Warren Town Council President Joseph DePasquale has authored a resolution put forth at the body's September 14 meeting, later moved by his peers, seeking what is akin to a maintenance of effort amendment be made at the state level in regard to Rhode Island's school funding formula.

DePasquale, who sits on the Bristol Warren Regional School District's Joint Finance Committee, used as reference the significant decreases in aid the town has incurred in recent years.

Warren's school support from the state has dropped considerably of late. BWRSD Superintendent Ana Riley, during budget discussions earlier this calendar year, noted the declines are based on the Rhode Island Department of Education's combined examination of a municipality's poverty measure and real estate valuation.

The local resolution requests the Rhode Island General Assembly to amend Title 16, Chapter 7 of the Rhode Island General Laws for Foundation Level School Support.

DePasquale's document read as follows:

"Whereas, since cities and towns are required to maintain funding for school departments, and their amount not less than the amount appropriated for the prior. fiscal year. The State of Rhode Island should also be required to maintain state aid to regional school districts, and school departments in an amount not less than the amount allocated for the prior fiscal, and

"Whereas regional school districts are unique, and therefore state funding should be based on a formula specific to regional school districts.



"Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Town Council of the Town of Warren, Rhode Island, as follows:

"Section 1: That the town council of the town of Warren hereby requests that the Honorable General Assembly enact legislation to address these two issues. as follows:

"1. Require state funding for all school districts, including regional school districts, be in an amount not less than that received by the school district for the previous fiscal year. 


"2. Require that a separate funding formula for regional school districts, for purposes of determining the state age education, be based upon a comparison of regional school districts only.

"Section 2. That this resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage by the Warren Town Council."

Town Council Vice President Keri Cronin affirmed Riley had received a copy of the resolution, adding "she stands in support of this, which I think is important to know that this is coming in a collaborative spirit from both the school district and this council, and I hope that the town of Bristol will stand up and support it as well."

While saying he supported the intent of the resolution, Councilor John Hanley raised the prospect of declining enrollment and therefore the ability of school departments to lower annual expenditures.

"Suppose the district shrinks. Suppose your student population goes down by 20%. You don't need as many teachers. We can't fund them less? A school department can never shrink if the student population shrinks? It's confusing to me," said Hanley.

He continued, "If the school department ever shrinks, and you get less personnel because there's less students, this law kind of says you can't roll back. You've got to keep giving them the same amount of money, which just doesn't make sense to me."

While granting Hanley his point, DePasquale countered, "In all the years I've sat here, we've never seen the school system come in at a less cost."

Town Solicitor Anthony DeSisto further explained the substance of the resolution, saying, "I think the intent behind this was to have this law mimic the law that requires cities and school districts. They have the maintenance of effort. 


"There is language within that statute that specifies that if there's a reduction in students by a certain amount, then the school district can petition to have a lesser amount, but this is just a resolution and it didn't get into the details."

State Representative June Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol) was also in attendance for the council meeting. She referred to a conversation she had recently with one of Warren's BWRSD School Committee members, Nicky Piper, on the matter.

Piper, she recalled, spoke of her discussion with Riley about the issue. Speakman said the superintendent "believes that this is an appropriate resolution at this time."

For her part, Speakman said the school funding formula is currently under review and that it's likely legislation will be put forth during the upcoming 2027 General Assembly session beginning in January.

"I will make certain, along with the other members of the (Bristol, Warren Assembly) delegation, that this consideration is folded into that discussion," Speakman added.