It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 8

Schools are often rated by the results of assessment scores. This may be the least valid way to evaluate the quality of a school. Yet it's the way we currently judge our success or failure.

There is no strong correlation between assessment and enrollment.

Assessments
     Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)
     Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT

Test Scores Ranked With Enrollment
     # 1 Barrington HS    (1,116)
     # 2 N. Kingstown HS (1,383)
     # 3 Portsmouth HS (902)
     # 4 Exeter/W Greenwich Reg HS  (500)

Compare the results of just four of the schools in this study. Then think about why these schools are at the top of the list.

Could it have something to do with the economy of the location?  Could it be influenced by the educational level and prosperity of those parents whose children live in the community?

Then ask if those schools that have less impressive results are still able to provide an outstanding education for the high achievers? If the answer is YES, then the rank of the test scores is not really a reflection of the quality of a school – its program or its level of achievement.

Educational quality is measured by the ability of a school to serve all of its students in the manner that will best prepare them for the future, not by an arbitrary number that claims to measure equals – when student equality is a goal, not an existing condition.

Better is this question that deserves to be asked and answered:  Does your school provide all that is needed to prepare all of its students for successful adulthood?  If it does not, then what needs to be done to ensure it meets those requirements? 

Greater size does equal opportunity for more kids. It’s a start. But that’s not enough.

The prescription for educational health is Yes! Greater size! but within an organization that has vision, leadership, and good financial management.

Do not settle! Demand it!

It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 7

Schools with adjacent Career & Technical Centers provide extended opportunities for students; however, even within those more complex institutions there is disparity due to the size of the enrollment.

High Schools with Career & Technical Centers

                                      Enrollment        Teacher Ratio      Per Pupil Cost

Rogers HS, NACTC                   632                 13 : 1                     $19,726

Chariho Reg HS, CTC             1,090                 13 : 1                     $18,326

Compare the two schools in this study that offer career-based programs which provide comprehensive training in actual hands-on skills and even, in some programs, offer certifications. 

Both schools provide a teacher for every 13 students.  However, the per pupil costs differ.

The larger school – Chariho Regional High School with 1,090 students – spends $18,326 per pupil while the smaller school – Rogers High School with 632 students – spends $19, 726 per student.

This study shows that in every case – district schools, regional schools, and schools with Career & Tech Centers – educational institutions with larger student bodies are more cost efficient and beneficial to the taxpayer.

It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 6

Similar to the results demonstrated at district high schools on Page 5 of these posts, the per pupil costs at regional high schools are a reflection of the size of the student body.

Regional High Schools

                                      Enrollment        Teacher Ratio      Per Pupil Cost

Exeter-W Greenwich Reg HS        500                  12 : 1                     $22,664

Mt. Hope Reg HS                           889                  14 : 1                     $19,329

Ponaganset Reg HS                        665                  12 : 1                     $23,528

Consider the comparative data of the three smaller regional schools in this study.

Regional schools that are central to large geographic areas sometimes see their per pupil costs increased because of transportation needs (in addition to equipment for hands-on programs.)  

For example, both Exeter/West Greenwich Regional and Ponaganset Regional are located in western Rhode Island, which is more rural, while Mt. Hope Regional is located within two suburban communities, where the student population is denser and in closer proximity.

Nevertheless, a comparison of the per pupil costs reflects the impact of the size of the student enrollment.

The two smaller schools (enrollments of 500 and 665) show much higher costs ($22,664 and $23,528 respectively) while the per pupil cost at the larger school (889) is lower ($19,329).

Clearly, even with the added element of transportation costs, etc., the per pupil costs at a larger school benefit from a higher number of students per teacher (14:1) while the smaller schools require proportionately more teachers per student (12:1).

Tomorrow’s data will compare schools – district and regional – where Career & Technical programs are located on campus.

It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 5

Taxpayers are always concerned about the costs of education. They may actually think that fewer students and smaller schools will be favorable to the tax rate. Unfortunately, the reverse is true.

There is a direct correlation between the ratio of teachers to students and the costs of education.

District High Schools

                           Enrollment          Teacher Ratio          Per Pupil Cost

Barrington HS         1,116                 14 : 1                   $14,838

Middletown HS          633                 10 : 1                   $18,111

N Kingstown HS     1,383                 14 : 1                   $16,473

Portsmouth HS           902                 12 : 1                   $16,511

Consider the comparative data of four of the schools in this study.

