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Council tables resolution on private‑school transportation; members press for clearer numbers
Summary
Hopkinton councilors debated a proposed resolution asking the Rhode Island General Assembly to shift private‑school transportation subsidies toward homeless students and require private schools to share costs. Councilors raised conflicting invoices and counts (42 vs. 103 students) and tabled the item to April 7 for more information.
Hopkinton councilors debated a proposed resolution asking the Rhode Island General Assembly to amend state law on private‑school transportation so that private schools share in statewide transportation costs and subsidies be shifted to cover homeless students.
Supporters said the change could free local dollars for other district needs. Opponents and some councilors pressed for clearer, reconciled figures: the school department’s contact was reported to have said 42 privately‑transported students generated about $800,000 in billed transportation costs, while a school‑committee worksheet referenced 103 students. Councilors cited an example calculation that yielded roughly $19,000 per privately‑transported student and said the figure is far higher than the district’s average per‑pupil transportation cost for students who attend the public schools.
Councilors and members of the public expressed concern about the data gap and about potential unintended consequences for families who send children to special‑needs or private schools. Several councilors emphasized that the resolution itself is non‑binding and can be revised; one councilor noted the town could craft its own language and ask its state representatives for clarifications before endorsing any statewide bill.
After extended discussion, the council voted to table the item and requested additional documentation, including a clear bill reference and the underlying invoicing and student count, and set April 7 as the next council date to reconsider the resolution.
Quote: “I just absolutely don’t want to be spending $19,000 per student for 42 students,” a councilor said during debate, describing the disagreement in the figures and urging more transparency.
Action: motion to table to April 7 passed; council asked staff to obtain the bill number, invoice detail and definitive student counts before final action.
