Although the Rhode Island General Assembly has not yet approved the required legislation to put the subject on the ballot, the Newport City Council voted 5-2 Tuesday night to pursue a school regionalization ballot question that could save the city $4 million yearly.
According to the resolution, the Middletown and Newport school districts should share a superintendent and a finance office, but teachers and students should remain in their local communities. But any question on the ballot needs new legislation from the General Assembly, which won’t meet again until January.
The school committee supports the plan as well.
A similar motion in favor of regionalization was approved by the Newport School Committee by a vote of 5-2, with Robert Leary and Stephanie Winslow voting against it.
“The communities will have to draft the question language and present it to their legislators to be presented to the full body when they return in January,” state representative Lauren Carson, a Democrat from Newport, told What sUpNewp over the phone Thursday. In order to set up the special election, it most likely needs to happen rather soon in the upcoming session, Carson stated.
The proposal would need to be approved by the General Assembly, which it probably would, Middletown state senator Louis P. DiPalma, a Democrat, told What sUpNewp over the phone Thursday. “If it comes before me, I look forward to putting this forward,” DiPalma stated.
Urgency is driven by the financial stakes.
The resolution’s sponsor, Councilor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, highlighted the significant rise in state financing. The resolution states that regionalization might save tens of millions of dollars by increasing state reimbursement for the development of Newport’s Rogers High School from 52.5% to 80.5%.
There are still concerns, nevertheless, regarding whether these budgetary estimates can be met given the current project schedules and the proposed administrative-only merger. The new Rogers High School in Newport, which has been under construction since 2022, will have its ribbon-cutting on Friday, August 22. The groundbreaking for Middletown’s new middle-high school project took place in June 2025, and the ribbon-cutting is scheduled for the fall of 2027.
James Dring, the chair of the Newport School Committee, acknowledged that the increased reimbursement is a result of current state legislation, even though the resolution’s administrative-only merger would not be eligible for all bonuses. Regional school districts are granted an additional 2 percent for each grade merged under Rhode Island General Laws 16-7-40; but, the present proposal retains children in their local areas.
There are also concerns regarding eligibility for projects that are already under way or have just been finished, as the majority of state bonus incentives need construction to start by June 30, 2024, and be finished by June 30, 2029.
The entire sum that comes to mind is $154 million in principal and interest over 25 years, which I believe is a large amount because I was astonished. Newport would be required to reimburse $79 million of that amount. During the discussion, Napolitano stated that the state will cover the remaining costs.
Beth Cullen, a member of the Newport School Committee, cautioned that failure to act would have immediate financial repercussions. We’re losing kids, and we lose money when we lose students. She stated that enrollment is the key to the state formula and that if nothing is done, $4 million will be lost each year.
In addition, the resolution calls for 50% compensation for in-district busing; Cullen pointed out that each bus costs $100,000 a year and is only partially occupied. “It would be $3 million for our communities if we could somehow be big boys and girls and merge our busing,” she remarked.
Process Concerns Are Raised by Opposition
Opposition efforts were led by Councilor Stephanie Smyth, who argued that more thorough preparation should be done before proceeding. She suggested delaying the decision until a combined meeting with the Rhode Island Department of Education, school committees, and community councils could be set up, stating that these discussions have not been with all of our elected leaders being able to access the same information.
Councilors Ellen Pinnock and Xaykham Khamsyvoravong joined Smyth in supporting the postponement, but her motion to proceed was defeated 4-3. Smyth’s proposal, which required the city manager to arrange a special meeting between RIDE and the governing bodies of both communities, was approved by the council, nevertheless.
Concerns regarding equity and community involvement were voiced by Councilor Ellen Pinnock. She cautioned about possible power disparities between the communities and stated that true community participation does not involve asking people to respond to a plan they did not help create.
The Future Is Complicated by Legislative History
The 2022 regionalization proposal died on Nov. 8, 2022, when Newport voters rejected it despite Middletown’s acceptance, according to Councilor David Carlin, who gave important background information about the legislative requirements. He underlined that the General Assembly would have to draft new bills because there is now no legislation in place.
What sUpNewp was able to receive the 2022 draft legislation, which demonstrates the intricacy of regionalization. After Newport voters rejected the bill, it never became law. The bill would have authorized the creation of a regional school system with specific requirements for operations, finance, and governance.
Community and Parental Concerns
During public discussion, special education advocate Melody O. Brien raised concerns from parents about how regionalization might impact students who are already at risk. If Middletown and Newport are amalgamated, with a limited budget and additional children, how will this work? She inquired.
O Brien expressed her dissatisfaction with Newport’s present special education programs, stating that she had to remove her child due to a lack of funding and that she had to go through mediation regarding federally required IEPs.
Amy Yozura, another parent, asked for more thorough planning but endorsed the Academic Integration Advisory Commission. Saying we’re going to proceed with this now and work out the specifics later doesn’t seem responsible. “There’s simply too much at stake,” she stated.
The establishment of the Academic Integration Commission
The resolution calls for equal representation from Newport and Middletown on an Academic Integration Advisory Commission that will be established by September 30 to address educational reforms. A minimum of 51% of any regionalization payments should go back into academic programming, according to the Newport School Committee’s recommendations.
Historical Background and Upcoming Actions
While Middletown voters approved a $235 million school building project (73.9 percent) and regionalization (64.5 percent), Newport’s 2022 regionalization vote was defeated by 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent. With changed parameters, the current endeavor is a second attempt that only focuses on administrative consolidation.
The resolution now instructs municipal employees to work with RIDE and Middletown officials to arrange the requested joint meeting. However, the General Assembly would need to create, adopt, and pass new regionalization legislation before any ballot questions could be asked.
Despite these legislative obstacles, Napolitano defended the urgency by highlighting the better state offer and pointing out that she has agreements with individuals who would monitor community conversations. For thirty years, I have served on the council. Prior to this, we were only reimbursed for 25 percent of any changes we made to any of our Newport schools, she added.
Councilors David Carlin, Lynn Underwood Ceglie, Charlie Holder, Napolitano, and Khamsyvoravong all voted in favor of the measure. Pinnock and Smyth voted nay.
WhatsUpNewp has contacted the Rhode Island Department of Education, state Senator Dawn Euer, Councilor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, and Matt Sheley, the town of Middletown’s public affairs officer, for comment.
Resolution of the Newport City Council
More from What’sUpNewp
New luxury condominium community now selling in Portsmouth
Newport City Council honors retired library director Joe Logue with proclamation
Morning Notes: Mount Hope Bridge to close tonight for resurfacing project
Rhode Island man accused of faking his death to avoid rape charges is found guilty of sexual assault in Utah
There was a problem. Please try again or refresh the page.