The student-to-teacher ratio for the larger schools – Barrington (1,116 students) and North Kingstown (1,383 students) -  is higher, which means that each teacher provides instruction for more students, reducing the overall costs per student.

On the other hand, the student-to-teacher ratio in smaller schools – Portsmouth (902 students) and Middletown (633 students) – is lower, which means that each teacher provides instruction for fewer students, increasing the overall costs per student.

That might seem like a good thing, until one examines the actual impact.

While there is variation between the enrollment of the schools (student-to-teacher ratio) in North Kingstown and Portsmouth, the most financially efficient school – Barrington with 1,116 students -  provides one teacher for every 14 students at a per pupil cost of $14,838.

On the other hand, the smallest school - Middletown with 633 students - provides one teacher for every 10 students at a per pupil cost of $18,111.

Clearly smaller schools are more expensive to the taxpayer.

It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 4

It can be helpful to examine published data related to both district and regional schools to determine the relevance of school size.

Comparative Analysis of District and Regional Schools

District High Schools

       Barrington High School        

       Middletown High School          

       North Kingstown High School    

       Portsmouth High School  

RI Regional High Schools  
       Chariho Regional High School (Charlestown-Hopkington)
       Exeter-West Greenwich Regional High School  
       Mt. Hope Regional High School (Bristol-Warren)   
       Ponaganset Regional High School (Foster-Glocester)

Barrington High School and North Kingstown High School were selected because of their comparative ranking and larger enrollments.  Portsmouth High School, Middletown High School, and Rogers High School reflect a lesser number of students as well as location on Aquidneck Island.

The schools in the second category represent the regional schools in Rhode Island; they vary in the size of the student body.

Data on subsequent pages will look at enrollment, especially its impact on staffing and per pupil cost.

It will look at comparative assessment – state testing as well as Advanced Placement – and graduation rates.

Finally, it will compare courses and programs in terms of availability to students as affected by school size.

It’s hard to underestimate the positive impact of school enrollment on the range of educational opportunities available to students.

It's Not About the Money. It's About the Kids. Part 3

Americans have always valued education as the sure road to progress. Lately, however, it seems that some of us may have lost our way.           

               

I was having coffee with a retired teacher yesterday, and we were commiserating about what we consider to be a steady decline in school performance.

She mentioned the focus of current high school programming on preparing everyone for college. We agreed that not everyone needs to or even wants to go to college, as evidenced by the numbers of students who drop out after one year or those who take five or six years to graduate.

We also discussed the data in recent reports demonstrating that there are more job opportunities in the service industries than there are for college graduates.

All of which led us to the elimination over time of the hands-on courses available to the previous generation of students such as introductory courses that led to pursuing certificate programs at the Career & Technical School, business courses that trained accountants, child development classes for future parents, and the greenhouse for budding horticulturists. Where had they gone? 

The answer was that they had disappeared as the enrollment had declined even though students’ interests still varied widely from the potential computer wizard to the plumber who replaces the leaky faucet.

We agreed that a community needs a full range of talent, and promoting one at the expense of another is self-defeating.  

It's Not About the Money. It's About the Kids. Part 2

During budget season, the focus is on the cost of education with an expectation of efficient use of funding. However, following the release of the most recent assessment data, it’s hard to see how anyone can claim the schools are doing a good job.

                              

In fairness to local school districts, it is important to point out that the state should bear most of the blame. In contrast with Massachusetts, Rhode Island has been playing ping-pong with the schools for at least 10 years.

Why is Massachusetts a leader in education?  Because it passed an Ed. Reform bill in 1993 intended to provide an excellent education for all its students. It established standards that were appropriate for its demographic and mandated that every district develop curriculum based on those standards. Only then did it develop an assessment instrument suitable for those standards. 

Meanwhile, what did Rhode Island do? It selected multiple assessments – changing at least 3 times over a 10-year period – and expected the districts to develop relevant curriculum – in other words, teach to the tests.

Finally, Rhode Island seems to be “getting it”, but change takes time. The point is that, if there is any good time to completely revamp an educational system, the time is right now!  And what better time than with a new school with twice the enrollment where students can be offered twice the educational opportunity!

