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Special education in Rhode Island

What Rhode Island calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Rhode Island

Special education is called
Special Education
The IEP meeting
IEP team meeting
Eligibility team
Evaluation team
Evaluation timeline
60 calendar days. 60 calendar days from consent per regulation (200-RICR-20-30-6.7.2). A secondary source reports a 2024 act moving to 63 days from July 1, 2026; being checked
IEP timeline
30 days (federal)
Transition planning starts
14 (being checked)
Rights transfer to the student at
18
Developmental delay category
3 to 8 (child count)
Dyslexia law
partial: R.I. Gen. Laws 16-67-2 requires a school-entry readiness screening in literacy and math for all children and dyslexia strategies when appropriate; no dyslexia-specific K-3 screening mandate (Chiara's Law H 7608 of 2022 and later bills not enacted)

Find your district and schools

0 districts and charter districts. 18 special education schools and 0 public charter schools.

Get your Hall PassSchools in Rhode IslandServices for children in Rhode Island (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office
Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)
Mediation
State complaint
Due process

Free help for families

Parent centers

Disability rights agency

Advocacy groups in Rhode Island

Paying for it

Medicaid for children
RIte Care
CHIP
RIte Care
Apply
Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income
yes: Katie Beckett Program (TEFRA)
Schools bill Medicaid for health services
no
Autism insurance law
yes. until age 15
Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities
general-limited: Corporate tax-credit scholarship (income-limited)

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Rhode Island scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C+

Rank 9 of 51

State of Support

A

Rank 3 of 51

Combined

B+

Rank 4 of 51

PillarGrade
Following the lawB-
Learning togetherC
ResultsB
School fundingB+
Family protectionsD
Options and transitionD+

IDEA determination 2026: Meets. How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.