The Factbook provides a statistical portrait of the status of Rhode Island's children and families, incorporating the best available research and data. Information is presented for the state of Rhode Island, each city and town, and an aggregate of the four core cities (cities with the highest child poverty rates). The Factbook tracks the progress of 70 indicators, across five areas of child well-being. Please see the full Factbook, executive summary, media release, and release event recording! To order a hard copy, please use this form.
  • The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rhode Island Children: In this year’s Factbook, we highlight the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Rhode Island children and families’ economic well-being, physical and mental health, safety, access to education, and educational outcomes as well as the strategies that the federal government, state government, and community agencies have put in place to support Rhode Island children and families during the pandemic.
  • Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Throughout the Factbook, data on racial and ethnic disparities are presented in as many indicators as possible and summarized in the Racial and Ethnic Disparities indicator. Collecting and reporting on data disaggregated by race and ethnicity is an important first step to identifying ways to eliminate them. Data on disparities and information about the historical and systemic racism that has resulted in these disparities can be used to identify policies to dismantle racism and reduce and eliminate disparities.
Rhode Island Community Profiles Now Available

  • Each year Rhode Island KIDS COUNT publishes city and town level data in the annual Factbook. All available information has been compiled in an easy to read format for each city or town in the state, as well as Rhode Island as a whole and the Core Cities.
  • Please see all Community Profiles here!
New Policy Brief: Early Intervention in Rhode Island 

  • Infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities and those who face significant family circumstances need extra help and should receive high-quality Early Intervention services to develop essential language, social-emotional, and motor skills to reduce the need for services when they are older.
  • Effective Early Intervention services help children make developmental progress and can help them catch up with their peers. Researchers have found that about one-third of infants and toddlers who received Early Intervention no longer had a developmental delay, disability, or special education need in kindergarten.
  • RI Early Intervention programs haven't received a Medicaid rate increase in 18 years resulting in inadequate staff wages and turnover and service delays/disruptions which prevent families from reaping the full benefits of the program. The Policy Brief recommends an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates for Early Intervention. 
  • Please see our full publication here and the virtual release event and discussion here.
Register today! School Climate Policy Roundtable Discussion and Presentation on June 7

  • In January of 2021, the Aspen Institute Education & Society Program and ExcelinEd released A Policymakers School Climate Playbook: Creating Opportunities for Meaningful Student Engagement. This new report provides a clear set of recommendations to guide policymakers in building a comprehensive and coherent statewide approach for improving school climate.
  • Recommendations include engaging students and parents in policymaking, integrating school climate into school quality evaluations and school improvement plans, developing the skills and knowledge of educators, and dedicating resources to increase access to mental and behavioral health professionals. These strategies will help to increase equity so all students have access to a healthy and positive school climate.
  • The event will take place on Monday, June 7, 2021, from 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Registration is required for this event. To register, and see the full agenda, please click here.