Guidance for Rhode Island Schools on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students

Rhode Island Department of Education, June 2016
The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is committed to ensuring safe and supportive learning environments for all Rhode Island youth. It is imperative that the school system, along with family and education professionals, be supportive role models and strong advocates for the safety and well-being of children. All students need a safe and supportive school environment to progress academically and developmentally. Therefore, the purpose of this guidance is to:
• Foster an educational environment that is safe and free from discrimination for all students, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,
• Facilitate compliance with state and federal law concerning bullying, harassment, and discrimination,
• Reduce the stigmatization of and improve the educational integration of transgender and gender non-conforming students, maintaining the privacy of all students, and fostering cultural competence and professional development for school staff, and
• Support healthy communication between educators and parent(s)/guardian(s) to further the successful educational development and well-being of every student.