Rhode Island State House is licensed under CC 2.0
Rhode Island Democrats voted last week to impose a three-year moratorium on new charter schools and charter school expansions, limiting educational options for families across the state.
The legislation passed the House 56-12 after clearing the Senate 31-6 the week prior. If signed into law by Governor Dan McKee, Rhode Island would prohibit the approval of any new charter schools or expansions through the 2028-29 school year and lower the state’s charter school cap from 35 schools to 28.
But the vote comes despite strong demand from Rhode Island families. According to data cited during legislative debate, more than 8,500 students applied for roughly 3,700 available charter school seats this year. Thousands of students remain on waiting lists with few alternatives available. Demand for charter schools has consistently exceeded available capacity across the state.
Rather than expanding access to schools that families are actively seeking out, Democrats chose to restrict future growth.
The legislation will also affect schools currently seeking approval. De La Comunidad Bilingual School in Providence, which has been working through the state’s approval process, would be prevented from opening under the legislation despite spending months pursuing authorization.
Opponents of the moratorium argued that Democrats are protecting systems instead of focusing on students. Representative Joshua Giraldo warned that the bill limits opportunities for families looking for better educational options and questioned how Democrats would measure whether the moratorium actually improves educational outcomes.
Polling released earlier this year found charter schools remain broadly popular among Rhode Island voters, while a majority opposed a moratorium on new charter schools.
Governor McKee has not yet said whether he will sign the legislation. Earlier in his political career, McKee was one of the state’s strongest supporters of charter schools and previously opposed similar moratorium efforts.
The vote comes just days after Rhode Island Democrats approved a new millionaire’s tax despite the state collecting higher-than-expected revenues. Rather than expanding opportunities for families and students, Democrats are now moving to limit school choice for parents seeking alternatives to traditional public schools.
