RIDE works closely with the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (RIOPC), the agency charged with overseeing higher education.
Rhode Island schools follow the Common Core State Standards, which define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K–12 education careers so that they will graduate from high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs.
To support student achievement, hold schools accountable, and ensure transparency, RIDE makes education data publicly available through its website.
Composite Index Scores are calculated using three metrics or measures of performance based on school level: percent meets expectations (also called proficiency) for English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics; performance gaps, or gap closure, for ELA and mathematics; and either student growth for ELA and mathematics at the elementary and middle level only; or high school graduation rate at the high school level only.
These regulations require all school districts to develop and implement a comprehensive secondary diploma system for middle and high schools that includes: student and teacher supports, local-aligned policies, multiple learning opportunities for all students, and multiple measures for determining graduation readiness.
The following three Council Designations have been adopted by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education and are currently available to students, beginning with the graduating class of 2021: Pathways provide students the opportunity to self-direct a customized learning experience, capitalizing on school and community opportunities toward personal interest, post-secondary education, and careers.
RIDE believes that Pathway Endorsements add value to the diploma system by signaling to employers, colleges, universities, training programs, and the military that a student has completed a comprehensive, in-depth, and applied course of study in a specialized area.
Beginning with the Class of 2021, students may earn a Pathway Endorsement in one or more of the following: The Rhode Island Department of Education certifies all public school teachers, administrators and support professionals in line with the State's certification regulations.