Federal Grant Award Summary

The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RI DESE) received a $2.76 million Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition under the English Language Acquisition State Grants program (CFDA 84.365), effective July 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2026. This award supports the development and implementation of comprehensive English language instruction programs designed to help English learners (ELs), including immigrant children and youth, attain English proficiency and meet challenging state academic standards.

RI DESE, as the state educational agency (SEA), will utilize these funds to establish standards and objectives for English proficiency, make sub-grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and other eligible entities, and hold sub-grantees accountable for program outcomes. In accordance with program requirements, RI DESE must expend at least 95 percent of the allotment to award subgrants to LEAs and other eligible recipients that directly serve English learners through targeted services including English language instruction, academic enrichment, teacher training, curriculum development, and parent engagement activities. The remaining funding supports state-level administration, monitoring, and evaluation of these programs.