Page 6 Newport This Week July 11, 2013
EDITORIAL
Running Out of STEAM
T
he push to bring a public K-6 charter school to Aquidneck Island was met with resistance earlier this week. Of the roughly 50 people who attended a public hearing at CCRI on Monday evening, the majority who spoke made clear that they held serious concerns over the proposed Newport County STEAM Academy, which if approved would provide students with an education that places an emphasis on developing skills that could one day be used in high-tech fields. (An acronym, STEAM, stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). At first glance, the effort would seem to be a welcome addition to the island, which already boasts a robust hi-tech sector and a dynamic student population. Proponents stressed that point as they lamented the restrictive, test-oriented nature of the traditional public education system. A charter school, they say, would be a force of positive disruption on the island, forcing teachers unions to the table and prompting local school officials to rethink how they operate. Opponents – many of whom identified themselves as teachers and public school administrators – countered by pointing out the island's schools are already adjusting to new teaching standards and offering more options for students interested in pursuing careers in science and technology. A charter school would undermine those efforts, jeopardize the fiscal health of existing school departments, and disadvantage the many for the benefit of the few. However one might feel about the prospect of introducing an alternative school to the island, it's hard to ignore the calls from parents struggling to provide the best opportunities for their children. For young couples with children, deciding where to put down roots has as much to do with school districts as it does with curb appeal, square footage, and lot size. In Newport, often that means whether there is money in the budget for private schools. To be fair, Newport's public schools have made great strides over the last several years, and the Pell School should provide parents with a new source of pride. Nevertheless, there appears to be a demand for schools such as the STEAM academy. It's unfortunate that parents believe they can’t rely on traditional public schools to prepare their children for the 21st century workforce. An alternative must differentiate itself from the current school system without jeopardizing the already sizable investment we've made in our existing public schools. If it does, then it should be given due consideration. Several years ago, policymakers were abuzz with the potential of regionalization. Today, discussions are centered around charter schools. But at the heart of both of these debates is a common theme: At some point, sooner rather than later, Rhode Island will need to undergo fundamental education reform. According to the state Department of Education, Rhode Island public schools currently serve a total of 142,854 students enrolled in 300 schools. By comparison, Fairfax County, Va. has a student population of 181,536 at 196 public schools in eight "clusters." While Rhode Island has 36 local school districts, Fairfax County has just one, which is divided into eight "clusters," each with three or four K-12 "pyramids." Last year, of the 30 high schools located in Fairfax County, 16 received gold, silver or bronze medals in the “U.S. News” 2012 Best High Schools rankings, making it one of the strongest public school systems in the country. Rhode Island, which spends almost $4,000 more per student than Virginia, had 10 schools earn similar designations, and is ranked in the bottom third in student performance. The comparisons are striking. But there's another interesting difference between the two systems to consider as well: While Rhode Island currently has 22 public charter schools, Fairfax County has none. Perhaps if we're truly interested in maintaining the health of our public schools, we would be wise to reconsider how they operate in our communities, on our island, and across the state.
