Newport and Middletown Public Schools are among 24 local education agencies in Rhode Island set to receive a share of $5 million in funding for instructional coaching in mathematics and English Language Arts.
The funding, announced by Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Education, aims to support educators with professional development and high-quality curriculum materials for the 2024-2025 school year.
Of the total amount, $4 million will go towards staffing, covering the hiring of 26 full-time and nine part-time coaches across the state. The remaining $1 million will fund additional supports for implementing high-quality curriculum materials.
“Through this grant program, we are providing Rhode Island schools with the additional support needed to help propel students towards success,” McKee said. “Just as AttendanceMattersRI, reading matters and math matters, and we are committed to ensuring our students receive an engaging and comprehensive education.”
The funding is part of the FY25 #TeamRhodeIsland budget, approved by the General Assembly and signed by McKee in June. It continues the state’s efforts to improve educational outcomes, with a particular focus on increasing reading and math proficiency.
Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green emphasized the importance of this investment, especially as federal relief funds expire. “We have heard loud and clear from our school communities that instructional coaches make a difference, and we are pleased to be able to provide these additional resources,” she said.
The initiative comes on the heels of encouraging results from the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System in October 2023, which showed increases in both math and ELA proficiency by approximately 2.7 and 2 percentage points, respectively.
Instructional coaching is expected to foster long-term support and stability for both new and veteran educators. By promoting strong collaboration and planning, the program aims to increase student learning goals and help educators refine their strategies to better meet students’ academic needs.
Coaches hired through this program will attend up to 10 days of professional learning facilitated by a selected vendor and RIDE. This training will enhance their coaching methods and use of protocols for lesson internalization and enhancement as part of an effective high-quality curriculum materials implementation.
Patti DiCenso, Chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort. “This instructional coaching grant funding will allow Rhode Island students to make continued progress in ELA and math during the upcoming school year,” she said.
The importance of these foundational skills was underscored by Milissa O’Neil, the 2025 Rhode Island State Teacher of the Year. “Math and ELA are the foundation of a well-rounded academic career, and these skills begin at an early age,” O’Neil said. “I am thrilled that schools across the state will receive this funding to further support their efforts in achieving success.”
RIDE’s recent Curriculum Survey Report highlights the widespread adoption of high-quality curriculum materials across the state. For the 2023-24 school year, nearly 100% of students have access to ELA and math high-quality curriculum materials at all school levels.
Commissioner Infante-Green noted that while Rhode Island has made significant progress in adopting curriculum materials, the challenge now lies in implementation. “Coaches play an important role, working with educators to deeply understand the design of new materials and the implementation steps necessary for all learners in our classrooms,” she said.
The following LEAs were awarded coaching grants:
- Blackstone Academy Charter School
- Bristol-Warren Regional School District
- Burrillville Public Schools
- Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy
- Central Falls School District
- The Compass School
- Cranston Public Schools
- Cumberland School Department
- East Providence School Department
- Excel Academy
- Johnston Public Schools
- Middletown Public Schools
- Newport Public Schools
- North Kingstown School Department
- Paul Cuffee School
- Pawtucket School Department
- Providence Public Schools
- RISE Prep Mayoral Academy
- Scituate School Department
- Segue Institute for Learning
- Smithfield Public Schools
- Warwick Public Schools
- West Warwick Public Schools
- Westerly Public Schools
The inclusion of Newport and Middletown Public Schools in this grant program underscores the state’s commitment to improving educational outcomes across diverse communities. As these districts prepare to integrate new instructional coaches, students in these coastal communities stand to benefit from enhanced support in core academic areas.
This investment in education reflects Rhode Island’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its educational system and prepare students for future success. As the state moves forward with this initiative, educators and students in Newport, Middletown, and across Rhode Island can look forward to a more robust and supportive learning environment in the coming school year.
