Bill to create a statewide pre‑K seat finder draws support from providers, researchers and a national tech vendor

Representative Michelle Cross Smith, sponsor of House Bill 5,596, told the House Education Committee the bill would create a centralized pre‑K "finder" to help families locate available public pre‑kindergarten seats across Rhode Island.

"At times around, families often struggle to find availability of high quality pre k programs for their children," Representative Michelle Cross Smith said as she introduced the bill. She said the tool would "streamline the search process, ensuring parents can easily locate and enroll their children in high quality learning programs."

Jonathan Adler, vice president of government relations for WonderSchool, testified the technology would reduce the time families spend calling multiple providers and could increase enrollment in state‑funded pre‑K seats. "Now by giving families better access to real time information, the finder will ensure that more children can enter pre k on on time, be better prepared for kindergarten and and importantly beyond kindergarten," Adler said.

Antonio, director of program implementation and policy at the Hassenfeld Institute…