While much of the attention on election day – Tuesday – will be on the first Congressional District race, it’s more than a billion dollars in school-building proposals that are the focus of communities, from Lincoln to Middletown.
In the Congressional race, Democrat Greg Amo and Republican Gerry Leonard are vying to replace David Cicilline, who left Congress earlier in the year to become executive director of the Rhode Island Foundation.
The school proposals come amid reports of cost overruns in communities throughout the state that had previously approved building projects. The spate of building projects followed a 2017 Rhode Island Department of Education report, the Jacobs Report, that said to bring schools statewide to safe and educationally sound levels, it would cost $2.2 billion.
Communities like Newport (Rogers High School project) are reporting shortfalls of more than $10 million, while other communities like Warwick and Westerly, are looking at shortfalls of millions of dollars. In South Kingstown, the town council withdrew a $125 million school referendum that would have asked voters to approve building a new high school.
On Aquidneck Island, Middletown will ask voters to approve a $190 million bond to build a combination middle and high school and make repairs and improvements to other schools. The middle and high schools would be separate but connected. Under the plan, the current high school would be renovated to house grades two through five, along with school administration and the facilities department. The Forest Avenue Elementary School would be refurbished for pre-k through first grade, and the Aquidneck Elementary School would be made available to the town as a community center.
The Middletown vote follows a failed attempt at merging Middletown and Newport Schools. That referendum was approved by Middletown voters but rejected in Newport.
Middletown, like all other communities, would receive a significant co-pay from the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). Officials in Middletown anticipate a 55 percent reimbursement from RIDE.
Here are the other school building proposals on Tuesday’s ballot:
- Barrington – $250 million bond to fund improvements at the town’s high school and elementary schools, replacing two modular buildings. Barrington expects a 55 percent RIDE reimbursement.
- Bristol/Warren School District- $200 million bond to replace Mt. Hope High School and renovate other school buildings. The new facility would include career and technical education spaces and performing arts facilities. School officials are hopeful of a RIDE reimbursement up to 83 percent.
- Cumberland – $52 million to rebuild B.F. Norton Elementary School.
- East Greenwich – $150 million to build a new Frenchtown Elementary School, renovate or rebuild Hanaford Elementary School, and renovate Meadowbrook Elementary School to develop a new pre-K and kindergarten learning center. The town expects a 55 percent RIDE reimbursement.
- Lincoln – $25 million bond to renovate all four elementary schools. The town is also seeking approval of a $14 million bond to build a centralized rescue station.
- North Kingstown – $222 million bond to build a new middle school to replace the Davisville and Wickford Middle School. The bond also includes $55 million to build a new public safety complex. The town is also seeking approval of another $25 million bond to fund an indoor recreation/shelter.
