Education (Curriculum)

HB 8531 amends Rhode Island's compulsory attendance laws to give school committees the authority to deny or defer approval of homeschooling plans under specific circumstances. The bill requires schools to implement due diligence interventions, such as consulting with parents and support teams, before referring truant students to family court. It also establishes a formal process for approving alternative learning plans and extended withdrawals, which allow students to take breaks or reduce their coursework while remaining enrolled, particularly considering pandemic-related disruptions. Additionally, the legislation prohibits schools from using truancy as the sole reason for out-of-school suspensions and mandates that private schools and at-home instruction meet specific attendance and curriculum standards.

Provides that any school teaching sexual education to students shall provide the sexual education curriculum to every parent or guardian of a student, and the parent or legal guardian shall consent to the teaching of such sexual education curriculum.

SB 2528 would repeal Rhode Island's requirement for statewide academic standards in core subjects like math, English, science, and history for all public schools. It removes legal mandates that previously directed the education commissioner to develop these standards and create curriculum frameworks aligned with specific goals, including cultural diversity and college readiness. The bill directly affects all public K-12 schools in Rhode Island by eliminating these state-level curriculum requirements. (Note: The bill was introduced on February 13, 2026, and has not yet been enacted.)