This information was produced by the staff of the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development (B-BC) at the University of Iowa (belinblank.org). The resources and information listed here are for informational purposes; there is no direct or implied endorsement by the B-BC. Services provided by the B-BC include programs for academically talented K-12 and college students, professional development for teachers, the Assessment and Counseling Clinic, the Acceleration Institute (accelerationinstitute.org), and graduate programs and research in gifted education.

print Printing

Our pages are formatted to be printer-friendly. Simply click and print.

 Twitter YouTube Facebook WordPress

State Policies in Rhode Island  

Rhode Island does not have a state acceleration policy. LEA's make acceleration decisions.

Grade-based Acceleration

Early entrance to kindergarten

No state policy; up to LEA to determine whether early entrance to kindergarten is permitted. § 16-2-27 states that all children who are five years old by September 1 of any school year can enter kindergarten.

Early entrance to 1st grade§ 16-2-28 states that every child who has turned or will turn six years old on or before September 1 of any school year and who has completed a state-recognized/accredited kindergarten program can attend 1st grade.
Whole-grade accelerationIt appears that individual schools districts retain much authority over talented and gifted. In these cases, decisions are usually made at the district level.
Early high school graduationRhode Island's state graduation requirements allow substantial latitude in their implementation. Local districts decide how these requirements are met.  State requirements do call for completion of a "senior project", but it is not clear if a student must remain in high school for the full 4 years in order to complete this requirement.
Early entrance to collegeIf you know where to find this information, please e-mail us.

Content-based Acceleration

Dual or concurrent enrollment in community college, college, or university

State policy specifically permits Dual Enrollment in high school and college, and allows students to receive high school credit for college courses. Each LEA determines the earliest grade/age for dual enrollment.

Middle school students permitted dual or concurrent enrollment in high school

State policy leaves LEA to determine whether dual enrollment in middle and high school is permitted.
Advanced Placement®State permits Advanced Placement. More information can be found here.
Talent Search

There is no in-state Talent Search for Rhode Island, but gifted students in RI can participate in regional and national talent searches, including those offered by the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.

Credit by examination/proficiency-based promotion

No state policy; up to LEA to determine whether proficiency-based promotion is permitted. State policy specifically allows students to earn graduation credit for proficiency, and leaves LEA to determine methods of demonstrating proficiency and advancement options after proficiency. More about proficiency-based promotion can be found here.
Other forms of content-based acceleration

Typically left to LEAs to determine. If you know of state-level code, please e-mail us.

Additional Information

Rhode Island Department of Education Gifted Website
Rhode Island Department of Education

The information presented on this page was compiled from a variety of resources, including the State of the States in Gifted Education 2020-2021 (a report by the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children), Websites, professional literature, and personal communication. The Acceleration Institute has not verified the accuracy of this information and does not warrant its accuracy or fitness of use for any purpose. Users should verify information prior to taking any action. Furthermore, the appearance of selected programs and/or resources does not imply an endorsement or affiliation. Programs and resources are highlighted for informational purposes only.