So when someone says, “There doesn’t appear to be a material change in curriculum between a high school of 600 students and 1200 students,” tell them they are mistaken.

It's Not About the Money. It's About the Kids. Part 1

The July 1, 2019 Middletown Town Council meeting included two PowerPoint presentations. The first was a lengthy series of documents intended to explain the Town Council’s refusal to join in discussions regarding school regionalization.

Included in the summary was the following statement:

There doesn’t appear to be a material change in curriculum between a high school of 600 students and 1200 students.

The second presentation was much shorter, but its focus was on the educational benefits of high school consolidation – the actual “material changes”.

Common sense says that a curriculum for 1200 students is going to be broader and deeper than one for 600 students.

Going forward, we will look at state and local data as well as data from other areas where not only are the educational opportunities more extensive, but student achievement is impressive.

Why Is MA Educational System Better?

Why has MA been the national leader in educational reform? Because every district in the state had to implement clear and consistent standards that ensured a high quality education for every student. Then it created an assessment based on the standards that measured the equalized results. 

MA established universal standards specific to its own demographics, so of course the results met clear and relevant expectations. 

There's a difference between WHO, WHAT, and HOW. 

The MA standards were identified at the state level (WHO), and the assessments were based on the standards. The individual districts developed curriculum that conformed with the state standards (WHAT) and they did it by engaging the teachers in identifying (HOW) the essential student learnings that conformed with the standards as well as the desired outcomes, the performance tasks, the benchmarks, and the evaluation methods that gave them the tools to perform their miracles in the classroom . 

In RI, the state imposed the nationally developed Common Core curriculum willy-nilly on the individual districts. 

Expedited curriculum development sometimes resulted in radical changes that created gaps in logical development.  For example, math concepts previously taught at the upper middle school level were arbitrarily moved down to the upper elementary level, creating gap years. (A high school science teacher said it was necessary to spend a lot of the first quarter teaching the math that previous students had already learned.)

The Common Core is a compilation of the standards of all the states without regard for demographic differences. Subsequently the state of RI selected and mandated a national assessment that seemed compatible with the Common Core.

Without assessment based on specific and demographically-appropriate uniform standards, curriculum developed by the classroom teachers was still based on the uncoordinated expectations of individual district administrators. 

No clear and appropriate standards - no statewide coordination - no legitimate way to compare performance - meaningless results.

Now that RI has adopted the MCAS (MA Comprehensive Assessment System), it needs to adopt the MA standards if it hopes to improve RI results.

High School Consolidation with Equal Representation

There is no real advantage for Middletown in full regionalization. The elementary schools and Gaudet are stable and seem to be functioning well. I have concerns about their preparation for HS, but hopefully curriculum standards will be established at the top as they were in MA, and we will stop teaching to the test. 

However, the high school program that has most concerned me over the years because of the abysmal test scores and because of the increasingly limited opportunities for students. 

The most egregious example is the focus on the top students - bless those mathematical geniuses - at the sacrifice of the majority that may or may not go to college but would profit from practical skills within the high school itself or at the Career & Technical School.  

Not everyone is interested enough or motivated or can afford to go to college or to a trade/technical school.  But Middletown sends few students to NACTC because recruitment means exorbitant tuition for each student. 

But NACTC would be a part of a consolidated high school at no extra cost.  (Also, attaching the Pre-School would be beneficial for both the little ones and the high schoolers who would be trained in a Child Development program.)

Then there is the phasing out of multiple foreign languages, some of the arts, and foundation courses like civics and money management (real practical losses in everyday lives.) 

Of course there is the issue of teaching staff. If 25 students are considered a full classroom, why do we have so many classes with numbers below 20?  And is the explanation for the majority of low scores on the AP exams that we have so many (obviously unqualified) students in AP classes? 

I have heard people say, "It's all about the money." It’s common sense: one building is cheaper to maintain than two. And 2 teachers with 25 students in each classroom is cheaper than 3 teachers with

16 or maybe it’s better to have the same number of teachers with many more available courses.

Finally, there is the challenge of working with Newport. Newport has the name but they can't do it without us and that gives us leverage. I believe in equal control. Our senator told us a year ago that agreements had some flexibility. I would never support any agreement that did not guarantee equal authority and supervision by both communities. Middletown is Newport's sister community, not its poor cousin, and we need to be respected as such.

