RI Pre-K Liaison: Accepting Applications

RI Pre-K is seeking partners to recruit and assist eligible families with enrolling in the RI Pre-K lottery for the 2024-2025 school year. 

Rhode Island received a $4M Preschool Development Planning Grant; a portion of which is set aside to fund "Rhode Island Pre-K Family Liaisons." The RI Pre-K Family Liaison will support Rhode Island families as they learn about and apply for the upcoming RI Pre-K Lottery. Family Laisions will support families with the transition to RI Pre-K by recruiting families and educating them on the benefits of RI Pre-K, helping families access the appropriate information, identifying whether RI Pre-K may be right for their child(ren); and supporting families in successfully completing the RI Pre-K online lottery or paper application. Winners of this grant award will receive up to $10,000 to be expended no later than October 1, 2024, and will be used to implement recruitment plans, created by their organization, identifying children in the community eligible for RI Pre-K. 

Important Dates:

  • March 29, 2024: Application released
  • April 15, 2024: Applications are due by 5:00 PM and should be submitted electronically to RIPre-K@ride.ri.gov. 
    • Proposals must have all appropriate signatures and required components to be considered complete.
  • Project timeline: Immediately upon receipt of the Grant Award Notification (GAN) through October 1, 2024.

RI Pre-K Liaison Application

*NEW!* 2024-2025 RI Pre-K Expansion

RIDE is now accepting applications to become a RI Pre-K provider. Eligible organizations include: licensed childcare programs, Head Start organizations, public schools, and non-public schools that are able to operate an RI Pre-K classroom within the proposed guidelines and Pre-K policies. 

Key dates for the 2024-25 grant application process:

  • February 16, 2024: Grant Application Posted
  • February 26, 2024: Informational webinar posted on the RI Pre-K webpage on the RIDE website
  • March 4, 2024: Questions due by 12:00 PM to RIPre-K@ride.ri.gov.
  • March 8, 2024: Questions and answers posted on the RIDE website for applicant review.
  • March 25, 2025: Submit your application via Google Form by 4:00 PM. Grant application submissions will only be accepted via Google Form submission. Please do not bring paper copies to RIDE.
  • Week of April 15, 2024: Tentative announcement of selected programs. RI Pre-K Grant award decisions are subject to approval in the State FY '25 budget.
Rhode Island PreK Logo

RI Pre-Kindergarten 2023-2024

The Rhode Island Department of Education is committed to ensuring that all children begin school ready to learn, and are prepared to succeed in school, as life-long learners, and as productive citizens.

RI Pre-K, entering its 15th year, provides free, high-quality Pre-K education to more than 2,300 4-year-old children in 18 communities across Rhode Island.

RI Pre-K programs are awarded through a competitive grant application process that evaluates the organization’s demonstrated ability and experience to provide a high-quality early childhood education and a commitment to continued quality improvements. RI Pre-K is committed to a mixed-delivery model comprised of Head Start programs, local schools and community based childcare providers. 

As a testament to Rhode Island’s commitment to providing high quality early learning opportunities for children, Rhode Island was once again recognized as a national leader in quality Pre-K by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for 2021.

RI Pre-K consistently meets all 10 of the NIEER quality benchmarks ranking us as one of the nation’s top states for preschool quality standards. For more information visit the NIEER RI Pre-K Yearbook and the full report at NIEER State of Preschool.

"High-quality early learning prepares Rhode Island’s youngest learners for a lifetime of success,” said Governor Dan McKee. “For 15 years, the RI Pre-K program has served as a national model for providing free, full-day, full-school year programs for Rhode Island’s youngest learners. I encourage all families with eligible children to enter the RI Pre-K lottery."

"High-quality early learning opportunities are critical because what children learn in their first few years of life – and how they learn it – can have a long-lasting impact on their success and health from childhood through adulthood,” said Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “All Rhode Island families of eligible children are encouraged to enter the RI Pre-K lottery for a chance to set their child up for a lifetime of success."

The RI Pre-K Lottery is now closed for the 2023-24 school year. If you are interested in signing up to receive email notifications for the release of the RI Pre-K lottery for the 2024-25 school year, please click on the "Lottery Information" tab below.

In 2022, the General Assembly requested a Pre-K Expansion Plan to be submitted for their review.  This plan, which included stakeholder feedback, can be accessed below.

