Poli-ticks

Governor Raimondo and Treasurer Magaziner take a giant step for education

By Arlene Violet
Posted 4/26/18

Governor Gina Raimondo and Treasurer Seth Magaziner have made the case for a statewide investment in public school buildings. As both correctly note, the longer the wait the more expensive it will be …

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Poli-ticks

Governor Raimondo and Treasurer Magaziner take a giant step for education

Posted

Governor Gina Raimondo and Treasurer Seth Magaziner have made the case for a statewide investment in public school buildings. As both correctly note, the longer the wait the more expensive it will be to repair or replace schools. The proposal made by the two state leaders and a task force is sound. Here are the reasons why:

The actual budget item proposed by the Governor has 2 articles. One is for the actual language of the referendum which provides $250 million in November and another $250 million in 4 years (the usual state budget allocation of approximately $80 million annually will also continue), with conditions. Article 9 additionally requires a plan of action for maintenance to be submitted. While some funds will be allocated to the cities and towns up front for the construction/renovation, a hold-back will ensure compliance with the maintenance schedule submitted and approved by the School Board Authority of the RI Department of Education.

There are also other “carrot and stick” provisions. A school district can get up to 20 percent more if they comply with standards: 5 percent more would be allocated for compliance with health and safety standards established by the Authority, 5 percent additionally for STEM improvements, 5 percent for early education access and 5 percent for consolidation of properties. The latter encourages the closing of defunct facilities which should be closed.

Every RI school district had schools that need renovation or replacement. In applying for the bond money, if approved by the voters, each district must devise a 5 year plan that takes into consideration how many pupils there will be in the future. Two independent vendors must provide studies to back up the assertions of the school district. Projected cost overruns are monitored before they happen.

There is a sliding scale to distribute the bond money. For example, East Providence is pegged at 50 percent as a basis. If it complies with any of the above additives the cost for the new proposed high school could result in approximately 70 percent coming from the state.

Jacob Engineering, which provided the report to the Rhode Island School Building Task Force, will monitor compliance with the terms of the state bond money. It already provided a FCI index of all school buildings with recommendations as to which ones could be renovated in a fiscally sound manner or closed and consolidated with another school.

For the first time maintenance standards have been established, which is a major step in the right direction. Getting a bonus of 5 percent more state bond money assists with negating the political acquiescence by school committees to go along to get along in order to avoid an unpopular decision to close a school.
Of course, these steps should not eclipse what it is the heart of education — what is going on INSIDE the building; educating students for the future. A “new” building isn’t going to compensate for last century instruction. Ten years from now robots will probably be building robots to do a variety of jobs. Students today need a technical education that is rooted in computer coding, block chain education, etc. with transferable skills to a rapidly changing workplace. That is the huge challenge still ahead. Otherwise, education will be an empty package wrapped nicely.

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.

Arlene Violet

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