So, if the Newport proposes regionalization to the Middletown Town Council, I suggest that we tell them that we are only interested in high school consolidation with fair and equal representation.

School Spending

On Monday, May 6, 2019, the Middletown Town Council met with the Middletown School Committee and school department administrators to discuss specifics related to the school budget that had not been addressed at the All-Day meeting on April 27^th.

A list of issues was printed in the May 11^th Middletown Leads newsletter - published on the Middletown Public Library web site and on this blog - along with a graphic which provided a visual representation of the current state of the school department.  Discussion focused on three areas:  special education/staffing, administrative bonuses, and student performance.

School budget discussions began with questions about the way the school department has addressed anticipated revenue over the previous years when it was known that state aid would be reduced.

School administrators stated that it makes decisions about elimination or recall based on anticipated enrollment. For example, this year a reduction of an Art teacher is planned, and last year a Music teacher was eliminated.

It was pointed out that the enrollment of military children fluctuates at the beginning and in the middle of the year, so staffing is not easily predictable.

Questions were asked about services for children who do not speak English. The response was that there are 2 teachers, one serving K-8 and one serving MHS. 

There were further questions about expenses related to Special Education.

When asked about elimination or non-renewals of teachers, the school department said that 4 teachers were retiring (a high school art teacher, 2 elementary teachers, and a special education resource teacher.) Currently, 8 nonrenewals are projected.

No information was offered about reductions in any other area.

The most animated discussion was related to the compensation of those employees who are not members of any union. Data was provided from FY13 to FY18 amounting to more than $250,000.  

The response from the school department was that bonuses were awarded in place of salary increases. However, some of the bonuses amounted to as much as 4% increases when at no time did the teachers receive 4% increases and, in some years, they did not receive increases at all.

For example, in FY13, the teacher contract provided a 0 % increase while top administrators received $3,800, $4,500, and $4,000.

Similarly, in FY16, when the teacher contract provided a 0 % increase, top administrators received $8,000 each.

The school department responded to this inequity by saying that the bonuses were awarded for the previous fiscal year. It should be noted that in FY 15, the previous fiscal year of the $8,000 bonuses, performance bonuses were awarded in the amounts of $6,000.

Members of the Town Council also noted that the bonuses appeared to be awarded in Executive Session rather than Open Session when the public would have access to the information. One School Committee member claimed that personnel matters were appropriate for Executive Session. This claim was not well received.

Additional data provided by the school department reflects 2% increases for FY19 awarded across the board for the non-union personnel.

It was noted that the School Department has almost always requested the maximum increase under RI law while using claims of the need to cut activities and athletic programs while it awarded bonuses for less than stellar performance, as indicated by the assessment results.

At the request of a member of the Town Council the school department provided a printout of the enrollment of individual courses by sections. The maximum class size in the teacher contract is 25 students.

The printout clearly identified the current enrollment at Middletown High School: 165 students in grade 9,  99 students in grade 10, 138 students in grade 11, 132 students in grade 12, and 85 students specified as special education for a current total of 619 students. (It should be noted that, largely due to military transfers, the total number can fluctuate minimally from day to day.  

High school scheduling depends on 2 main variables: the number of courses offered and the number of students at each grade level. The number of sections of each course depends on the number of students and the ability of the schedule to meet student needs when students in different grades have signed up for different courses.

There are 2 scheduling options for administrators who are cognizant of the budget impact on taxpayers of each additional teacher:  offer fewer courses or offer fewer sections. 

A review of the scheduling document reflected several anomalies, among others:

             A disproportionate number of sections of AP/Honors classes in all grades

             A disproportionate number of class sections below 20 students

             A phasing out of French instruction (leaving only Spanish)

The data shows that the school department has attempted to maintain an educational program that meets the needs of its students without regard for the financial impact on taxpayers.   

The poor assessment results of RI districts, including Middletown’s, were attributed to the multiple changes in state testing.

Going forward, both the Town and the School Department will have to make some decisions that will not please everyone.

Improving Special Education For All Students

Recently I spoke with someone knowledgeable and credible who has experience with Special Education in the Middletown schools. It made me wonder about who is watching out for the students. 

