RIDE has partnered with the College Board to launch the "Two Codes" initiative, which will expand student access to Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and Politics and AP Computer Science Principles.

RIDE will work with high schools and districts to expand student access to these courses, with the goal of ensuring that AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Computer Science Principles are offered at all high schools across the state by the 2024-25 academic year. For schools that already offer these AP courses, RIDE's objective is to increase student participation and success in these courses and to integrate them as components of pathway endorsements and career education programs.

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The Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts (TAPA) has succeeded in fostering an environment "high in love" with strong relationships between students and faculty, however, the school has fallen short in hitting academic - or "high rigor" milestones in recent years. After receiving a $500,000 two-year XQ grant to redesign its school, TAPA will partner with a diverse group of XQ educators and leaders to deliver an interdisciplinary arts education that "rigorously and authentically mirrors the real world."

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Gov. Gina Raimondo announced the expansion of a program aimed at helping high school students gain hands-on experience in the workplace during a Monday morning speaking engagement at the Citizens Bank campus in Johnston.

Raimondo was on hand for the PrepareRI employers breakfast, which hosted current and prospective businesses and organizations that take on students for the initiative. PrepareRI, according to its website, seeks to “prepare all Rhode Island youth with the skills they need for jobs that pay.” There is also a PrepareRI program offered to college students at CCRI, Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island.

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Colin McCabe, a senior in Rogers High School’s PTECH program, will be graduating in May with an associate’s degree in cybersecurity from the Community College of Rhode Island and graduating in June from Rogers with a high school diploma.

He earned both degrees within four years, taking full advantage of the opportunity that PTECH students have to complete courses at CCRI.

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Thanks to a three-year, $1.5-million grant, a statewide nonprofit agency helping Rhode Islanders gain job skills can expand its summer internship program for youth.

At a news conference at the Citizens Bank headquarters on Monday, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced the grant from American Student Assistance, a national organization that helps students pursue post-secondary education and careers. The money will go to Skills for Rhode Island’s Future for its PrepareRI internship program, which trains high-school seniors in business skills and places them in paid summer internships with partner companies.

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During the summer prior to his senior year, he applied for and was accepted into the PrepareRI Internship program for rising seniors. Students in the program take part in a paid internship job over the summer leading up to their senior year.

“My girlfriend told me about the program and what a big opportunity it was to get a summer job and to learn a lot,” he said. “She was right. I truly did learn a lot from it.”

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A program in Rhode Island appears to be addressing these needs already, by starting career conversations and complementary curriculum as early as elementary school. It’s a statewide program called PrepareRI, launched in 2016 as an initiative by Governor Gina Raimondo.

Every student in Rhode Island — yes, every student — is eligible to participate, although they’re not required to do so. The goal is to create pathways from the time they begin school all the way to high school graduation, through coursework and real-world experience. The pathway programs are aligned to high-demand career fields, including those mentioned in the Kauffman Foundation survey.

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In 2016, Gov. Gina Raimondo launched a Prepare RI initiative which supports career and technical education, aiming to close the skills gap between what students learn and what they need for high-demand jobs.
“We are redesigning those experiences where students’ learning experiences are measured by more than test scores,” said Steve Osborn, chief for innovation at the Rhode Island Department of Education. “They are measured by clear credentials that either save them money on their college degree or help them get a job to be able to support themselves, so it’s relevant, it’s real, it has clear application.”

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Though it looks rather unassuming from the exterior, a new world of possibility rests behind garage door number nine at the William M. Davies Career and Technical High School in Lincoln.

“Our goals are informed by the work happening here,” said Stephen Osborn, the Rhode Island Department of Education’s chief for innovation.

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