Content Standards Review and Revision Process

RIDE is seeking public comment on the current set of mathematics standards, the Common Core State Standards.

Cohesive and aligned standards, curriculum, and assessment are critical to increasing student achievement. Rhode Island currently uses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as its set of state mathematics standards and the Rhode Island comprehensive assessment ​system​ to measure students’ progress towards meeting those standards. Much of this assessment system is based on ​the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), which is aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. RIDE is seeking to ensure optimum alignment between the content standards, RIDE’s approved high-quality instructional materials, and the state assessment​, which will support effective teaching and learning for Rhode Island students.  As there is already strong alignment amongst the three, we do not anticipate large changes in the standards to strengthen this alignment. A survey has been designed to gain public input in accomplishing that task. Results from the survey will also be used to inform RIDE guidance and technical assistance for curriculum, instruction, and professional learning.

The survey window is open from December 11, 2020 to January 15, 2021.

Following the survey window, committees of Rhode Island mathematics educators will be convened to analyze survey data and offer advice and considerations on how RIDE should move forward with any/revision of the standards. RIDE will then present a final version of the standards to the Council of Elementary and Secondary Education for endorsement.

Public Comment Survey

Survey respondents can elect to complete a survey for one grade level or multiple grade levels. Please access the survey(s) you are interested in completing by clicking on the appropriate grade band

• K - 5 Rhode Island State Mathematics Survey
• 6 - 8 Rhode Island State Mathematics Survey
• High School Rhode Island State Mathematics Survey

Survey participants may refer to the following Comparison Tables during completion of the survey. Please note it may be helpful to have these comparison tables open in another tab for reference while completing the survey.

• K-12 Massachusetts Comparison Tables

Advisory Committees

RIDE is soliciting applications from educators interested in serving on the 2020-21 Rhode Island Mathematics Standards Review Advisory Committee. The function of the committee is to review public survey data and offer advice and considerations on how RIDE should move forward. With the review/revision of the standards. 

Applications should be submitted to RIDE no later than EOD January 15, 2021.

Committee work will be virtual and take place in the late afternoon over the course of several sessions in early February, 2021.

For additional information, please contact Susan Pagliaro (susan.pagliaro@ride.ri.gov) or Christopher Castillero (christopher.castillero@ride.ri.gov).

Rhode Island Mathematics Standards Review Advisory Committee Application.

Other Standards Related Opportunities

Following the completion of the mathematics standards review/revision process and the acceptance of the updated standards by the Rhode Island Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, RIDE will engage in a process to align the high school content standards to specific courses, i.e.,  Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. There is a provision on the Standards Review Advisory Committee Application to indicate your potential interest in this initiative. More details and additional opportunities to express interest will be forthcoming.

RIDE is seeking public comment on the current set of English Language Arts/Literacy standards, the Common Core State Standards.

Cohesive and aligned standards, curriculum, and assessment are critical to increasing student achievement. Rhode Island currently uses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as its set of state English language arts/Literacy standards and the Rhode Island comprehensive assessment ​system​ to measure students’ progress towards meeting those standards. Much of this assessment system is based on ​the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), which is aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. RIDE is seeking to ensure optimum alignment between the content standards, RIDE’s approved high-quality instructional materials, and the state assessment​, which will support effective teaching and learning for Rhode Island students.  As there is already strong alignment amongst the three, we do not anticipate large changes in the standards to strengthen this alignment. A survey has been designed to gain public input in accomplishing that task. Results from the survey will also be used to inform RIDE guidance and technical assistance for curriculum, instruction, and professional learning.

Social Studies Standards Project

In September 2019, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary & Secondary Education invited Rhode Island educators to participate as members of a new Rhode Island History & Social Studies Advisory Committee (RIHSSAC). This Committee both advises RIDE and acts as ambassadors to the education community on matters of history, civics, and social studies education. This committee also serves as a working group for a variety of initiatives, starting with one priority task in fall 2019 to review our current RI Social Studies Grade Span Expectations (RI SS GSEs) in light of recent legislation requiring high quality standards for all content areas (RIGL §16-22-30).

Through an application process, RIDE selected approximately 30 social studies, history, civic education, and elementary teachers from across the state to form this new advisory. The RIHSSAC met in Fall 2019 to review our current RI SS GSEs against the criteria in the legislation, in order to submit a recommendation to RIDE. In December 2019, the Council approved RIDE's recommendation to continue with the RI SS GSEs until such a time as replacement social studies standards could be developed and/or adopted which fully met the requirements of the legislation.

In 2020, the RIHSSAC met monthly from February to May to determine next steps for adopting/developing social studies standards through a process that will include substantial stakeholder engagement. During the summer, the Community Engagement Committee of the RIHSSAC began planning for community engagement sessions this fall to inform the direction of the standards, the frameworks, and supporting resources.

Standards Development Progress

In partnership with the Rhode Island History and Social Studies Advisory Committee (RIHSSAC), RIDE has launched the development of new social studies standards K-12 education in Rhode Island.

The first stage of this process is to engage with the community about social studies education and collect input. To that end, the RIHSSAC worked with community organizations statewide to set up virtual feedback sessions culminating in a statewide survey. RIDE also scheduled three virtual sessions for educators and community members to engage in the process. At these sessions, participants received an overview of the project, had opportunities to reflect about social studies education, and discussed their ideas in breakout rooms before being provided the survey link to complete. For more information, please review the Introductory Slides [PDF] or the Recorded Presentation [MP4] given at the sessions.

The feedback will be used to inform the first draft of the social studies standards and other supporting materials. There will also be an opportunity in early 2021 for community feedback on the draft of the standards.

If you have any questions, please email RIHSSAC@ride.ri.gov. Thank you!