Rhode Island, like all states, has a unique early childhood policy landscape that is shaped by economics, demographics, political history, coalitions, and other factors that create a state-specific environment for policy advocacy.
State early childhood policy progress is dependent both on the state’s environment and the numerous efforts—by the organizations listed on this page, other organizations, parents, policymakers, practitioners, and more—who work both independently and collaboratively to achieve wins for young children.
Research shows that family economic security is foundational to children’s overall wellbeing. Research also shows that widespread disparities in opportunity (especially by race) drive wide disparities in outcomes. States with policies that offer strong support to young children and their families are more likely to see 1) declining numbers of children in low-income households and 2) low racial disparity among those children.
Young Children in Low-Income Households: Declining
Approximately 29% (28,000) of the state’s children 0-8 live in households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (2022). This number represents a decrease from 32% (33,000) in 2017.1
Racial Disparity Among Young Children Living in Low-Income Households: High
Black, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native children aged 0-8 are significantly more likely to be living in households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level than are Asian and non-Hispanic White children.2
State General Fund Appropriations: Growing
Rhode Island’s governor signed the state’s fiscal 2025 budget into law on in June of 2024. The budget provides for total spending from all funds of 14.0 billion, a 0.3 percent decrease compared to fiscal 2024 appropriations. The budget includes general fund spending of $5.6 billion, a 3.1 percent increase over the originally enacted budget for fiscal 2024, and $5.1 billion in federal aid, a 10.2 percent decrease compared to fiscal 2024 enacted levels. The budget is based on general fund revenue of $5.5 billion, including enacted revenue changes, reflecting 2.1 percent growth over fiscal 2024, and a beginning balance (or free surplus) of $279 million. The fiscal 2025 budget spends down prior-year surplus funds, resulting in an ending balance of $0.1 million. The balance in the state’s rainy day fund (Budget Stabilization and Cash Reserve Account) is projected to increase, ending fiscal 2025 at $289 million.3
Key Revenue Sources (after federal transfers):4
State Budget Rules:4
Rhode Island uses an annual budget. The legislature must pass a balanced budget, but it can carry a deficit over into the following year. Rhode Island further limits spending with a budget rule that diverts a percentage of revenue to the state’s rainy day fund, but the limit may be overridden by a simple legislative majority. Rhode Island also limits total authorized debt and debt service incurred by the state.
Rhode Island has a payroll tax that funds a temporary caregivers insurance (TCI) program as part of a broader disability program. TCI covers paid family leave currently for six weeks for birth, adoptive, and foster parents and for workers to take care of seriously ill loved ones.
Political Alignment: Aligned Democrat
During the 2024 session, the state’s Senate and House were both Democrat controlled. The state’s Governor was also a Democrat.5
Types of Common Ballot Measures Available:6 Two
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Organizations Include:
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Multi-State Initiatives Include:7
Highlights from the state’s early childhood policy advocacy community include:8
Advocates worked with policymakers to pass legislation that adds two weeks to the state’s paid family leave program, Temporary Caregivers Insurance. This will bring caregiving leave up to 7 weeks starting in January 2025 and up to 8 weeks starting in January 2026. Rhode Island already has a medical leave benefit (Temporary Disability Insurance) that offers up to 30 weeks per year, which covers pregnancy complications and recovery from child birth along with many other health conditions that prevent someone from working. Workers can take both TDI and TCI if they give birth.
Advocates are also celebrating a 13-17 percent Medicaid rate increase for Early Intervention (Part C of IDEA) to fully fund the Office of the Health Commissioner’s recommended increase. These services are currently difficult to access in the state. This will also trigger EI rate increases for providers serving children who have commercial insurance.
Legislation passed in the budget bill also includes:
Advocates secured funding to continue the Moms and Pediatric Psychiatry Resource Networks for one more year, preventing closure of the program that helps primary care providers meet the mental health needs of their patients.
Though they did not pass in 2024, advocates are building support for three significant early childhood measures:
HB 7338/SB 2355 would create a new personal income surtax of three percent on taxable income over $1 million and dedicate a portion of those funds to child care.
HB 7589/SB 2054 would expand the state’s refundable earned income tax credit (EITC), a proven and essential strategy to raise income levels of households with children, so it is more competitive with neighboring states. Rhode Island’s EITC is 16% of the federal credit and neighboring states have an EITC of 40% of the federal credit.
Our lead ally in Rhode Island is Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, a statewide children’s policy organization that provides information on child well-being, stimulates dialogue on children’s issues, and promotes accountability and action with a core focus on equity. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT works together with a steering committee of seven other organizations and coordinates the RIght from the Start campaign to advance state policies and raise budgets to help young children.
Rhode Island Kids Count is working to advance early childhood policies in several areas that align with the Alliance’s birth-through-eight policy framework:
Child Care
Child Care Workforce
Preschool and Pre-K
Early Intervention (0-3)
Home Visiting
Infant and Child Health
Maternal Health
Family Economic Security
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Early Childhood Governance
Click here for more information on advocates’ policy agenda.
Federal and state child tax credits have historically received bipartisan support. These tax credits for families with children under age 17 provide financial relief for low-income families and their children and support economic mobility. New Jersey, Vermont, and RI have recently chosen to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to enact state-level child tax credits.
NOTES:
1 Kids Count Data Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, January, 2024.
2 National Center for Children in Poverty, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, March 2023, NCCP analysis of ACS 1-Year Estimates – Public Use Microdata Sample 2021.
3 National Association of State Budget Officers, Proposed and Enacted Budgets, FY 2025.
4 Urban Institute, State Fiscal Briefs, June 2024.
5 National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024 State & Legislative Partisan Composition, April 29, 2024.
6 Ballotpedia, Ballot Measures by State, Kids Count Data Center, retrieved July, 2024.
7 Alliance for Early Success, Multi-State Initiatives for Early Childhood Policy Advocacy, July, 2024.
8 Alliance for Early Success, State-Wide Advocacy Highlights Survey, April-October, 2024; and 2024 Prenatal-to-3 Legislative Highlights, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, July, 2024.
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© 2024 Alliance for Early Success
The Alliance for Early Success does not endorse or advocate for specific legislation or candidates.
