House approves temporary Warwick budget commission, school-climate survey measure and science curriculum deadline

The Rhode Island House of Representatives on Feb. 25, 2025, approved three education measures: House Bill 5252 Sub A to create a temporary budget commission for Warwick schools; House Bill 5262 to incorporate Department of Elementary and Secondary Education climate-survey indicators into the state public-school evaluation system; and House Bill 5163 to require local school districts to select a high-quality science and technology curriculum by June 30, 2026. The bills passed by votes of 71-1, 62-10 and 72-0, respectively.

The measures were presented and advanced by Chairman McNamara. On House Bill 5252 Sub A, Chairman McNamara said the proposal is time-limited and prompted by a local budget shortfall, telling colleagues that “the voters of the city of Warwick have voted to endorse a $350,000,000 bond which we will match to create 2 new high schools.” He said the commission would oversee Warwick schools “until such time as the fiscal 2025–2026 school budget is approved as recommended by the mayor and approved by the City Council and the budget commission adopts a deficit reduction plan.” McNamara told the chamber the commission’s work would end once the 2025–26 budget is developed and a deficit plan acceptable to the auditor general is in place; he and others estimated…