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Council creates Academic Integration Advisory Committee to explore school collaboration with Middletown
Summary
The council voted to form an Academic Integration Advisory Committee to work with Middletown and regional school stakeholders on options to improve student outcomes and assess administrative collaboration; commissioners debated timing, fiscal figures and community engagement before passage.
The Newport City Council adopted a resolution directing the formation of an Academic Integration Advisory Committee to convene educational leaders, representatives and community stakeholders from Newport and Middletown and recommend an action plan within 90 days.
The sponsor (Speaker 20) read the resolution on the council floor, calling for superintendents, PTO representatives, bargaining-unit designees and education experts to participate and for the committee to "present a request for necessary resources and a proposed action plan" within 90 days with a final implementation roadmap by June 30, 2026. Council discussion centered on timing and financial implications: one councilor cited earlier estimates of $1,000,000 a year that later revised to $1,700,000 once additional transportation and other benefits were included.
Public commenters, school officials and the Newport superintendent (Speaker 11, who identified himself as Colin Burns) urged caution but expressed support for a process that centers students. "Once you start that regionalization and once you start putting all those services and everything together, I think you're gonna find far more savings in the long run," said Colin Burns, speaking as a school superintendent. Several councilors asked for more outreach to Middletown and educators; others stressed urgency to meet reimbursement windows tied to school construction funding.
After debate, the council voted to pass the resolution and move forward with drafting the committee membership and timeline; council members directed staff to return details (appointments, charge and reporting schedule) in follow-up meetings.
