Rhode Island Recognized as a National Leader in New 50-State Study on the Future of High School
Published on Wednesday, February 18, 2026
PROVIDENCE, RI - The XQ Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on rethinking high school, today released a new study of high school policies in every state and spotlighted the Ocean State’s efforts to enhance the high school experience and improve student outcomes. The study finds that through strategic engagement and policy implementation, Rhode Island is leading the way in preparing students for life after graduation.
The Future Is High School: A Strategy for State Leaders to Accelerate Learning, Work, and American Renewal identifies ten policy actions to make high school more rigorous, engaging, and career‑connected. With six policy actions in place and another two underway, Rhode Island is a national model in preparing students for the future.
“Rhode Island has set a bold education agenda to ensure every student can reach their fullest potential, and I’m proud to see our state’s commitment and hard work recognized on the national stage,” said Governor Dan McKee. “To prepare our young people for success in a competitive 21st‑century economy, we must provide the right learning experiences and supports. The Future Is High School: A Strategy for State Leaders to Accelerate Learning, Work, and American Renewal affirms that the Ocean State is building the systems and conditions that will help every student thrive in college, career, and life.”
“Every child, regardless of background or zip code, deserves access to the learning experiences that empower them to shape their own futures, and we’re proud that Rhode Island’s leadership is being recognized in this new report from the XQ Institute,” said Commissioner Angélica Infante‑Green. “With our student‑centered and industry‑aligned Readiness‑Based Graduation Requirements, our expansion of high‑quality secondary programs, and a deep commitment to better engaging students, families, and educators in shaping education, Rhode Island is making real progress toward preparing every learner for lifelong success. The Future Is High School: A Strategy for State Leaders to Accelerate Learning, Work, and American Renewal highlights the progress we are making and underscores the bright future ahead as we continue our work to improve educational outcomes for every Rhode Island student.”
In 2018, Rhode Island became the first state to partner with XQ at a statewide level and launched RI + XQ, a multi‑year initiative that invited every high school to rethink its design, purpose, and student experience. As part of a deep dive, schools engaged in structured design thinking, community engagement, and analysis of student needs to build bold redesign proposals.
In alignment with this deep assessment of the high school experience, Rhode Island has advanced a statewide effort to reimagine high school through Readiness‑Based Graduation Requirements, providing new guidance and pathways that emphasize real‑world skills and postsecondary preparation.
Along with the new graduation regulations, the Ocean State has drastically expanded high‑quality college and career pathways such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, dual enrollment, work‑based learning, and advanced coursework. Under Commissioner Infante‑Green’s leadership, the state has nearly doubled the number of RIDE‑approved CTE programs statewide. Rhode Island has also become a national leader in advanced coursework. Over the past decade, the state has seen the largest increase in the country in both the share of graduates earning a qualifying AP score and the share of students taking at least one AP exam. From 2015 to 2023, dual enrollment expanded by 131%.
The report, which will be released every two years, underscores the need for strong implementation to ensure that educators, schools, and communities have the support needed to turn innovative policy into real impact.
“States have more opportunity, responsibility, and authority over public education than at any time in recent memory, and Rhode Island is showing the entire country what is possible when leaders focus on high school,” said Russlynn Ali, CEO of XQ Institute and Managing Director of the Education Fund at Emerson Collective. “With 57,000 job openings to fill each year, Rhode Island is not waiting to unlock new opportunities for students because they have realized that high school is the future of everything.”
This spring, XQ will embark on the first leg of its Future Is High School bus tour, a national effort designed to elevate the voices of those closest to the work of transforming high school. The tour will be stopping in Rhode Island as part of a multi‑phase effort to activate local expertise and showcase what is possible when communities lead.
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