Newport and Middletown are among 20 regions statewide that will receive millions of federal dollars to fund community learning centers that Gov. Dan McKee hopes will create “a culture of learning throughout Rhode Island,” and elevate income for hundreds of families.
” The more educated we are, the more income,” McKee said at a press conference earlier today at the Florence Gray Center in Newport, where a learning center will be built serving Middletown and Newport.
The Center, which will be located at the Florence Gray Center, will be built with $7.5 million of federal pandemic recovery funds, and is expected to be opened in October of 2026.
Several speakers said, once completed, the center will provide education, workforce training and health services to residents of both communities.
Joe Pratt, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County, said the collaborative will be hiring an executive director. Funding for the position and programs is not part of the $7.5 million which is strictly earmarked for construction. McKee said he is committed to funding the program through the state budget as long as he is governor. This past year, he said, $4 million was include in the budget, of which the Newport and Middletown project received $350,000.
Pratt and others said many of the programs will enhance already existing programs that are already funded through a variety of sources. It will offer programs including workforce development, certification programs, English as a second language classes, and GED programs.
Rhonda Mitchell of the Newport Housing Authority said the center’s location is crucial, as the poverty rate in Newport’s North End is 1.5 times that of the city overall and three times that of Middletown.
Pratt, CEO emphasized the importance of community partnerships in making the center successful.
Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong said the center will be “a place where working families in Newport can come to get the support and resources they need to succeed.” The project is part of McKee’s Learn 365 initiative, which, he said, aims to raise Rhode Island’s academic outcomes to Massachusetts levels by 2030.
The mayor said the center will be a “one stop shop for families…(we’re) ending the business of thinking about education as only public schools.”
Rhonda Mitchell of the Newport Housing Authority said the center’s location in Newport’s North End is crucial, as the poverty rate in the North End is 1.5 times that of the city overall and three times that of Middletown.
Lori Turner, community outreach coordinator for Middletown, said the town is “excited about the Florence Gray Center. It’s centrally located between both communities. It’s on the bus line. It’s easily accessible.”
Officials said they will continue to seek community input on specific programs and services to be offered at the center. Residents can submit ideas via email to FlorenceGrayCLC@gmail.com.
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