All students deserve an education that inspires them, encourages their curiosity, and prepares them for success. 

All workers deserve the support, resources, and time to do their jobs well, and the security to retire with dignity.

Through NEARI member advocacy at the Statehouse, we work to create public pre-K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and public services that are worthy of all Rhode Islanders, and to build a more fair, just, and equitable nation for everyone.

2026 Legislative Priorities Victories!

The 2026 legislative session was an exceptionally successful one for NEARI and our members. Together, we made meaningful progress on the issues that matter most – strengthening public education, improving retirement security, and advancing fair wages, benefits, and working conditions. 

Those victories were powered by member engagement. We are grateful to every member who submitted testimony, conacted lawmakers, showed up at the Statehouse, shared their stories, and helped make our collective voice heard. Our success this session is a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we stand together and advocate for our members, our students, and our communities. 

1. Federal Voucher Tax Credit Guard Rails

This bill prohibits participation in the federal school voucher tac credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations unless both the General Assembly and the governor approve such participation.

2. Teacher Survivor Benefit Increase

Increases the monthly minimum death benefit for a spouse, domestic partner or former spouse and indexes a yearly COLA based on SSI adjustment.

3. Charter Moratorium (3 years) and Cap Reduction (35 to 28)

Prevents granting preliminary approval or final approval for the creation or expansion of any district charter school beginning operations in 2026-2027, 2027-2028, or 2028-2029 school years. Lowers the state cap of charters from 35 to 28.

4. School Meal Junk Fee Ban

Provides an end to transaction fees for school lunches in all districts. RIDE will ensure there is at least one no-fee payment method for school lunches. Requires that any payment processing platform used by the district clearly discloses whether fees will be charged. 

5. School Seizure Policy

Requires RIDE and DOH to adopt policies, rules and regulations for the administration of seizure rescue medications administered for students who have been medically identified as having epilepsy/seizure disorder.

6. SABE - $750,000 (included in the state budget)

Establishes a bilingual education support fund within RIDE. Provides for the implementation of the support and access to bilingual education act for all local education agencies, community-based organizations, and institutions of higher education recipients.

7. Foster AOP Program Funding

An appropriation of $1,167,100 to the Auditory Oral Program to support the program's mission to provide specialized auditory-oral programming for children with hearing loss. 

8. Higher Education Funding

More than $6,500,000 in new funding for our public higher educaton institutions. Additionally, a bond ballot question providing for $60,000,000 for a workforce innovation center at CCRI. 

9. URI Medical School Funding

Establishes a framework to create a medical school at URI and provide an initial appropriation of $5,000,000 in the budget as the first phase of a multi-year investment for the development of a medical school.

10. Raise Revenue for RI

Inclusion of the "millionaire's tax" in the state budget phases in the 3% tax increase on income over $1 million over three years.

11. Social Security Tax Relief

Removal of the age threshold for Social Security income tax exemption. 

12. Pre-K-12 Local District Funding

More than $20,000,000 in additional funding from the Governor's proposed budget. The Student Success Factor (funding for under-resourced students) increased from 40% to 43% in the state budget.

13. Study Commission on the Funding Formula Blue Ribbon Report

NEARI had a seat at the table on the Blue Ribbon Commission hosted by the Rhode Island Foundation, and will again on the Legislative Study Commission.