EDUCATION

RI school districts taking a hit from state budget standoff

Linda Borg
lborg@providencejournal.com
Providence Supt. Chris Maher said, "Without a timely resolution to the budget impasse, [the district] will suffer a significant financial loss that will directly affect students and teachers." [The Providence Journal/David DelPoio]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — School districts are scrambling to trim their budgets following Monday's announcement that $45 million in education aid to cities and towns is on hold because of a budget standoff between the leaders of the Rhode Island House and Senate.

The state budget office told the Department of Education Friday that, until the fiscal 2018 budget is passed, state agencies will operate under the existing budget. 

"For education aid, that means we have about $45 million less to distribute," said state education Commissioner Ken Wagner. "My team and I briefed local superintendents and charter leaders this morning and provided monthly allocations for local school districts. The monthly allocation figures we provided are based on current school year data, but with a roughly 5.2 percent reduction to reflect budget constraints."

The budget office made it clear that there is no guarantee that local communities and school districts will be reimbursed if and when the House and Senate pass a budget.

"For every day that goes by without a budget, new revenue initiatives will be delayed," Wagner said, "which could result in the need for further reductions in the final fiscal year 2018 budget. This is a significant challenge in an already difficult fiscal environment, and we're grateful to our partners in the districts and charters for their patience and hard work ..."

The urban districts have been hit the hardest, with Pawtucket losing $4.5 million, East Providence losing almost $1.8 million and Woonsocket losing $3 million.

Providence is the biggest loser, facing losses of more than $1 million a month under the fiscal 2018 funding formula. In total, Providence will lose nearly $12.6 million over 12 months.

Providence Supt. Chris Maher said, "Without a timely resolution to the budget impasse, PPSD will suffer a significant financial loss that will directly affect students and teachers. Due to the complex, categorical nature of education funding, until the Providence Public School District receives further detail and has time to analyze options, we will not be able to determine specific programmatic impacts of the projected loss in state funding to education."

Among the charter public schools, Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy, a series of schools in northern Rhode Island, stands to lose a total of $784,000 over 12 months.

"This is brutal for us," said BVP Executive Director Jeremy Chiappetta. "It's brutal for every kid in the state of Rhode Island. I'm confident we can figure out a way to provide quality programs. But it's going to be really hard. The decisions all of us are having to make are going to be tough, and they will hurt kids."

Where the cuts come from is anyone's guess. Fixed costs such as raises, health benefits and utilities consume the majority of school spending. And state law says districts can't lay off teachers unless they are notified by June 1.

"School districts are not allowed to run a deficit," said Tim Duffy, executive director of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees. "Districts will have to go back to local government and ask for additional funding, which may mean supplemental tax bills."

Also in jeopardy is the $5 million set aside to assist English-language learners, which most affects Providence, Pawtucket and Central Falls. This aid was supposed to sunset this year, but the 2018 budget carried it forward.   

Tim Ryan, executive director of the Rhode Island School Superintendents' Association, urged school and municipal leaders to plead their case with House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello and Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio.

But neither side seems willing to budge.

Ruggerio repeated his earlier statement, saying, "I encourage Speaker Mattiello to reconvene the House as soon as possible to consider the state budget as passed by the Senate, including the minor but very important taxpayer protections that have been added."

And Mattiello urged the Senate to return and pass the budget that was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Finance Committee: "This budget, which is still in the possession of the Senate, contains significant education aid that municipalities expect and need."

Gov. Gina Raimondo's office is looking to hear from superintendents about the impact this will have on their 2018 budgets, most of which have been passed by now.

lborg@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @lborgprojocom