"The renewed emphasis on collaboration throughout all levels of education in Rhode Island allows us to assist our students in a more comprehensive and cohesive manner.  Ultimately, that is highly more efficient and effective for the student as well as for the system.  Nowhere is that more evident than in some of the terrific, forward-thinking partnerships that have been developed between the state’s institutions of higher education and many of our K-12 school districts.  These partnerships are highly innovative, show tremendous imagination and creativity and serve to benefit not only the K-12 students but the faculty and students of our institutions of higher learning as well."