July 29, 2026
Dear Friends and Supporters,
This spring, there was no shortage of noise.
At the State House and in the headlines, the noise came from political debates, anti-charter legislation, and endless arguments about the future of charter public schools.
Inside our charter public schools, the noise told a very different story. It was the joyful hum of learning and progress: lively debates, cheers during sporting events, applause after a student performance, engagement with the community, recognition of a peer’s success, and celebration of the next step in the journey.
While the public conversation focused on politics, our educators remained focused on students. Throughout the 2025–26 school year, charter public schools continued creating opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and achieve. From first milestones to final diplomas, this year was filled with moments worth celebrating.
Today, we’re proud to share just a few of the highlights from this past year.
Students Thrived
Students across our schools reached impressive milestones both inside and outside the classroom.
- Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter School continues to offer pathways to healthcare professions, with 99% of this year’s graduates pursuing higher education and 93% entering healthcare fields.
- Highlander Charter School graduated 7 students from the TradesUp pilot welding training program who were hired by Electric Boat upon program completion.
- Segue Institute for Learning students represented Rhode Island at National History Day in Washington, D.C. after winning the state competition.
- Blackstone Academy Charter School students outperformed both Rhode Island and global averages on the AP African American Studies exam, with 88% earning a score of 3 or higher.
Schools Were Recognized for Excellence
This year, schools and educators earned recognition for creating healthy, welcoming, and engaging learning environments.
- Kingston Hill Academy was recognized as a 2026 Blue Ribbon School for both overall high achievement and achievement gap closure.
- Beacon Charter Schools received Woonsocket Pride’s Torch Bearers Award for fostering a culture of creativity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts’ Amaris Garcia was named one of Rhode Island’s Civics Educator of the Year.
- The Compass School and Kingston Hill Academy were recognized as America’s Healthiest Schools.
- Six charter public schools (The Compass School, Highlander Charter School, Paul Cuffee School, Segue Legacy High School, TAPA, and Apprenticeship Exploration School) were recognized through the Attendance Matters Challenge for helping students show up and succeed.
Schools Grew Opportunities for Students
Our schools continued to invest in meaningful student learning experiences.
- The Greene School received approval to expand into the middle grades and opened its new outdoor meadow learning space.
- Times2 STEM Academy launched its new Ocean Tech Engineering Lab, creating exciting new opportunities for hands-on STEM learning.
- International Charter School took fifth grade students on an educational exchange to the Azores for the first time since the pandemic.
- Highlander Charter School expanded opportunities beyond the traditional school day through Joy Lab (grades K-8) and Beyond the Bell (grades 9-12).
- Segue Institute for Learning completed its second year of the Ignite Mentorship Initiative with Teach for America with Legacy High School students.
In Case You Missed it
This month, Stephanie Bernaba featured the strategic work of Segue Institute for Learning and The Compass School to encourage attendance, limit screen use, and prevent and address summer learning loss in Ocean State Stories.
Looking Ahead
These accomplishments represent only a small sample of what happened across Rhode Island’s charter public schools this year. Every day, educators, students, families, and school leaders are building stronger communities, creating new opportunities, and helping young people thrive.
Thank you to everyone who makes this work possible. We can’t wait to see what the coming school year brings.
Sincerely,
Chiara Deltito-Sharrott, Executive Director