Rhode Island: State Roles and Responsibilities for PK-12 Public School Facilities

This report is one in a series of State Policy Profiles. It provides a detailed overview of Rhode Island’s roles and responsibilities regarding public elementary and secondary (PK-12) school facilities, and is organized around the elements of educational facilities stewardship: Governance, Management, Data and Information, Planning, Funding, and Standards and Accountability. 

While PK-12 public school facilities are primarily governed and managed at the local level by Local Education Agencies (LEAs), states assume a range of roles and responsibilities that shape local activities. State roles include establishing and implementing state policies and practices to support local:

• planning
• data collection
• capital and maintenance funding 
• management, and 
• standards and accountability systems. 

State agencies may additionally offer technical assistance and training to help local school districts meet modern facility standards, mitigate risks, and enhance the overall quality of local stewardship for public school buildings and grounds. The extent of state involvement in public school facilities varies widely across states.

The series of state profiles centralize state policy information and is intended to enable informed decision-making at the federal, state, and local levels. You can find policy profiles for other states on the State Policy Profiles page. Additionally, you can explore state policies using the online searchable database of state policies that is being developed by NCSI consortium partner, The 21st Century School Fund. 

Disclaimer
The state profiles represent our best understanding of state policies, standards, and laws governing public PK-12 educational facilities in each state, compiled as an informational resource. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the 21st Century School Fund (21CSF). The contents should not be considered an official statement of state policy by any public agency.