Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green | Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Rhode Island's Department of Education has released the 2025 statewide school accountability results, showing continued progress in public schools across the state.
The accountability system, which follows federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) guidelines, measures several indicators such as academic achievement and growth in math, English language arts, and science. It also tracks four-year graduation rates and student chronic absenteeism. Schools are rated from one to five stars to help families and communities understand overall performance.
According to the latest data, nearly 60% of Rhode Island schools received a rating of three stars or higher. Most of these higher-rated schools are at the elementary level, highlighting an ongoing need for improvement at secondary schools. In total, 37 schools increased their star rating compared to last year.
Governor Dan McKee commented on the results: “Rhode Island schools are moving in the right direction. These results show that when we invest in our educators and support our students, we can deliver real results,” he said. “I’m proud of the progress our schools are making, and I’m committed to building on this momentum to ensure every child in Rhode Island has access to a high-quality education.”
Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green noted: “RIDE’s accountability system allows all education stakeholders to know areas of strength and areas needing focus for each school to ensure continued progress. This year’s results are a testament to the hard work of our educators, students, and families. We are seeing meaningful gains, especially in student growth and reductions in chronic absenteeism. But we also know that achievement gaps persist, particularly for historically underserved students, and we are committed to addressing those disparities with urgency and care.”
This year RIDE introduced new tools as part of its School Accountability System. These include an updated Parent Friendly RIDE Report Card, printable district-level summary reports, and internal data calculators designed for education leaders.
Other findings from the 2025 report include:
- Thirty-seven schools improved their star rating since 2024; twenty-four saw a decrease.
- Achievement is still the main area needing improvement; seventy-seven schools require focused support in English language arts and math.
- Chronic absenteeism decreased statewide; about 71% of schools reduced student absenteeism but only a third managed reductions among both teachers and students.
- For the first time, over half of graduating students will leave with a postsecondary success credential.
- Six hundred seventy-nine students earned a total of six hundred ninety-one Seals of Biliteracy—a 20% increase over last year—leading to up to 3,700 Rhode Island college credits awarded through these seals.
No new Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools were identified this year under ESSA requirements; the next identification round will take place in 2026.
The full accountability results can be viewed at reportcard.ride.ri.gov.
RIDE stated it will continue working with districts and school leaders on reviewing data and supporting improvement planning so that every student has opportunities for success.
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