April 2018
Engaging Students in Their Own Learning: Rhode Island Youth Perspectives
In the fall, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, in partnership with Young Voices, released Engaging Students in Their Own Learning: Rhode Island Youth Perspectives.

All information provided in this report is based on the results of six focus groups representing the views of 56 students at seven public high schools in Central Falls, Pawtucket, and Providence, Rhode Island. The report provides youth perspectives on what teaching and learning looks like in schools currently, what experiences students have had with more student centered approaches to learning, and how schools could better engage students in their own learning and prepare them for success in college and careers.
Overview of Commissioner's State of Education Address 
Commissioner Wagner's  State of Education address focused on continued efforts to create challenging, engaging, and personalized pathways and many of the state's efforts to increase college and career readiness, including:
  • Career pathways aligned to both the interests of students and the needs of the economy 
  • The need to invest in school facilities so that students in every community have access to 21st century learning environments that inspire the best in our children and their teachers 
  • Funding to allow all students to take the SAT and PSAT for free
  • Funding to allow students to take college courses for free while still in high school 
  • The RI Promise Scholarship Program
To read the full State of Education address, please click here.
Rhode Island State Champion Award
On March 12, the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) recognized Stephanie Geller as the Rhode Island State Champion. The NESSC state and regional Champion Awards honor the unique contributions of New England state leaders working to raise graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and send more students on to college and postsecondary certification programs. The six 2018 award recipients were recognized for their extraordinary commitment to ensuring that public school students across New England have the chance to succeed in school, live a fulfilled and meaningful life, and make a positive contribution to the world.
Join Our Mailing List!
Are you interested in specific areas of child well-being? Rhode Island KIDS COUNT publishes E-Newsletters on specific areas related to child well-being: 
  • Children's Health and Health Insurance 
  • Child Welfare/Juvenile Justice 
  • Early Childhood/Early Learning 
  • Student-Centered Learning
  • Rhode Island Reads: The Campaign for 3rd Grade Reading 
  • Rhode Island KIDS COUNT also publishes a general interest E-Newsletter. 

Please click here to start receiving these updates today!

For more information about the Student-Centered Learning Initiative, please contact Senior Policy Analyst Stephanie Geller at (401) 351-9400 or sgeller@rikidscount.org.