphasized that any digital platform procured by the state would require a competitive procurement process, and Vice Chair Kislak noted that the bill's text contemplates that RIDE would \"procure or develop and maintain the system.\" Bedford‑area questions about whether private placement models (\"place for mom\" style services) could be used or whether providers could pay placement fees were raised; witnesses said they would provide more detail in written testimony.

Representative Fazio and others asked whether the finder would include private, tuition‑based providers. Matthew Jurczyk, who testified with WonderSchool, said the bill as written would include the three provider types serving the targeted public pre‑K population — Head Start programs, public school pre‑K classrooms and private licensed childcare providers participating in the public pre‑K program — and allow many companies to bid to provide the technology.

On transparency and pricing, Representative Phillips asked whether the bill requires providers to post tuition rates and subsidy acceptance; witnesses said the bill includes requirements that providers supply tuition rate and subsidy acceptance information in the finder so parents can compare options and see potential additional fees for extended hours.

What the bill does not change: Witnesses and the bill sponsor repeatedly said the measure would not change how the state allocates or funds public pre‑K seats or the lottery or eligibility rules that determine which children receive a publicly funded seat. The finder is intended to surface available seats within the existing program, not to expand eligibility or alter the state budget.

Committee members and witnesses discussed next steps, with multiple members indicating the committee would accept additional written testimony on procurement, cost and participation requirements. No final committee vote on HB 5,596 was recorded in the hearing transcript; the item was heard and testimony taken.

Ending: Supporters called the finder a practical, equity‑driven pilot to reduce barriers to public pre‑K enrollment; members asked for procurement details and cost estimates before advancing the measure.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee on Education: 3-25-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Michelle Cross Smith introduced House Bill 5,596, a measure to create a statewide pre‑K seat finder to help families locate available state‑funded pre‑K seats, and witnesses from WonderSchool and academic public‑health researchers supported the concept.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature RI, Rhode Island","taxId",77689,"location","Rhode Island","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624523,"House Education Committee pauses hearing to take votes, passes three measures and holds several bills for study",463,276000,739000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951&start=276&end=739","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951/thumbnail_276000.jpg","/articles/6624523/Rhode-Island/House-Education-Committee-pauses-hearing-to-take-votes-passes-three-measures-and-holds-several-bills-for-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624523-f80f6f3b5515f2754ce321f8500083c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034846&Signature=Lezg8fJLC46wb5Qzu6Tg7jPU71XqPU~GZiqpiFhNwRrJtOWya5qs9mJJxeswpT3thUiFPlk5AJd-0FtAdVMdg7VmZSUgkO1ZtQLfAcOMuFNwrYN8CuOG7rBIxe-~IN0avEqavj60Y05IGxOg9Nq03n7nwe3w~IMD2bA1VcGXiI4PBhiJCI74RTdNXUD~09Jg5tqzAYiQBx9k9RPwlj7MFbzUsMad7kNShi-puwlbZ~WvzbApW8rTkiyyOFhz3zoplElmjCn-pAqdXemccvUFNRxrK8K5mG~~HIse626Nz845Kee2LXAHHlfES7bbmoTKuEbIx77FsrU3RJkjW8AV6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Committee paused a May hearing to take several procedural and passage votes, approving three measures and placing multiple bills on hold for further study.

Committee Chair McNamara and members convened a short roll-call sequence mid-hearing to allow members to vote while other committees met. The committee approved House Bill 5,165, Substitute A; approved a bill that would charge Basic Education Program data collection for career and technical students to the receiving district; and approved the Senate version of a bill concerning the commission for Warwick public schools. The committee also moved to hold a group of bills for further study.

Why it matters: The votes advanced bills that the committee characterized as either amended (House Bill 5,165, Substitute A) or procedural confirmations of measures previously agreed to in the other chamber. The decision to hold several bills for further study pauses floor movement while staff and members gather additional testimony and materials.

Key outcomes

- House Bill 5,165, Substitute A — Passed. Committee members took a roll-call vote after amendments were summarized by committee counsel. The clerk announced, \"the sub A passes.\" The substitute included language that counsel said incorporated ACLU-requested changes and removed or clarified references to behavioral monitoring and to personally identifiable information.

- House Bill (5292) — Passed. The committee approved a bill, introduced by Representative Fallow, that would change Basic Education Program data-collection treatment for students attending career and technical schools so that the receiving school district, not the sending district, is charged for certain data elements. The committee recorded the motion as passed by voice/roll-call.

- Senate bill (House Bill 5,252, Senate version) — Passed. Committee members voted to pass the Senate version of House Bill 5,252, described in the hearing as identical to a sub A previously approved by the House and unanimously passed in the Senate.

- Motion to hold (further study) — Approved. The chair moved to \"hold the following bills for further study,\" listing House Bill 5,593, 5,500, 9,06 (as read on the record) and 5,601; a member seconded and the motion passed. The committee emphasized that holding is procedural and does not indicate a position on the bills' merits.