Special Education is unique in that it is almost always adapted to the student. While general education students can be grouped according to age, grade, and level of knowledge, special education students range across the spectrum with few common denominators. That is why they require special education.

Special Education teachers are also unique in that they walk a line between the expectations of the parents (which might differ from the expectations of the school) as well as a close-up knowledge of the individual student’s strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities.

Special Education is expensive, not only because of the range of differences but also because of the extent of a teacher’s ability to adequately service all his/her charges’ needs. If it is possible to service the child within the school, it may require full services, partial services, or supplemental services, all of which require time and staff.

As a result of their close association with the special education teacher, students form relationships that are generally closer and perhaps even more educationally dependent than the typical student does with a regular education teacher, who could be providing learning experiences for 100 or more students.

What does all this mean for the special education students and teachers in the Middletown schools?  It means that special education staff – resource teachers and aides – are vital components in the broader educational environment, and consideration needs to be given to ensuring that, when they are absent, the needs of the students are still being met. 

How is this situation different from the absence of a teacher in a regular education classroom? In the latter, a substitute can follow the lesson plan for each class that the responsible teacher has left behind. It might not be accomplished as efficiently or effectively as the regular classroom teacher would do it, but the majority of the students will still have a learning experience in that class

However, when a special education teacher is absent, students may be placed in an alternative setting or the substitute might be not much more than an unknown baby sitter who may lack the individualized training that special education requires or be personally unable to relate to the students.

The absence of a special education aide who works with teachers in the classroom is just as detrimental because there is not usually a replacement so the students who get services in that classroom are on their own.

The scenarios above reflect the issues related to special education in the public schools, not just Middletown’s. Some students have so much greater needs that they have to be out-placed. 

All of the special education options are expensive. What is important is the way schools ensure the best services for their students.

Until special education personnel are recognized as vital components of an educational institution, some of our students will fall through the cracks along the way.

Cost is always the biggest factor. So when I talk about consolidating high schools, I see it as pooling our knowledge base, our resources, and our capabilities to provide better education and services for all students.

Middletown High School Has Changed

To those who graduated from MHS before 2000 and still live in the area, I’m telling you that education in Middletown has changed. The school administration would have you believe that the current status is the result of reduced state aid and inadequate local funding, an easy answer for a more pressing problem that is going to get progressively worse. The real culprit is reduced enrollment.

Fewer students means less opportunity at greater cost.

How do I know this? Because I was an administrator in 5 districts of varying sizes in 3 states: the class scheduler for 1,600 students in a RI high school, 400 in a CT regional 7-12, and 200 in a MA 9-12, and the Deputy Superintendent in charge of Curriculum & Operations in the largest regional district in MA (the last 2 immediately following the passage of the MA Ed Reform Act that has resulted in an outstanding state-wide program.

Change is hard, and waiting for the state to revise its standards means that, even if work is done to improve curriculum, it will take years to filter down to the individual districts. Meanwhile, the current generation of students will fall through the cracks. Of course, the top students will always get what they need while the majority are stuck in mediocrity – at increasing costs per student.

Please do not dismiss the above as “gloom and doom” criticism. Those of you personally acquainted with me will know that I am a positive person. But I am also an activist. If something can be done to improve a situation, I will pursue it relentlessly, and that is the reason I have consistently advocated for high school consolidation. Common sense says that double the students in one facility rather than two provides more opportunity at a lower cost – especially in light of a potential 55% reimbursement.

What are the hangups that are getting in the way?  Issues such as control, provincialism, and resistance to change, none of which speak well for their advocates. These issues are emotionally-based and irrelevant to the improvement of education for students and lower cost to taxpayers. To those who would raise the flags of fear, I say “Get out of the way.”

Our children’s future is at stake. Let those of us who care about future generations and the ability of our children to succeed in life address those important considerations and leave the self-centered protectionism behind. 

Previous generations were kinder and more civil, looking to the future and making it better. Yes, there will be issues that need to be resolved, but we must not lose sight of the big picture. The future is in the children. Let’s put them first.

Tax Proposal Considerations

The April 1, 2019 Town Council discussion of the proposed adjustments to the Senior Exemptions and the institution of a Homestead Exemption was complicated by the reminder that the Town is waiting for a RIPEC study of the 2018 proposal to completely change the way taxes are assessed in Middletown.

