R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-64-2: Retention of residence.

A child shall be eligible to receive education from the city or town in which the child’s residence has been established until his or her residence has been established in another city or town and that city or town has enrolled the child within its school system, unless the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, pursuant to § 16-64-6, has ordered otherwise. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit a city or town in its own discretion from enrolling a child within its school system before a child has established technical residency within the city or town. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate any rules that may be needed to implement the educational provisions of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (P.L. 105-220), 42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.