The Pawtucket School Committee passed the school budget for the 2016-2017 unanimously on May 10th, and the City Council approved it on May 25th. Without any dissension, the city of Pawtucket seems to be in agreement that additional funds totaling nearly $600,000 are needed to add health and behavioral supports in the city’s 17 schools.
The total budget is approximately $116 million, of which more than 70% is allocated from the state of Rhode Island.
Superintendent Patti DiCenso successfully pleaded her case in front of both legislative bodies and together with the help of the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance, presented a plan forward which includes supporting current public school students and teachers and hopefully re-enrolling those who have left for charter and specialty schools. The supports show a shared commitment between administration and teachers to the learning environment and achievement. Most importantly, DiCenso promises results from her slightly increased budget from the previous year.
DiCenso is currently in the middle of a contract extension she signed last year and touts increased test scores and graduation rates from the city’s two largest high schools, Tolman and Shea, in a relatively short amount of time since she’s been appointed the post in 2014.