Rhode Island Republican Vice Chair Niyoka Powell Weighs In on Senator Reed/Congressman Magaziner Department of Education Presser-Where’s the State Audit on the Funding Formula?

Rhode Island GOP Second Vice Chair Niyoka Powell reflection  on the recent press conference by Rhode Island Democratic Royalty, bemoaning the Trump Administration’s opening salvos on the Federal Department of Education was succinct:

In the Monday’s press conference, Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Seth Magaziner, Commissioner of Providence Public Schools Angelica Infante Green, and allies from the union and others, discussed the closing of the Department of Education and the impact it would have on Rhode Island families and students. State General Treasurer, James Diossa was not in attendance. The absence of the state’s elected General Treasurer in a time of apparent crisis is telling that this problem will not be remedied and will drag on until the next election cycle if not longer.

Per Congressman Seth Magaziner, 12% of Rhode Island education funding comes from the federal government,
leaving a whopping 88% originating from taxpayers. The cuts, if there are any, will reflect Rhode
Island’s D.C leadership’s inability to fight for our children at the national level and their inability to come
to the table with a plan. Today, Congressman Magaziner asked on X for conservatives to “name the 12%
of RI teachers you think should be laid off or the 12 % of career tech programs canceled.”
I propose a clean up of the Rhode Island funding formula to see where the loss truly comes from; an
audit of the school funding formula with teachers, parents, and students of the community at the table.
In the last election, Rhode Island voters overwhelmingly denounced the need for an inspector general
and a most qualified treasure in James Lathrop, this is the time to change course. This is the time to do
better for all our families, our children, and our teachers.
The funding formula is a recommendation by Governor Dan McKee’s office who presented
“projections…provided for LEA budget planning purposes and are subject to the availability of funds,
changes based on data updates, and General Assembly approval” for FY26 as noted on the RIDE website.
Knowing this information, it’s only right to ask the Rhode Island delegation to devise a plan to tackle the
88% to make sure each dollar is going the distance with an audit.
The senator, the congressman, and the commissioner all say it is Trump’s fault for cutting public school
programs, like after school enrichment programs, programs for students with disabilities, and free school
meals for specific students. Dear I say student RICAS scores determined that many Rhode Island schools
still failed to provide basic primary education with 88% tax dollars and the 12% federal funds.
One cut at the local level that wasn’t discussed during the conference, that is currently at the state
house, was the removal of busing options for Rhode Island students who attend alternative schools
outside the district utilizing local tax dollars for busing.

My suggestion to the current administration running Rhode Island politics, is to take this opportunity to
take a deep dive into the state’s finances to prepare the state for any other crisis on the horizon. Lord
knows there will be more.