[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6722617,"mediaKeyId","2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea","parentId",2556502,"title","Homeschool policy drawn into committee debate after public comments from homeschool advocates","audioSeconds",10378,"startMs",2042000,"endMs",12420000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea&start=2042&end=12420","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea/thumbnail_2042000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6722617/South-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Homeschool-policy-drawn-into-committee-debate-after-public-comments-from-homeschool-advocates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6722617-7063dc893cace15a8ff093edea0e9658/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177226&Signature=JgBibJ2ePi-vnYvkBIm3~IV5kz6hZ5HTo09rr7IZs7Fbe8611CCJ04RHHfzDvf9VQV8ByfUf9ysnQBtyVV40Twk-Dda6FfCAV6kQPpi-ORmQ2~O69KJiXUSmr7eri9-KvCYRrETnlnqrISLAblbu9VJe9PcLP4zFE6Ws8HUszsP1cQX3pA6KrqhoaRuwyNAWLM-Eph~3YRRlxXfqYxX7h5e4jjfpJFULK54dH1m5pGxZZhDfgSfAOIm7RsjhpVidXxNuNWTXqMTtLLAg1zJHqOo2IGqL9BrCAVcpfoik02Joic2275KnY80cF32HSEw9RyBRxj1hed4v03~BSWJJkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Kingstown School Committee","date","2025-03-12T03:20:29.83Z","article","Melissa Raub of Enrich RI addressed the school committee during public comment to express concerns about proposed changes to the districts homeschool policy. \"We are considered 1 of 4 high regulation states in the country,\" Raub said, adding that the homeschool community hoped the policy would not move forward on first read that night and instead return to the policy subcommittee for additional conversation.

Superintendent Pedraza introduced the policy draft and said the districts intent is to align local rules with guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Education and counsel. \"A few factors to keep in mind as we move forward in this process,\" Pedraza said, noting RIDE guidance that the district must be able to register students and that school committees must give approval for home-study programs. He also said district staff had met with homeschool representatives earlier in the year and tried to incorporate their feedback into the draft.

The policy subcommittee recommended changes including removal of a notarized proof-of-residency requirement and a yearly verification step for students the district is financially responsible for but who attend out-of-district programs or are homeschooled. Committee members and staff discussed practical points: whether end-of-year progress reports could be combined with an annual intent-to-homeschool filing, how the district should follow up with families that do not respond to outreach, and how to handle midyear withdrawals when families cite social, medical or safety reasons.

Nut graf: Committee members agreed the draft needed more consideration and feedback from the homeschool community. A member noted that policy reads and approvals routinely include opportunities for additional edits and further subcommittee review. The committee did not vote to adopt the policy at first read and scheduled follow-up discussion; members suggested the draft be adjusted to make annual residency verification and the registration workflow clearer to families and to operations staff.

Quotes and process details: Pedraza said the districts goal was not to create roadblocks but to meet legal obligations and to ensure staff can account for students in the districts oversight. \"We certainly appreciate and respect the perspectives of the homeschool community and all stakeholders, and we welcome feedback as we continue to engage in this work in a careful and collaborative manner,\" he said. Raub asked that the policy return to the policy committee for additional conversation; the committee agreed that further review and at least a second reading would be appropriate.

