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Students, teachers and school leaders urge council to preserve school funding after proposed cuts
Summary
Students and teachers testified at the workshop urging the council to accept the Budget & Financial Review Board's recommendation and avoid cuts that would lay off music and other teachers; the board reduced school capital to $800,000 and proposed a 2.82% local operating increase while warning of transportation and other unexpected shortfalls.
Dozens of students, teachers and school officials told the Town Council on June 9 that proposed reductions to the school budget would harm programs, morale and student outcomes.
Students from Smithfield High described the sudden layoff of a music teacher and warned of lost coursework and reduced extracurricular opportunities. "Without Mrs. Fernandez, the students in these rooms won't be able to have their unified music class," said Arlo Tibis, a freshman who identified himself during public comment. Kiara, a sophomore, said cuts had already removed advanced classes from her schedule and would increase class sizes.
Teachers and school leaders asked the council to adopt the BFRB recommendation as presented. David Martin, president of the teachers association, said the proposed appropriation is "not excessive" and is necessary to meet contractual obligations, state and federal mandates and long-term capital needs. Several speakers cited aging facilities and deferred maintenance at the middle and high schools.
On the budget numbers: the BFRB recommended a local operating increase of 2.82% (roughly $973,490) for the school department versus the district's original 4% request; school capital was cut from a $1.3 million ask to $800,000. Superintendent (unnamed in the transcript) told the council that an additional $148,000 in state aid would largely be absorbed by transportation and mandated costs, and that an unexpected $40,000 shortfall in statewide transportation estimates was identified this week. The superintendent said the board's package had narrowed an initial $882,000 gap down to about $30,000 before the transportation shortfall, which she and the board said the incremental state aid would cover only partially.
School and board speakers urged the council not to reduce the local appropriation in response to incremental state aid; several said doing so would simply shift risk onto students and the town in later years. The BFRB and school officials said they would continue to identify savings and report back to the council but asked that the council avoid last-minute reductions that would force layoffs or materially impair instructional programs.
The council is slated to vote on the budget next Tuesday; school leaders asked for clear guidance from the council so the district can finalize staffing and program decisions.
