Announced July 31, 2018: Due to the security risks associated with RISD schools holding a normal school day while serving as polling locations on the November 6, 2018 general election day, the district’s 2018-19 calendar is being changed so that Election Day is a student holiday/staff development day. With the change, RISD’s 2018-19 student academic calendar is still compliant with state requirements, and October 5 will remain a student holiday/staff development day as originally scheduled.

The change is being made as a precaution due to the thousands of unregistered visitors who gain access to RISD schools serving as voting locations on Election Day. Because staff members and some daytime care students will still be in schools on Nov. 6, RISD will continue to take additional safety precautions to isolate voting areas from the rest of the campus and monitor visitors.