Sunday, July 30, 2023

GoLocalProv News Team

In April, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee unveiled his “Learn365RI” plan, to embrace — and financially support — year-round K-12 learning in the state. 

At the core of the plan is a statewide system of out-of-school educational programs — and it requires the buy-in from local municipalities. 

“A key component of our strategy to increase out-of-school learning time is to achieve a high-level commitment from mayors, town administrators, council presidents, and town managers across the state,” said McKee. “They are the ones who are uniquely positioned to take this effort communitywide.”

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This week, McKee appeared on GoLocal LIVE, where he announced 31 communities have signed on to the compact, and that the state is going to be announcing shortly the appropriation of $4 million for programming to those that have. 

“We need to move with urgency to close the learning gap if we are going to have a fighting chance in tomorrow’s economy. Newport’s educators and non-profits get it; that is why they have been working together to help our students learn both in and out of the classroom year-round,” said Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong — the first Rhode Island city to sign the compact. “To coordinate, track and scale these efforts our community needs the resourcing and support proposed in Governor’s Learn365RI strategy.”

“Investing in learning and growth opportunities outside of the classroom will strengthen educational outcomes and set our students up for success,” said Mayor Brett Smiley in May. “I am excited to partner with Governor McKee on this compact to make out-of-school learning opportunities accessible to every student, in every neighborhood.”

An additional $80 million in federal funds will help the communities who have signed on.

To date, however, eight municipalities have not signed on — and this week GoLocal reached out to them all to get their thoughts.

From Keeping in Consideration — to Opting Out 

Of the local Rhode Island communities that have not signed, the Town of Johnston is the largest. 

“We don’t feel its beneficial to enroll,” Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena, Jr. told GoLocal. 

“There were some questions that were not answered about the specific community partners that would be engaged, as well as questions about transportation to get students to [participating] nonprofits,” he said. 

Polisena and McKee had a political falling out. Polisena served on McKee’s staff, and then the two split. Polisena endorsed McKee’s gubernatorial opponent Helena Foulkes.

Polisena, who was sworn in this past January, announced in February he was appointing Foulkes, who lives in Narragansett and Providence, to the town’s School Building Committee. 

In June, he announced that the Town of Johnston would be taking over the Johnston School Department. 

“The other thing was, the Superintendent and I spoke about [our] kids already being involved in after-school activities like sports and arts that we want to encourage,” said Polisena of existing extra-curricular opportunities in the town. “The focus should be during school hours and not just extending the school day.”

One Community is Moving Forward

Other communities who haven’t signed the compact are still considering doing so. 

Deborah Carney, the President of the Charlestown Town Council, said she herself has only heard from “one resident” regarding Learn365 — but she is moving forward with putting it on an upcoming meeting agenda. 

“I spoke with Cheyenne Cazeault of the Governor’s office to find out if Charlestown could still sign on,” Carney told GoLocal.  “The answer is ‘yes.’”

“I will be placing an item on the agenda for the August 15, 2023, Town Council meeting for ‘Discussion and potential action regarding Charlestown signing on to the Governor’s Learn365 compact,’” she said. 

Of the six other towns that have not signed on to the McKee program, four voted Republican in the 2020 Presidential race and 2022 Rhode Island gubernatorial race (Exeter, West Greenwich, Foster, and Glocester), and two voted Democrat in those races – Tiverton and Narragansett. 

None of those six towns responded to request for comment. 

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