 

 

2024-25 RI Pre-K Lottery Interest Form

If you are interested in signing up to receive email notifications for the release of the RI Pre-K lottery for the 2024-2025 school year, please fill out and submit the form linked below. We anticipate the lottery opening Spring 2024.

Note: This form is not an application for the lottery itself, it is just an interest form.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information on the RI Pre-K Lottery, please call 401-222-8184.

2023-2024 State Pre-Kindergarten Programs

This year's participating Pre-K programs are:

Bristol-Warren

  1. East Bay Community Action Program – 790 Main Street (401-245-2833)
  2. The Children's Workshop - 410 Child Street (401-247-2503)

Central Falls

  1. Central Falls School Department
    • Capt. Hunt Early Learning Center, 12 Kendall Street (401-727-7720)

      Applications are available on site and at Central Office 949 Dexter St
  2. Progreso Latino - 626 Broad Street (401-728-5920 ext.315) or (401-603-7098)
  3. The Children’s Workshop - 151 Hunt Street (401-727-4474)

Coventry

  1. CHILD, Inc. - 23 Cady Street (401-823-3228)
  2. Coventry School Department
    • Washington Oak Elementary, 801 Read School House Rd (401-397-1976)

Cranston

  1. Cranston Public Schools
    • Arlington Elementary School - 155 Princess Ave. (401-270-8179)
    • Edgewood Highland School - 160 Pawtuxet Ave. (401-270-8065)
  2. Cadence Academy - 546 Budlong Road (401-228-3317)
  3. CCAP Child Development Center - 848 Atwood Avenue (401-943-5160)
  4. Little Learners Academy - 950 Phenix Avenue (401-714-0088)

East Providence

  1. East Bay Community Action Program - 70 Turner Ave. (401-649-4233 ext. 100)
  2. East Providence School Department (401-435-7500 ext. 30034)

    **Applications available at the East Providence Administration Offices, 1998 Pawtucket Ave
    • Oldham School - 60 Bart Drive
  3. The Children’s Workshop - 411 Narragansett Park Drive (401-434-1118)

Johnston

  1. Graniteville School - 6 Collins Avenue (401-231-8790)
  2. Over The Rainbow - 1269 Plainfield Street (401-383-4664)

Lincoln

  1. Academy for Little Children - 6 Wake Robin Road (401-333-4222)

Middletown

  1. East Bay Community Action Program
    • 70 Reservoir Road (401) 367-2001
    • 315 Forest Avenue (401) 367-2001

Newport

  • East Bay Community Action Program - 8 John Chafee Blvd. (401-367-2001)

North Kingstown

  1. Sunshine Child Development Center - 11 Iafrate Way (401-294-3510)

North Providence

  1. Dr. Daycare - 2 Volturno Street (401-723-7784)
  2. Tri-County Community Action Agency - 79 Waterman Avenue (401-519-1979)

Pawtucket

  1. Children’s Friend and Service - Dean Center - 13 Legion Drive (401-752-7700)
  2. Dr. Daycare - 25 Thornley Street (401-722-7000)
  3. Heritage Park YMCA - 333 Roosevelt Avenue (401-727-2050)
  4. Pawtucket School Department

    **Applications for these sites are available at the Pawtucket Central Office, 286 Main St.
    • Fallon Memorial School - 62 Lincoln Avenue (401-729-6300 or 729-6254)
    • Henry Winters School - 481 Broadway (401-729-6272 or 729-6300)

Providence

  1. Beautiful Beginnings
    • 700 Elmwood Avenue (401-785-8485)
    • CCRI Liston Campus - 1 Hilton Street (401-785-8485)

      **Applications for this site can be picked up and dropped off at 700 Elmwood Avenue
  2. Children’s Friend
    • Friendship Center - 350 Point Street (401-752-7600)
    • Berkshire Center - 99 Berkshire Street (401-752-7500)
    • Hartford Center - 550 Hartford Avenue (401-752-7950)
    • Althea Center - 70 Union Avenue (401-495-3600)
  3. Genesis Center - 620 Potters Avenue (401-781-6110 ext. 16)
  4. Imagine Preschool - 520 Hope Street (401-276-6129)
  5. Meeting Street - 1000 Eddy Street (401-533-9100)
  6. Over the Rainbow - 50 Niantic Avenue (401-383-0068)
  7. Providence Public Schools - (401-456-9179)
    • Harry Kizirian Elementary School - 60 Camden Avenue (401-456-9369)
    • Narducci Learning Center – 110 Paul Street (401) 456-9325 ** Site of Pleasant View RI Pre-K 2023-2024
    • Young Woods Elementary School - 674 Prairie Avenue (401-278-0515)
  8. Smith Hill Early Childhood Learning Center - 25 Danforth Street (401-455-3890)
  9. The Children’s Workshop - 15 Clarkson Street (401-383-9958)

