PROVIDENCE – More than $1 billion in 48 new school construction projects, including replacing five high schools, across Rhode Island were given the OK by the R.I. Council on Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday evening, paving the way for the state to refine learning environments for close to 25,000 public school students.
The R.I. Department of Education formally announced the council’s approval of the projects on Wednesday, which include building seven new and like-new schools, and making multiple other health, safety and educational upgrades within 11 local education agencies. The council’s vote on Tuesday to sign off on the projects – which RIDE says marks the single largest school construction approval in Rhode Island K-12 history – also follows
recent school construction bond measures that were approved by local voters last month.
The new unified Pawtucket high school, which will unite the city’s aging Charles E. Shea and William E. Tolman high schools, was among the projects approved by the council on Tuesday.
City voters last year approved a $330 million bond question to build a new 482,500-square-foot high school on the site of McCoy Stadium that will house about 2,500 students.
Among other noted approved school projects include building a new Mount Hope High School, an initiative that Bristol and Warren voters approved last month a $200 million bond to fund the project; building a South Kingstown High School in the town; and making major renovations and new construction at Mount Pleasant High School in Providence.
The council, RIDE says, also approved the town of Cumberland’s plan to build a new B.F. Norton Elementary School. Voters in the town last month signed off on a $52 million bond to replace the current school on Broad Street. The city of Providence also got the council’s blessing to build two new pre-kindergarten-8 school buildings to replace four current elementary and middle schools in the city.
The Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School in Providence was granted approval by the council to make health and safety repairs and renovations along with educational enhancements throughout the facility, RIDE says. Other school upgrades and renovation projects within Bristol, Warren, Burrillville, Coventry, Cumberland, Jamestown, Lincoln, South Kingstown and Tiverton were also approved Tuesday by the council, RIDE says.
“When we invest in 21st century learning spaces, we invest directly in our children and educators,” R.I. Board of Education Chairperson Michael Grey said in a statement. “All children should be excited about learning in a modern school that meets their needs and enhances learning. The council is pleased to support these projects that will have a positive impact in our school communities.”
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 Twitter at @James_Bessette.
