Media Advisory: New commission to meet to study shared services for school districts

STATE HOUSE – A new House study commission begins meeting this week to explore the potential sharing of services between school districts to address funding and operational challenges.

The legislation (2026-H 8430Aaa) creating the commission was sponsored by Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Portsmouth, Middletown).

“When our school districts are trying to stretch every dollar to be able to provide for our students, sharing the costs and benefits of certain services could really help,” said Representative Cortvriend. “There could be services like curriculum directors, financial services or staff development that could be shared by two or more districts to serve both at a lower cost to each. I’d like this commission to see how this sort of relationship can be established and maintained, and to explore ways to encourage districts to use it to their benefit.”

The Special Legislative Commission to Study and Provide Recommendations Relating to Shared Services between Rhode Island School Districts is scheduled to hold its organizational meeting Thursday, Oct. 15, at 4 p.m. in Room 135 on the first floor of the State House. No public testimony will be taken at this time.

The meeting will be televised by Capitol Television, which can be seen by Cox Communications subscribers on channels 15 and 61 for high definition, on channel 15 by i3Broadband viewers, and channel 34 for Verizon subscribers. Livestreaming will be available at https://www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx.

The 13-member commission includes Representative Cortvriend; Rep. Rebecca Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence); Rep. Sherry Roberts (R-Dist. 29, West Greenwich, Coventry); Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council Director of Policy and Research Justine Oliva; Department of Education Chief Operations Officer Mario Carreno; National Education Association of Rhode Island Deputy Executive Director for Business and Finance Bridget Almon; Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Healthcare Professionals President Maribeth Calabro; Narragansett Superintendent Peter J. Cummings, representing the Rhode Island School Superintendents Association; Rhode Island Association of School Committees Executive Director Tim Duffy; Rhode Island Manufacturers Association President and CEO Melissa Travis; Westerly High School Assistant Principal John Connell; Smithfield High School student Rocco Papa; and Lisa Vura-Weis, who will serve as a member of the public with extensive experience in business consolidation and shared services.

 

For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923