South Kingstown

  1. Tri-County Community Action - 1935 Kingstown Road (401-515-2471)

Warren

  1. East Bay Community Action Program – 790 Main Street (401-245-2833)
  2. The Children's Workshop - 410 Child Street (401-247-2503)

Warwick

  1. CHILD, Inc. -
    • 849 Centerville Road (401-823-3777)
    • 160 Draper Avenue (401-732-5200)
  2. Precious Years - 205 Hallene Road, Building C, #324 (401-738-0550)

West Warwick

  1. Academy for Little Children - 10 James P Murphy Industrial Highway (401-823-5000)
  2. CHILD, Inc. - 28 Payan Street (401-828-2888)

Westerly

  1. Tri-County Community Action - 34 Pond Street (401-515-2471)

Woonsocket

  1. Connecting for Children and Families - 46 Hope Street (401-766-3384)
  2. Woonsocket Head Start Child Development Association (401-769-1850)
  3. YWCA Rhode Island - 514 Blackstone Street (401-769-7450)

Quality Standards

Curriculum

From the time children walk into a RI Pre-Kindergarten classroom until the time they leave, children are actively engaged in learning. Intentional teaching means that teachers apply what they know from research and best practice in the field of early childhood and intentionally plan their day to ensure that every child gets the most out of every experience. All RI Pre-K classrooms are required to utilize a RIDE-endorsed curriculum with fidelity. 

Classroom Quality

RI Pre-Kindergarten teachers are committed to continually assessing and refining their teaching practice to be the best that they can be. PreK Program classrooms use a number of tools that provide data to teachers about their classroom practices.

Child Assessment

RI Pre-Kindergarten classroom teachers implement a system of ongoing child assessment which includes observations of children, samples of children’s work, interviews with children, and interviews with parents. This information is entered into a web-based child portfolio using Teaching Strategies GOLD and is used by teachers to inform curriculum planning, to differentiate instruction for individual students and groups of students, and to ensure that children make steady progress toward learning outcomes.

Family Engagement

Family Engagement is a core component of high-quality, early education classrooms. Children do better in school when they experience a preschool curriculum that is culturally relevant and integrates elements of their own life experiences. In addition, when parents and caregivers partner with teachers and support children’s learning at home, we create the conditions that maximize outcomes for children.

Technical Paper on Setting Expectations for Rhode Island's Youngest Children: Developing High-Quality Early Learning and Development Standards [PDF, 238KB]

Quality Continuum

The Rhode Island Department of Education’s Early Childhood Programs are a part of the state’s quality continuum. The Quality Continuum for early childhood education programs begins with the foundation of DCYF licensing or Basic Education Program regulations.  As programs make quality improvements, they move up through the 1-5 BrightStars rating process. 

Full Continuum chart
Full Continuum

Federal Pre-K Expansion Grant

In 2014, along with 34 other states, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) submitted what is now recognized as a winning application. RIDE will receive $19 million dollars over four years to expand its high quality State Pre-Kindergarten Program (Pre-K). These federal resources, combined with continued state investment, will significantly increase access to this high-quality program. Rhode Island’s plan is elegantly simple. The RI Department of Education (RIDE) will use federal Preschool Expansion Grant dollars to:

  • Expand access to the high quality Rhode Island State Pre-K Program by both accelerating the existing state expansion plan and leveraging the federal dollars to achieve increased access in seven high-need communities that have more than 50% of children enrolled in Free and Reduced Price Lunch: Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, West Warwick, Newport, Central Falls and East Providence 
  • Improve upon the state processes and supports that ensure the quality implementation of the program, including monitoring, technical assistance and the implementation of a rigorous program evaluation. 

Under RIDE’s plan the state has expanded access to the high quality RI State Pre-K Program from 17 classrooms (306 children) in school year 2014-15 to 127 classrooms (2300 children) in school year 2022-23. 

VISIT THE FEDERAL PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS WEBSITE

This project was made possible by grant number 90TP0058-02-00. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.