What committee members said: Committee counsel summarized amendment language for the substitute on House Bill 5,165 and noted the ACLU supported the changes. The chair told members that holding bills is procedural and provides time to collect written and verbal testimony.

Next steps: Bills that passed will follow the committee's normal process for reporting; the bills placed on hold will be returned to committee for further review and testimony before a future vote.","The Rhode Island House Education Committee paused a May hearing to take roll-call votes. The committee approved a substitute on House Bill 5165, passed a bill changing how career-and-technical student data is charged, and approved the Senate version of a Warwick schools commission bill; several bills were held for further study.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624516,"Teachers testify as bill would limit adaptive physical education certification requirement to new hires",796,2562000,3358000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951&start=2562&end=3358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766182-2c610b9d27e39ea3720ce8383eeeb951/thumbnail_2562000.jpg","/articles/6624516/Rhode-Island/Teachers-testify-as-bill-would-limit-adaptive-physical-education-certification-requirement-to-new-hires","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624516-d94ebf83c11f3bbb29b8ebd4a1e0fbdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034846&Signature=JgfyDB~~HTiArkFSHP7sbz3upNNFu3BkjM2Pmim6yKK6EcnRkFaM5U8J5Km-JZKhfDvIvKJaOX6Ht7MVTatKFn9jRBQpGVLb-UR~s4uNrkY~xIMkvZRPC2qHfSuCJQ7ZLM3uFNA3M5x~sGhM7OH018AW-IGqehcYyF6y4xmmrwTbldT6XzouS9POXYogQFZoE5-qNpazHRlEsshOpDK88Le6XermSzxj7H5Su7AS0xXwzT-Uoq3vpfeMNunDLws2I3ejFVl9DXHlgBh73rmWNoX2XtRgmoMq5MQhz-7c4qSJ4M1xXIcau3cI9H4vDmMdSVaIiMiu15iVRVS93m4~GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative O'Brien introduced House Bill 5,602 to make the adaptive physical education certification requirement prospective for new hires rather than retroactive for long‑time teachers.

\"It's a simple bill,\" Representative O'Brien said, urging that the requirement apply prospectively so teachers who are near retirement would not have to spend time and money on a new certificate. \"They're on a yearly basis. They can be displaced at any time. Right. But not but there's only like 15 teachers in the whole school district who don't have it,\" he said, describing the Providence context.

Multiple Providence physical‑education teachers testified that in March 2024 they received displacement letters after the district began enforcing an adaptive certification expectation. Rick Sunderland, who said he has taught 31 years in Providence, told the committee: \"All of us received a displacement letter from the school department. The letter stated that we were no longer qualified to work in opposition because we do not hold an adaptive certification. This decision seemed to be arbitrary and capricious. All of us were blindsided by this letter, and our lives and careers were turned upside down.\" He asked that incumbents be grandfathered so they can finish their careers without returning to college near retirement age.

Brian Keeler and David Nyblom, long‑time Providence teachers, echoed that the district previously relied on a roaming adaptive teacher and building‑level arrangements. Keeler said professional development opportunities to obtain the endorsement had not been provided over the years: \"There was many a times where we could have this couldn't have been an issue. But they never really gave it to us.\" Nyblom said the process of displacement and re‑interviewing had been stressful and that credential pathways and approvals were inconsistent.

Committee members asked education department officials and witnesses whether RIDE requires adaptive certification statewide. An agency representative who spoke toward the end of the hearing stated that RIDE does not require adaptive certification for general certification and that districts retain authority over local staffing choices. That representative said they would follow up and work with members.

What the bill would change: Representative O'Brien said the bill would require the adaptive certification only for new hires after a prospective effective date (the bill text cited July 1 as a prospective marker). Several witnesses asked the committee to allow incumbents to complete their careers without the extra expense of additional graduate work and to consider district practices that had relied on roaming specialists.

Testimony and context: Witnesses estimated about 15 Providence teachers were affected by displacement notices. Several witnesses described the time and cost burden of returning to college for a certification late in their careers. Committee members expressed concern and asked RIDE and Providence officials to clarify the pathway and whether a district mandate had been applied without broad notice.

Ending: The committee heard testimony and said it would follow up with RIDE to clarify certification rules and local district practices. No committee vote on House Bill 5,602 was recorded in the hearing transcript.","Providence physical‑education teachers and the bill sponsor told the House Education Committee that a local shift requiring adaptive certification led to displacement notices for long‑time teachers. Representative O'Brien's bill would make the requirement prospective for new hires, protecting incumbent teachers nearing retirement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill to create a statewide pre‑K seat finder draws support from providers, researchers and a national tech vendor

House Education Committee pauses hearing to take votes, passes three measures and holds several bills for study

Teachers testify as bill would limit adaptive physical education certification requirement to new hires