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(Cartoon by Dorcie Sarantos)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Irresponsible Spending by the School Committee To the Editor: On July 18, the Newport School Committee will vote to keep open the Sullivan-Triplett Elementary School by accepting a bid for a new roof. That bid will probably cost around $250,000. The trouble here is the voters were promised that when the Pell Elementary School opened in September 2013, all elementary schools would be handed back over to the city. Let’s not forget the condition of the fiscal year 2014 budget as it stands now. The Newport School Committee is $1,400,000 short (but it will be less than that). Presently, there are zero dollars available in the budget for Triplett School repairs. If the cost of electric, heat, insurance, water, custodian labor, and other staff is added to the cost of the roof repair, it will end up costing approximately $500,000, bringing our budget deficit to $1,900,000 for 2014. This is money we don’t have. The whole idea flies in the face of reality. So where is that money going to
come from? The answer is from one of two places: Presently there is a 3 percent property tax increase. The city would have to have a supplemental tax increase of another 3 percent, or take $1,900,000 out of the reserve fund balance the city has. However, you need a fund balance for a good bond rating and that money should never be spent unless a crisis or tragedy strikes Newport. It’s not to be used by irresponsible school committee members adding another $500,000 to an already $1,400,000 deficit. There is a lack of realism by some members of the school committee. So go ahead spend money you don’t have. The attitude of several school committee members is: We spend the money; the city has to give it to us – and if they don’t – the Newport School Committee will file for the money under the Caruolo Act (a law that essentially allows school committees to sue local governments for more money). A public office is a public trust of responsibility and I believe
STEAM School Would Be Inclusive To the Editor: Last Friday, June 28 the Newport School Committee voted on a resolution in opposition of the Newport County STEAM Academy. The NSC states in their resolution, "that without quality public education for every child, a great divide will exist between the educated and the uneducated, corresponding to a divide between the prosperous and the impoverished." I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, but I don't think the Newport School system is achieving this goal. There already exists a great divide in the education of the rich and the poor, particularly in Newport. Newly married, my husband and I talk about leaving Newport because everyone tells us that if we care about our (future) children's education, we should not send them to Newport public elementary schools. My peers, who are young families with children, move out of Newport into Middletown, Portsmouth, or across the bridge for better school districts. People we know who have remained in Newport are sending their kids to private schools. And I talk to other Newport residents who report the same thing happening in their social circles. This anecdotal evidence points to the conclusion that the public does not believe that Newport is providing quality public education because, otherwise, why would so many families leave this wonderful city-by-the-sea?
The NSC claims in their resolution that "the Newport STEAM Academy would create this exclusivity and forced segregation." But don't they see that by having rich families leave Newport for better districts or choosing private schools and the poor families staying and having no choice but the Newport public schools, that this exclusivity and segregation already exists? The NCSA may actually minimize this exclusivity and forced segregation. The NCSA is a public charter school that will use a lottery to pick its students, and it plans to have a weighted lottery to benefit the working-class population. How is this exclusive? Many families with means may also want to send their children to NCSA, which means their children will be attending school with children from families with less means. This sounds more like integration rather than segregation. My husband and I would love to stay in Newport to raise a family but we have concerns about the quality of public education here. I love public education and am a product of it, which is why I support the Newport County STEAM Academy. All families and children, especially those of little means, need options for quality education in Newport. The ability to choose a better educational option should not just be a luxury for the prosperous. Karen Chang Newport
the school committee is acting irresponsibly in the public eye. You might ask: Why is the Newport School Committee opening Triplett School? To allow Head Start, which closed at the Joel Peckham Center in Middletown due to a lack of federal funding, to have a new space. Why not use Kennedy School in Middletown? They have space. Why hasn’t the Middletown School Committee proposed that? Newport still has a Head Start Center located at John H. Chafee Boulevard. Head Start is so important for children, but it’s a federal program supported by federal money. Because of the sequestration cuts, it should not be the responsibility of the local taxpayer to pay for this. Please let your school committee members know you cannot take another 3 percent raise in your property taxes this year. Let them know it’s not a revenue problem it’s a spending problem. Robert J. Leary Newport School Committee member
How to Fix Roads, Traffic To the Editor: I moved to Florida in 1981, but now that I’m retired I come to Newport every summer. One of my pet peeves is the road conditions on West Main Road, Green End Avenue, Broadway, Pleasant St. etc. They should have a toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge to pay for repairing the roads on Aquidneck Island and put some of the money into future bridge repairs. Also, weekends and holidays, Second Beach main lot fills up early, forcing people that bought a sticker and visitors to sit in traffic for 1 to 1 ½ hours to get on the beach. They should put a notice at the top of the hill, notifying people that the main lot is closed. They should then park the beach goers at St. George’s School and shuttle the people down to the main gate by trolley or bus. The money made from parking would pay for the shuttle and relieve traffic. Lastly, they need to put more trash containers and recycling bins along the beach to keep our beaches clean. We can have employees working the beach that can empty buckets as needed. It’s a win-win situation, less traffic and happier beach goers. Margaret Tordiff Deerfield Beach