School funding

Said budgets show what a community values and argued the city underfunds the schools, forcing repeated requests for more money.

The school committee chair said the district needs the money and will follow whatever conditions the council attaches, and warned against forcing a finance director change while replacing the superintendent and Rogers principal.

An emotional plea — she said she's exhausted and angry, accused some councilors of wanting the school department to feel pain, and urged the council to just vote so the district can educate kids.

The School Committee member pushed the Blue Ribbon legislation (Newport is $7M underfunded under it), debunked an interim-superintendent salary report as made up, and pressed for regionalization talks with Middletown and Portsmouth.

The School Committee member reminded the council that many Newport students serve residents in local restaurants and jobs — 'this is for them.'

The superintendent thanked the council and administration for working to bring back as many laid-off teachers as possible, and described re-staffing timelines.

She urged the council to raise taxes, saying $168/year is worth keeping the city out of 'constant poverty' — and pointed to real costs for her college-bound daughter losing dual-enrollment classes.

She urged full funding of schools and described the proposed Rhode Island Education Funding and Accountability Act, plus ideas to tap tourism, parking and lodging tax revenue.

A Rogers parent recited 15 years of school funding increases — mostly 0-4% — arguing the deficit is structural and Newport funds schools at 23-28% of budget versus 35-51% in neighboring towns.

A resident argued Newport is tax-averse despite having billionaires on Bellevue Avenue, and begged the council to raise taxes to fund schools and city assets.

Warned of lost state and federal funding and the loss of reading specialists, math specialists, and Pell's librarian, and supported a one-time conveyance tax to fund schools.

A school psychologist and parent said budget cuts mean larger classes, fewer specialists, and exhausted educators, and urged the council to seek permission to exceed the 4% cap.

A Newport teacher said students shouldn't pay for the deficit and asked why the school department pays for snow removal, grounds care, and school committee health coverage on city-owned obligations.

A Rogers teacher said average annual school funding increases since 2011 were just 1.6% of the allowed 4%, calling it 'not a budget problem, it's a values problem.'

A Rogers High senior asked the council to push the state to lift the 4% cap on school funding increases, arguing underfunding triggers class-size growth, teacher burnout, and falling property values.

The school superintendent thanked the city manager, finance director, and council for the tentative 4% school funding increase, while calling the statewide school funding formula broken.