Ending: The committee completed the first read and directed staff to gather the public comments submitted to date for incorporation into the next draft. Members said the policy could return for a second read at a later meeting or be referred back to the policy subcommittee depending on the edits and level of community feedback.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","South Kingstown School Committee Executive Session and Business Meeting 3.11.25","oneSentenceSummary","The committee conducted a first reading of a revised homeschool policy aligned to RIDE guidance after public comments from Enrich RI; district staff said the draft seeks to ensure annual registration and approval while preserving opportunities to streamline processes for families.","taxTitle","South Kingstown, School Districts, Rhode Island","taxId",51093,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6722620,"South Kingstown school leaders ask town for $500,000 as part of FY26 budget shortfall",7751,4592000,12343000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea&start=4592&end=12343","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea/thumbnail_4592000.jpg","/articles/6722620/South-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/South-Kingstown-school-leaders-ask-town-for-500000-as-part-of-FY26-budget-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6722620-1d20a2f049b56dd7da7b5202d888f9e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177226&Signature=TD2m5tA-lDVJALFqR4PGRx52ghS3ehq8bzOIShQneRzE2hq2HTEhKqVE1DVKB7SySHTUYXlNYRz3HnLrUBbz2-MNt7lCmYZ0S~S3yDLaAq4lHgBDPaxwP7xCUK0zyShEeAuNnBj7CSanR~pCY4ZiIhb7xrj3ZYw5kyT6FFExKBsLyKitThHWgPKilVmuZNTM4SevMq~CK1pTXdxwrT-X2u3VBVRDyjVy1ikJy0VauZA3ZGi93ojR~kUXxMdvuHf4cpi28qem9dMooZWHvGV6fHdkZVLmGjmk3WwVTOI0fXpl6rLdxFzv076cP2Gcoy2w9PAAvODCWzXgkqzRVK~QJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ryan Kilpatrick, a staff member who presented the budget to the South Kingstown School Committee on March 11, said the districts FY26 budget exercise started from the $2.4 million gap driven by lower projected state and federal revenue and higher expenses. \"This presentation before you tonight is based on the original presentation and budget adoption from February 11,\" Kilpatrick said as he opened the joint FY26 review for the committee.

Kilpatrick and Superintendent Pedraza outlined steps the district took to narrow the gap: roughly $1.5 million in salary-and-benefit reductions (about 16.8 full-time equivalents), $75,000 trimmed from equipment, software and professional development, and other line-item savings. With those reductions the district still presented a remaining shortfall of about $809,000; its formal request to the town is for an additional $500,000 and a second request to shift $309,830 in shared-service expenses (school resource officers, crossing guards, field maintenance, 20% of an IT manager position and a portion of a tax/assessment software subscription) from the school budget to the town budget.

Nut graf: District staff said the combined package is aimed at preserving core educational programming while avoiding a structural deficit that would come from using reserves for recurring operating costs. Kilpatrick cautioned the committee that using fund balance to cover the gap would reduce reserves to near or below levels the district has historically maintained and would increase fiscal risk into future years.

The budget presentation emphasized several program impacts if the town does not provide the $500,000 and does not accept the proposed shared-services shift: larger class sizes as fewer FTEs remain, reduced curricular and building support, and the loss of centrally funded summer learning programs (elementary-to-middle summer academy and community wraparound camps previously paid with ESSER funds). Kilpatrick said the FY26 proposal preserves legally required services such as ESY (extended school year) and credit recovery at the high school but that other summer offerings will not be funded in the adoption presented.

Committee members pressed for clearer breakdowns of the shared-service allocations and the tax-software line item; several members called the current allocation of $31,679 for the towns Vision appraisal software to the school budget \"absurd\" and asked the town to reallocate that cost. Committee members also discussed enrollment declines as a primary driver of budget pressure; presenters pointed to long-term in-district declines and growing out-of-district placements and charter/CTE enrollments as fiscal drivers.

Kilpatrick and others ran through fund-balance scenarios. The district reported a beginning FY26 fund balance of roughly $4.4 million and said it intends to use planned capital commitments and other existing approvals so the proposed FY26 operating budget does not rely on reserves. If the town withholds the requested $500,000 and the district covers the $809,000 gap from fund balance, presenters said the end-of-year fund balance would fall to approximately $993,068 (about 1%--2.9% of the adopted budget depending on exact totals), a level committee members described as \"scary\" and vulnerable to unexpected costs such as high-cost special-education placements, sudden enrollment outflow, or emergency facility repairs.

Several committee members urged a strong case to the Town Council ahead of the joint budget hearing scheduled March 13. \"We're asking for 500,000 extra dollars this year,\" one member said, framing the request as an investment to maintain programs and the quality of the local public schools rather than as an add-on. Others warned that repeated reliance on reserves to close recurring gaps would create a worsening structural shortfall.

The presentation and discussion ran through portfolio-level detail (general fund, restricted/federal grants, capital fund, and the school lunch enterprise fund) and concluded with an appeal that the committee support the adopted FY26 budget package when the district presents it to the Town Council.

