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Fewer teachers, bigger classes: How Trump’s proposed education cuts would impact RI schools

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Fewer teachers, bigger classes: How Trump’s proposed education cuts would impact RI schools


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  • Reed, Magaziner say budget cuts could lead to teacher layoffs and larger class sizes
  • School meal funding and help for students with disabilities could be at stake
  • Labor unions joining the opposition against GOP spending cuts

CRANSTON − Rhode Island Democratic pushback to President Donald Trump’s agenda turned to education Monday.

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, Congressman Seth Magaziner, state education officials and teachers union leaders warned that Republican spending cuts in education could leave local schools with larger class sizes and fewer resources for students with special needs.

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“President Trump and the Republicans in Congress have declared war on public education,” Reed told reporters at a news conference Monday morning at the offices of the National Education Association Rhode Island teachers union.

“President Trump has said repeatedly he wants to eliminate the Department of Education and Project 2025, which is their game plan, laid out an attack plan to do just that,” he said. “The architects of that plan are on the march. They have linked up with Elon Musk and DOGE and hey are going in and pillaging the entire federal government.”

How will the cuts impact Rhode Island schools?

Reed and Magaziner targeted the combination of Trump’s plan to dissolve the Department of Education and House Republicans’ budget resolution, which would cut $1.5 trillion in federal spending from several areas.

Although a lot of the specific cuts are a moving target and there is no deal yet with the Senate, the Rhode Island Democrats said they believe education spending will not be spared as the GOP looks for ways to fund more than $4 trillion in tax cuts.

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“People need to understand that without federal support, the public education system in Rhode Island would be crippled,” Magaziner said. “If these cuts happen, it means fewer teachers, bigger class sizes, fewer programs, less [career and technical education] and a less talented workforce for employers.”

State Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green said Rhode Island receives $275 million in education spending from the federal government, most of it going directly to districts. The money includes $65 million in “Title 1” funds for low-income students, $60 million in Individuals with Disabilities Act money, $48 million for school nutrition and $11 million for career and technical education.

Paige Parks, executive director of Rhode Island Kids Count noted that federal funding also provides early intervention services for at-risk infants and toddlers.

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In higher education, Pell Grants for low-income students could also be on the chopping block, warned Rhode Island College President Jack Warner and state Postsecondary Education Commissioner Shannon Gilkey.

“Some of you might say, well, that doesn’t impact my child. Well, guess what? It will impact every student in Rhode Island,” Infante-Green said.

What about DEI in Rhode Island schools?

At the same time the state watches for possible federal aid cuts, schools are trying to understand what they need to do to comply with a letter published by the Trump administration Friday that gave recipients 14 days to rid themselves of DEI policies.

Infante-Green said school leaders have not yet changed policy or abandoned anything DEI related as they “huddle” and “try to make sense” of the latest orders.

“I think when they’re thinking about DEI, they’re thinking about race or they’re thinking about just kind of what they envision equity,” Infante-Green said of Trump administration. “So I think that it is very challenging when we start unpacking where it goes into, because we have made sure that it is a fabric of everything that we do.”

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Presidents Day protest against Trump at RI State House

A few hours after the news conference at NEARI, a couple hundred protesters gathered at the State House Monday to rally against what they saw as Trump’s illegal executive orders to unilaterally cut spending and dissolve government agencies created by Congress.

“No kings in America,” they chanted on the south steps of the capitol.



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Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash

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Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash


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The two victims were identified as a husband and wife from Rhode Island, local officials said.

A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.

Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.

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The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.

Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.

At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.

The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said. 

Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.

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Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.

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Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, leaders celebrate Women’s History Month with panel event

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Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, leaders celebrate Women’s History Month with panel event


Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday.

The event was held at the Cranston Public Library at 9 a.m.

Reed and other leaders of WFRI hosted a panel discussion with women leaders in environmental and agricultural advocacy, education, community resilience, housing, finance, workforce development, and more, officials said.

Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday. (WJAR)

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“Women have played a critical role in this process, most often without any recognition,” Reed said. “Today’s panel brings together an extraordinary group of women who are addressing the challenged of sustainability from various angles and I want to thank you all for your great efforts.”

The panelists highlighted their experiences, shared insights and tips on lifting up women’s voices, provided strategies for sparking change and more.

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According to officials, some of the panelists included Executive Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council Nessa Richman, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Rhode Island College Kim Bright, Newport Housing Authority Executive Director Rhonda Mitchell and more.

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Man allegedly kills man in R.I. before causing car crash that killed 2 in Mass.

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Man allegedly kills man in R.I. before causing car crash that killed 2 in Mass.


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“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Col. Michael J. Winquist said.

A Seekonk man is accused of murder after he allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island before causing a car crash in Swansea that killed two people last week, police said.  

Demitri Sousa, 28, is charged with murder, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license, the Cranston Police Department said.

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The shooting occurred Thursday night in Cranston, police said in a press release.

That night, Sousa allegedly arrived at the Cranston home of Javon Lawson, 35. Sousa began banging on the side door of the home, police said. 

When Lawson approached the door, he was hit by gunfire from outside, police said.

First responders transported Lawson to the Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Cranston police said.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, the motive is believed to be a dispute between the suspect and the victim over a mutual female acquaintance. Detectives are continuing this investigation to gain more insight, as well as to collect and analyze evidence,” Colonel Michael Winquist, Chief of Cranston police, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.

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Neighbors gave police video footage that “showed a male subject wearing dark clothing and a mask walking toward the residence moments before the shooting and fleeing immediately afterward,” Winquist said.

The suspect was also seen running to a white Infiniti sedan which then drove off, the Cranston police chief said.

Shortly after the shooting, a license plate reader captured the vehicle driving southbound on Route 10, and then later in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. The sedan’s license plate was registered in Sousa’s name, Winquist said.

At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said.

Just moments later, Sousa allegedly “crashed into the side of another vehicle, a blue 2022 Subaru Ascent that had been traveling southbound on Route 136,” Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley and Fire Chief Eric Hajder said in a joint press release.

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Both vehicles had “catastrophic damage,” and the struck car was engulfed in flames, the Swansea officials said.

The driver and passenger of the hit car — a man and a woman — were declared dead at the scene, they said.

“Swansea Police had been alerted to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. However, Swansea Police were not involved in the pursuit and were not pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash,” the Swansea chiefs wrote. Swansea official have not announced charges related to the fatal crash.

Sousa had been driving the Infiniti and appeared to be suffering from serious injuries, Winquist said. Inside the car, police found a pistol and “additional .22 caliber ammunition was recovered” from Sousa at Rhode Island Hospital, Winquist said.

Police arrested Sousa and transported him to Rhode Island Hospital. Sousa is expected to survive, Winquist said. Sousa will be held in Cranston police custody until he is conscious and medically cleared, Winquist said.

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“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Winquist said.

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