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Votes at a glance: Portsmouth School Committee actions, Jan. 14, 2025
Summary
The school committee voted on minutes, bylaws, legal counsel reappointment, policy updates and several legislative priorities. Most motions passed unanimously; a proposed statewide cell‑phone restriction tied 3–3 and was moved to the committee’s 'keep informed' list.
Sealing executive session minutes: The committee voted to seal the executive‑session minutes from its prior meeting. Motion passed unanimously, 6‑0.
Approval of minutes and consent agenda: The committee approved the Dec. 10 executive and regular session minutes and the consent agenda. Motions passed unanimously, 6‑0.
Adopt bylaws (policy BED): The committee moved to adopt school committee bylaws (policy BED) and approved the motion unanimously, 6‑0. Committee members discussed public‑comment time limits and directed the policy subcommittee to review public‑comment form language.
Reappoint legal counsel: The committee voted to reappoint the firm named in backup materials (referred to in the meeting as Hanias Carol Lombardo, HCL LLC) as legal counsel to serve at the pleasure of the committee. Motion approved unanimously, 6‑0.
Policy GEH replacement: The committee approved an updated policy replacing policy 4,111.6 (policy GEH) by unanimous vote, 6‑0.
Legislative priorities and votes: The committee reviewed and voted on individual legislative priorities. Highlights: - Student transportation study / statewide changes: The committee endorsed support for the statewide transportation study commission recommendations and added language asking the state to assume the cost of transporting homeless students to their district of origin. Vote: unanimous, 6‑0. - State funding formula: The committee requested a more equitable funding formula and added a first sentence noting Portsmouth receives one of the lowest per‑pupil state aid allocations; approved unanimously, 6‑0. - High‑cost special‑education categorical fund: The committee requested an increase to the state high‑cost special‑education fund; motion approved unanimously, 6‑0. - ESSA determination process (alternate assessment identification/placement): Approved as a legislative priority to keep RIDE and legislative leaders informed; unanimous, 6‑0. - Free school lunch / unpaid lunch debt: The committee included a request to the General Assembly to consider universal free school lunch or other state support for unpaid meal debt; approved unanimously, 6‑0. - Statewide cell‑phone policy: A motion to include support for a statewide policy restricting personal device use failed on a 3‑3 tie. The committee voted instead to place cell‑phone policy developments on the “keep us informed” list. - High‑speed internet for Aquidneck Island: The committee asked legislators to pursue improved residential broadband access; approved unanimously, 6‑0.
Other procedural votes were taken on motions that amended or moved items into backup; where tallies were recorded in the transcript they are reported above. The committee directed staff to finalize the draft priorities and distribute them to town council and legislators ahead of the joint meeting on Jan. 27.
Ending: Committee staff will circulate the amended priorities with the draft language removed and finalize distribution to the town council and state delegations.
