PROVIDENCE – An agreement has been reached on the amount of funding the city will owe the Providence Public School District more than two weeks after it was found in violation of the Crowley Act, R.I. Department of Education spokesperson Victor Morente confirmed to Providence Business News Wednesday.
However, details on the agreement reached between the city, the Providence Public School District and the R.I. Department of Education are currently unknown. Morente said that the agreement will be put into writing and be made available by the close of business on Nov. 22, with no agreement details being shared at this time.
Attorneys representing both the city and state reportedly met since 10 a.m. in multiple conferences, and the agreement announcement was made in R.I. Superior Court just before 1 p.m.
In a press briefing Wednesday at City Hall, Mayor Brett P. Smiley said the city was “very pleased” it came to an agreement with PPSD and RIDE over the school funding matter, saying the fight “has not been good for Providence families or employees.” However, in following up his past statements about how the city would face “real consequences” over the court’s ruling, Smiley said a tax increase is “inevitable,” there will be cuts and “sacrifices” in city government.
But a midyear tax increase might be avoided, he said. “My plan is to not put all the burden on the taxpayers,” Smiley said.
The city has implemented a hiring freeze and all discretionary spending in the city’s departments has been paused. Smiley previously said could also be citywide layoffs and also potential furloughs for the rest of the fiscal year.
Smiley did not specify Wednesday what those cuts would be, saying details won’t be finalized until Nov. 22. Smiley did say Wednesday the city will continue to fund the libraries and recreation centers as budgeted in the current fiscal year.
Smiley also said he wants the schools to return to local control and officials will be working to make that happen “as soon as possible.”
Wednesday’s announcement is the latest chapter in an ongoing battle between the city and the school district – currently under intervention by the R.I. Department of Education – over proper funding of the schools. Back on Nov. 8, per media reports, R.I. Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Lanphear ruled in favor of RIDE and R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green over claims from state education officials that the city violated the Crowley Act, citing the city had owed PPSD close to $30 million.
Infante-Green had requested R.I. Treasurer James A. Diossa to withhold $8.5 million in car tax reimbursements from the state and city as a result.
The Crowley Act requires that municipal funding for school districts currently under state control must be increased by the same percentage as the increase in statewide school aid. Providence School Superintendent Javier Montañez said in a Nov. 9 letter to the community that the state aid to the district increased by $30.5 million since RIDE intervened back in late 2019, while the city’s increased totaled only $5.5 million.
(UPDATED: Added 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th paragraphs to include statements from Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley.)
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.