RI Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education

The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, a state government entity and subsidiary of the State of Rhode Island, operates as a federal grant recipient (97% of recent awards) administering elementary, secondary, and early childhood education programs throughout Rhode Island. RI DESE does not compete for federal contracts; it receives formula grants and project grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute federal education funding and administer federally mandated programs statewide.

RI DESE's federal footprint centers on education policy administration and pass-through grant distribution. The entity serves as the state educational agency responsible for overseeing K-12 education, administering formula-allocated federal dollars to local educational agencies, school districts, charter schools, and community organizations. Recent grant work includes a $1.9 million definitive contract awarded by the Institute of Education Sciences on April 1, 2025, to serve as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) State Coordinator for Rhode Island through March 31, 2035—the only fixed-price contract in the recent award portfolio. Project grants include the Rhode Island Students Excel Through AI (RISE-AI) initiative ($9.2 million, Education Innovation and Research program, CFDA 84.411, August 2026), PROJECT REACH for AI-powered literacy coaching ($11 million, CFDA 84.411, August 2026), and Rhode Island's Psychologists for Caregiving Youth Initiative ($3 million, School Safety National Activities, CFDA 84.184, January 2026). Formula grants dominate the portfolio and support mandated activities including special education, Title I basic grants to local educational agencies ($24.9 million as of July 2026), child nutrition programs (National School Lunch Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program), English language acquisition, career and technical education, and student support and academic enrichment.

Customer concentration is extreme and singular. The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education accounts for 201 awards; the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service accounts for 195 combined awards (105 and 90 across two funding lines). These two agencies represent the overwhelming majority of the 24 distinct customer agencies served. The next tier—the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (49 awards), the Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (41 awards), and the Institute of Education Sciences (5 awards anchoring all measurable potential value at $1.9 million)—account for far smaller volumes. RI DESE has no meaningful vehicle positioning; it does not sit on GWACs, BPAs, or agency-wide IDIQs. The entity receives direct awards as the state educational agency under permanent statutory formulas and competitive grant programs.

Activity has remained flat across the past five years (30 awards in 2022, 35 in 2025, 21 in 2026 year-to-date), with 27 awards reaching ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, creating moderate recompete exposure on recurring formula allocations. RI DESE subcontracts minimally (3% of awards) and primarily acts as a prime recipient and pass-through administrator. Named sub-recipients include the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, and the Rhode Island Department of Children Youth and Families, reflecting partnerships in workforce development, mental health, and early childhood services. The entity also receives sub-awards from the State of Rhode Island on AmeriCorps programs and early learning initiatives.

Federal grant programs flow through RI DESE to K-12 and early childhood service systems statewide. The agency administers formula grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (CFDA 84.027, 84.173), Title I Part A (CFDA 84.010), Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers (CFDA 84.287), Student Support and Academic Enrichment (CFDA 84.424), and English Language Acquisition (CFDA 84.365), along with USDA child nutrition programs (CFDA 10.555, 10.558, 10.560). Project grants support innovation in AI-driven instruction, mental health in schools, literacy systems, and apprenticeship development for building administrators. AmeriCorps programs, administered through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CFDA 94.008), support state service commissions and community service member slots across Rhode Island.

RI DESE's role is statutory and administrative—not competitive. It serves as the conduit for federal education dollars to reach local school systems, early care providers, and community partners. The entity does not pursue contracts against other vendors; instead, it receives legislatively mandated allocations as the state educational agency and distributes them according to federal formula and program guidance. This posture positions RI DESE as a customer of federal vendors rather than a competitor to them.