In October, 2018, I reviewed the tax rolls and compared the taxes paid by every town resident for the past 4 tax years, including the years of re-evaluation. In early May, I addressed my concerns to the Middletown Town Council as follows:

Following observations based on comparative study of actual data, I determined that Seniors who own property in close proximity to the beach will see increases in their property taxes, and Seniors who live more centrally or on the west side will see decreases in their property taxes.

These observations led to the conclusion that statements that suggest that seniors are being forced out of their homes by taxes are misleading or at least disingenuous.

Actual personal experience with two houses of different values reflected minimal increases of an average $115 per year over a 17 year period and $66 per year over a 12 year period, including 5 re-evaluations, which did not seem excessive.

This experience led to the conclusion that the system that is being proposed seems to be aimed at those property owners who seem to need relief the least rather than those who are in the most need. It seemed clear that the existing exemptions seemed to be providing necessary relief.

There appeared to be a number of major concerns going forward.

Making revolutionary changes to the tax system in a single town needs to be based on more research as it would apply to the local economy and its relation to the state economy than on experiences in another state. 

The listed owners of many Middletown properties are legal trusts, which would facilitate property value stagnation, effectively protecting the properties from tax increases in perpetuity.

The burden in Middletown would shift to the average property owner who might see a drop in value but an increase in taxes

We do not know what the impact will be on the Town’s revenue and expenditures.

We do not know the possible impact on sales of property – both residential and commercial. For example, could a hotel evaluated a $6 mil be harder to sell if its value increased to $13 mil with concurrent tax increases?

I concluded my remarks by saying that the TC had been reluctant to spend resources on many projects that are pending.  Furthermore, rushing to institute a revolutionary tax system without complete information provided by an unbiased source suggests a reluctance to hear about potential issues that could negatively affect the town for decades.

Before the end of 2018, Middletown contracted for a RIPEC study.

Exemptions Proposed at April 1, 2019 TC meeting

At the April1, 2019 meeting of the Middletown Town Council, there was considerable discussion about proposals regarding property tax exemptions. The Town currently provides a variety of exemptions:

                                    Veterans                      Real Estate, Motor Vehicle Exemptions

                                    Seniors 65-74              Flat Exemption

                                                                        Income Based Exemption

                                    Seniors 75+                 Flat Exemption

                                                                        Income Based Exemption

One proposal focused on increasing the exemptions on residential property, based on age as well as on income.

The second, a Homestead Exemption, was intended to provide tax relief to those whose primary residence is in Middletown.

The new proposal to increase the Senior Exemptions recommends changing the age brackets  to 65-69 and 70+. It also adjusts the income-based requirements.

The Homestead Exemption is intended to provide tax relief to residents whose primary residence in in Middletown.

The fact that Middletown is an attractive destination for tourists has resulted in an increase of short-term rentals, which many regard as profit-making entities, while the year-round residents are responsible for maintaining the superstructure that supports that commercialism.

The proposal for a Homestead Exemption is intended to level the playing field by shifting more of the financial responsibility to those who benefit.

 The Homestead Exemption would apply to property which is the resident taxpayer’s “principal residence and legal domicile.”

The principal residence would be “legally titled to the resident taxpayer, a trust to which the resident taxpayer is the named beneficiary, or to a corporate entity owned and controlled by the resident taxpayer.”

The property would have to be “used exclusively for residential purposes and improved with a dwelling containing less than five units, or used for a combination of residential and commercial uses.”

The resident taxpayer must hold legal title to the property as evidenced by the address on the owner’s driver’s license, car registration, federal income tax return, state income tax return, the Middletown voter’s address and/or other documents.

In the case of multiple units within the property, the property tax would be pro-rated to reflect the owner-occupied area

One of the most important issues to be resolved is the impact of exemptions on Town revenue. In the development of the Town Budget, the proposed expenditures are identified – those items that require funding, such as salaries and superstructure, as well as new efforts to promote economic growth and development. Taxes provide that support.

Before exemptions can be increased, it is important to identify the consequences of the resulting loss of revenue and identify the sources of replacement. How would the costs shift? What would be the impact?