Ending: Committee members thanked staff for the detailed work and said they would take the message into the joint hearing with the Town Council. The presentation left open follow-up items the committee requested, including a clearer dollar-by-dollar depiction of how charter and CTE tuition flows affect the operating budget and a refined breakdown of shared-service allocations.","District budget presenters told the school committee the FY26 plan closes most gaps through cuts but still asks the town for $500,000 and a $309,830 shift of shared-service costs; remaining risk if the town declines could be covered from reserves but would cut fund balance to below typical levels.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6722613,"South Kingstown facilities director resigns; district outlines repairs, playgrounds and HVAC concerns",1006,3497000,4503000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea&start=3497&end=4503","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556502-d87ca4eea4688c03fb26ae6a697cd2ea/thumbnail_3497000.jpg","/articles/6722613/South-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/South-Kingstown-facilities-director-resigns-district-outlines-repairs-playgrounds-and-HVAC-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6722613-5def903bd064e59f7824fd5a133df195/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177226&Signature=Na4rBsRVDPyqoO~wlzhjw0l6i7qm8domXAej7Pu7Ub2FARGwBT6PRTf2cBprbspAhD2NwNEFASmt1YIAfNX~jHlrSHzFajWs2udjXpJUreyfExvhaA6KY7CY4wgIEMwbxZsVRybbSvYcyWypqHNEJHO1lGD5n~Elt7oQUDUSfjfLBKukECstf~U-6744s38lN5WPajxW-1m18EVpTjSBHwuouLglXmlkhAEiUazSS2Jg1yNxdbkm3htk13vgC4HTAq1txfh9toGYecoPZRjUwPAGxZ-jWFKvk5lpYpuxx2GrgyV1CzudsaCUKtOajEbSdZW3Jb37uJWkiUoUls2yIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brian Mahoney told the South Kingstown School Committee he has resigned after six years as the districts director of facilities and transportation. Committee members from across the board offered tributes at the March 11 meeting: \"You have been a true asset to our community,\" one member said, thanking Mahoney for years of service on building projects and maintenance oversight.

Interim facilities director Brian (\"Bridal\" in the transcript) Mahoney (presenting as interim facilities director) provided an update on systems and projects across the district. Highlights and operational notes included:

- New handheld radios and base stations: Over 100 radios and 10 base stations were programmed by the towns radio department to save the district a vendor programming fee.

- Playgrounds and roof repairs: Tunic (Matunuck/Matunik) Elementary will receive a new playground over April vacation, and temporary roofing repairs are complete at that school with specialized testing and permanent repair expected when weather permits.

- HVAC and boilers: Broad Rock Middle Schools new boiler is certified and operating; rooftop HVAC units there are aging (roughly 23 years old) and multiple rooftop units will need replacement in the coming capital cycles. The high school requires replacement pumps and increasing plumbing repairs tied to age and debris in waste systems.

- Wakefield Elementary disposition: The superintendent and CFO are coordinating post-gov-deals disposition and transfer to the town; some heavier shop machinery stored at Wakefield may require special moving arrangements if purchased.

Mahoney also described facilities cooperation with the town and noted collaborative work improving the maintenance shop and organizing equipment to support ongoing operations. Presenters and committee members repeatedly thanked Mahoney; several said he would remain a local resource and continue involvement with the PTO in West Kingston.

Nut graf: The update highlighted near-term, high-cost maintenance needs and the longer-term capital pressures (HVAC, roofing, electrical monitoring) that formed part of the districts FY26 capital discussion. Committee members acknowledged both the operational progress and the capital planning still needed to address aging systems.

Ending: Committee members asked staff to continue capital-priority analysis and to bring concrete options for HVAC and roof replacements to future meetings. Mahoney said he would remain available to help with historical operations knowledge after his departure.","Brian Mahoney, the district's director of facilities and transportation, tendered his resignation and was praised by the committee; interim facilities director provided updates on playground installs, roof leaks, HVAC replacements and capital planning needs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Homeschool policy drawn into committee debate after public comments from homeschool advocates

South Kingstown school leaders ask town for $500,000 as part of FY26 budget shortfall

South Kingstown facilities director resigns; district outlines repairs, playgrounds and HVAC concerns