Supporting Our Schools Through Collaboration
Newport This Week asked all candidates to submit letters on their municipality’s school system. See all submissions on their website and read mine below.
Schools are the heart of our community. The ability for every child to receive a quality education is not only good for their own development, but also positively impacts Newport’s future overall. All children deserve to be safe and supported and have access to the care that they need. As your Ward 2 City Councilor, I will prioritize funding and collaborating with the Newport Public Schools so they maintain the place of pride that schools should have in our city.
Money can’t resolve the issues our school system is facing on its own – but it can certainly help. Our projected allocation to the schools for the 2027 fiscal year is 23 percent of the City’s overall budget- below the 2026 state average of 40 percent, according to the RI Expenditure Council. Especially considering the high need of our student population, this funding proportion is extremely low. Newport must work to determine the amount of annual funding required to meet the needs of all our students and then fund the schools at that level. If elected, I will work with our state delegation, city staff and fellow elected officials to identify additional funding sources to direct to our schools. The needs of our kids are not the problem; the inability to properly meet those needs is.
Since 2021, I have attended almost every city council meeting, including discussions of the budget with the school committee. The tenor of these conversations is often one of blame – what have the schools been doing to squander the money the city gives them? Our schools are part of our city; this isn’t “us vs. them”. Any money for the schools is money for the city and any struggle the schools face is one the city shares. The school committee and city council are both elected bodies, chosen by the voters, with separate areas of focus aligning on a mutual goal. We must foster a professional, collaborative relationship between the two. As city councilor, I will be dedicated to open communication among these bodies to examine existing inefficiencies and encourage implementation of new ideas. Collaboration and mutual respect is essential to effective governance and public trust. Improvement can’t happen in silos or a hostile environment. We are all working towards the same goal: a better future for our children.
I look forward to prioritizing our schools and our kids as your next Ward 2 City Councilor.