As a new entity, a Homestead Exemption must be approved by the legislature.  While the details – the exact amounts, age requirements, etc. – need not be identified at this time, a basic proposal must be presented and approved within the next few weeks if a Homestead Exemption is to be implemented for the next tax assessment.

A delayed decision means that no action can be taken this year, and residents will have to wait another year for potential relief.  

Middletown's Comprehensive Plan Needs Updating

Reviewing the Middletown Comprehensive Plan for the Middletown Leads Newsletter (published on the Middletown Library website)  raised issues regarding the effects of changing conditions and the passage of time.

The Comprehensive Community Plan was most recently updated in 2014; it was adopted by the Middletown Town Council On March 2, 2015.  Many changes have taken place since 2014 which make some of the existing guidelines out-of-date.

For example, the Aquidneck Island Transportation Study, which was used to form many of the conclusions in the Transportation section, was actually completed in 2011, which makes it 8 years out-of-date, a long period of time considering the road construction that has taken place in Middletown (and on the island) over recent years.

In addition, the state no longer requires that Comprehensive Plans be formally reviewed every 10 years, so extensive change is unlikely even though time doesn’t stand still.

Neither does there seem to be a formal process in place for making appropriate adjustments, so the Town is continuously faced with conflicts over economic development and land usage that should have been addressed before they occurred, rather than when it was too late to do anything about them.

For example, there was the recent controversy over the applications for 2 new hotels in the Atlantic Beach District. Residents were concerned that the unique character of the area was being threatened and that more preference was being given to investors and tourists than to residents. 

Some went so far as to suggest a moratorium on building in the area until the zoning could be changed to restrict further hotel development. Unfortunately, it was too late. The applications had already been submitted; the Town was legally obligated to consider them within the existing zoning ordinances.

These examples point out the need for the Town to develop a process for continuous review of the Comprehensive Community Plan and the Town Ordinances that support it.

Perhaps the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission can be persuaded to undertake another Aquidneck Island Transportation Study.

Additionally, unless the Town Council develops a review process for the Comprehensive Community Plan and the Zoning Ordinances, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board will be faced with decisions that can only lead to more controversy. 

One issue that needs to be resolved immediately is the perception that the Comprehensive Community Plan is a rule book written in stone. In fact, it is really only a guide, approved by the Town Council.

Sr. Housing - Middletown Town Council Meeing - Mar 4, 2019

The need for affordable senior housing has been on the Middletown Town Council docket since April 2017. 

Early in 2018, the Town Council met with a local non-profit provider as well as Rhode Island Housing to discuss options.

Subsequently, the Town Council formed a Senior Housing Sub-Committee which, after multiple meetings, finally recommended in December 2018 that the Town Council hire a consultant to advise the Town about developing senior housing units.

At the March 4^th meeting, the Town Council reviewed the scope of the work, which included the following tasks:

1.      Identify the need (as if the need had not already been established)

2.      Identify funding options (which had already been discussed at length with such agencies as Rhode Island Housing)

3.      Conduct a market analysis (to “provide the Town with an understanding of the potential for success for non-profit and/or for-profit development”)

4.      Identify potential locations (of which the Town is already well aware)

5.      Identify potential partners (with some of whom the Town had already had discussions)

6.      Make recommendations for implementation

Following consideration of the proposed scope of the work and the conclusion that the Town Council was already aware of the information to be provided, the Town Council voted not to authorize the proposed Feasibility Study related to Senior Housing.

There was consensus that $22,500 to compile information in 4 months that was already available was not a good use of funds, not to mention the anticipated 2 to 3 years for the project to actually get underway, 

Several points were made that led to a change in direction:

1.      If the Town desires to use residency as a criterion for establishing wait lists, then it would be ineligible for grants and tax credits and would have to rely on taxpayer dollars to subsidize the costs of construction and rent.

2.      The Town is not going to use taxpayer money to build and operate an affordable senior housing project on its own.

3.      A non-profit partner typically has connections within the community and generally keeps money in the project.

4.      A for-profit partner general takes money out of the project.

These points led to the reorganization of the previous TC Senior Housing Committee which would again review the options, but this time within a 2-month deadline for concrete recommendations. At that point, the Town Council would meet with potential partners and, hopefully, get the project underway. 

 

The important point to be made is that the Town Council agreed that a decision needed to be made sooner rather than later, and it initiated action to achieve that goal.