"Prepare RI" dual enrollment funding excludes homeschoolers

What is Prepare RI?

Here is a quote from the DOE website: “Governor Raimondo’s Prepare RI Dual Enrollment Fund provides funding for all qualified students to participate in concurrent and dual enrollment courses with URI, RIC and CCRI as part of their high school requirements at NO COST to students and families.”

The key word here is “qualified”.

Below is a letter that I sent to Governor Raimondo and others.

I am a homeschooling parent here in the state of Rhode Island. I have homeschooled 3 of my children through to graduation and continue to homeschool my 13 year old. I wish that “Prepare RI” had been implemented sooner, as my husband and I have paid, in full, for High School Enrichment and Dual Enrollment classes at CCRI for all three of our older children.

But it has come to my attention that homeschoolers and private schooled children are EXCLUDED from the funding available through Prepare RI. I guess we don’t qualify.

There seems to be no logical reason for this. The funding is not drawn from public school funding. The funding is not disbursed based on financial need. Many (most?) homeschoolers are living on one income. We make financial sacrifices in order for one parent to stay home and instruct our children and to pay for our own curriculum and resources. If Prepare RI funding were based on financial need, most of us would be eligible.

The only official language I find regarding eligibility is on a FAQ PDF document linked to the DOE website about Prepare RI:

“5.5. Are Rhode Island students who are home schooled eligible to participate in dual enrollment?

Yes, the Dual Enrollment regulations allow dual enrollment opportunities for students who meet the institution’s eligibility criteria, including home school students. However, the funding available through the Prepare RI Dual Enrollment Fund is separate from the regulations. As home school students are not public school students and are not enrolled in a public Rhode Island High School, the student is not eligible for the Prepare RI Dual Enrollment funding and would be responsible for the associated costs of taking a dual enrollment course.”

My only conclusion from reason is that the decision to exclude homeschoolers from this funding is discriminatory.

There is absolutely no reason why this funding should be tied to public school enrollment.

We are RI residents, paying RI taxes, that fund RI public schools. We should be eligible for this funding.

I would like to see adjustments to this policy and instructions directed to the participating colleges that homeschooled students are eligible for the Prepare RI funding.